Narrative:

After a routine preflight, engine runup, takeoff, I was climbing through approximately 3000 ft MSL (2200 ft AGL) when I noticed the left cylinder head temperature gauge indicating a higher than normal reading and increasing rapidly. We have operated this aircraft for 2400 hours (since new) over the last 3 yrs, and have had a number of false or erratic engine instrument readings. I suspected a possible gauge malfunction, but monitored all others closely, including a visual check of the left engine. After approximately 60-90 seconds (with the cht above redline) I saw smoke coming out of the back of the left engine. At this point, I leveled off from my climb (at 4200 ft MSL), brought the left throttle to idle, told approach control that I would need to return to goshen, and began my turn as ATC gave me a instructions of 'cleared direct goshen,' 'descend to 3000 ft.' while in the turn, I decided to shut down the left engine for precautionary reasons, mainly my concern about a fire. Upon shutting down the engine, I declared an emergency with ft wayne approach. The controller pointed out that warsaw, in, was closer (8-10 mi) as a suggestion, but I elected to return to goshen, which is my base. I felt more comfortable landing there because of a full ILS and my familiarity with the airport. The descent and landing were uneventful, and after landing, I cancelled my IFR and my emergency with south bend, in, approach using a remote outlet -- frequency 125.25. I chose my home airport instead of the closest airport, although my home airport was probably only 3-5 mi farther, because I felt more comfortable with my home airport. That seemed the safest alternative.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMT TWIN-ENG CPR ACFT DECLARED AN EMER AND RETURNED TO LAND AFTER 1 ENG MALFUNCTIONED AND WAS SHUT DOWN DURING INITIAL CLB AFTER TKOF.

Narrative: AFTER A ROUTINE PREFLT, ENG RUNUP, TKOF, I WAS CLBING THROUGH APPROX 3000 FT MSL (2200 FT AGL) WHEN I NOTICED THE L CYLINDER HEAD TEMP GAUGE INDICATING A HIGHER THAN NORMAL READING AND INCREASING RAPIDLY. WE HAVE OPERATED THIS ACFT FOR 2400 HRS (SINCE NEW) OVER THE LAST 3 YRS, AND HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF FALSE OR ERRATIC ENG INST READINGS. I SUSPECTED A POSSIBLE GAUGE MALFUNCTION, BUT MONITORED ALL OTHERS CLOSELY, INCLUDING A VISUAL CHK OF THE L ENG. AFTER APPROX 60-90 SECONDS (WITH THE CHT ABOVE REDLINE) I SAW SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE BACK OF THE L ENG. AT THIS POINT, I LEVELED OFF FROM MY CLB (AT 4200 FT MSL), BROUGHT THE L THROTTLE TO IDLE, TOLD APCH CTL THAT I WOULD NEED TO RETURN TO GOSHEN, AND BEGAN MY TURN AS ATC GAVE ME A INSTRUCTIONS OF 'CLRED DIRECT GOSHEN,' 'DSND TO 3000 FT.' WHILE IN THE TURN, I DECIDED TO SHUT DOWN THE L ENG FOR PRECAUTIONARY REASONS, MAINLY MY CONCERN ABOUT A FIRE. UPON SHUTTING DOWN THE ENG, I DECLARED AN EMER WITH FT WAYNE APCH. THE CTLR POINTED OUT THAT WARSAW, IN, WAS CLOSER (8-10 MI) AS A SUGGESTION, BUT I ELECTED TO RETURN TO GOSHEN, WHICH IS MY BASE. I FELT MORE COMFORTABLE LNDG THERE BECAUSE OF A FULL ILS AND MY FAMILIARITY WITH THE ARPT. THE DSCNT AND LNDG WERE UNEVENTFUL, AND AFTER LNDG, I CANCELLED MY IFR AND MY EMER WITH S BEND, IN, APCH USING A REMOTE OUTLET -- FREQ 125.25. I CHOSE MY HOME ARPT INSTEAD OF THE CLOSEST ARPT, ALTHOUGH MY HOME ARPT WAS PROBABLY ONLY 3-5 MI FARTHER, BECAUSE I FELT MORE COMFORTABLE WITH MY HOME ARPT. THAT SEEMED THE SAFEST ALTERNATIVE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.