It's a CCV system (Closed Crankcase Ventilation). There is a large line from the airbox to the valve cover, this line is supposed to suck air from the airbox to allow filtered air into the crankcase. Crankcase vapors are then sucked from the valve cover through a vacuum line into the intake manifold to be burned.
95% of the time this vacuum line, or it's small inline orifice, becomes clogged with carbon. With no vacuum to the crankcase from the intake, the crankcase vapors (and accompanying oil) are sucked into the airbox.
Moral of the story, ensure the CCV system is working correctly.