PA30 pilot has a malfunctioning right engine; declares an emergency and returns for landing.

Attributes
ACN	700053
Time
Date	200606
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-30 Twin Comanche
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 17 flight time total : 2200 flight time type : 225
ASRS Report	700053
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Takeoff and climb out were normal; and at 500 ft I switched to the auxiliary tanks (which were full); secured the auxiliary (electric) fuel pumps and reduced to climb power (25 mp and 2600 RPM). Approximately 2 mins later as I was leveling at 2000 ft 5-6 NM south of ZZZ the right engine began to run rough. I began troubleshooting; and noted that fuel flow; fuel pressure; oil temperature and oil pressure on both engines were within normal limits. Although the right engine was still making partial power; since extensive maintenance had been performed on that engine's fuel system I was concerned about possible fuel leaks; and also concerned about damaging the engine further; so I verified the bad engine; then feathered and secured it as per the checklist. I called approach control and declared an emergency; stating that I had feathered my right engine and that I intended to return to ZZZ; the closest airport. The controller cleared me directly to the field and switched me to the tower. The tower controller asked for souls and fuel on board (1 soul on board; 2 hours fuel remaining at normal cruise; both engines operating) and offered me any runway for landing. I elected to make a normal VFR approach; crossing midfield at 2000 ft for a left downwind entry to runway 10L. I felt that flying a standard traffic pattern would be safer than taking unusual measures to land immediately. The approach and landing were entirely normal; and I taxied to the FBO and shut down. No external damage or fuel leaks were noted.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA30 PLT HAS A MALFUNCTIONING R ENG; DECLARES AN EMER AND RETURNS FOR LNDG.

Narrative: TKOF AND CLBOUT WERE NORMAL; AND AT 500 FT I SWITCHED TO THE AUX TANKS (WHICH WERE FULL); SECURED THE AUX (ELECTRIC) FUEL PUMPS AND REDUCED TO CLB PWR (25 MP AND 2600 RPM). APPROX 2 MINS LATER AS I WAS LEVELING AT 2000 FT 5-6 NM S OF ZZZ THE R ENG BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. I BEGAN TROUBLESHOOTING; AND NOTED THAT FUEL FLOW; FUEL PRESSURE; OIL TEMP AND OIL PRESSURE ON BOTH ENGS WERE WITHIN NORMAL LIMITS. ALTHOUGH THE R ENG WAS STILL MAKING PARTIAL PWR; SINCE EXTENSIVE MAINT HAD BEEN PERFORMED ON THAT ENG'S FUEL SYS I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT POSSIBLE FUEL LEAKS; AND ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT DAMAGING THE ENG FURTHER; SO I VERIFIED THE BAD ENG; THEN FEATHERED AND SECURED IT AS PER THE CHKLIST. I CALLED APCH CTL AND DECLARED AN EMER; STATING THAT I HAD FEATHERED MY R ENG AND THAT I INTENDED TO RETURN TO ZZZ; THE CLOSEST ARPT. THE CTLR CLRED ME DIRECTLY TO THE FIELD AND SWITCHED ME TO THE TWR. THE TWR CTLR ASKED FOR SOULS AND FUEL ON BOARD (1 SOUL ON BOARD; 2 HRS FUEL REMAINING AT NORMAL CRUISE; BOTH ENGS OPERATING) AND OFFERED ME ANY RWY FOR LNDG. I ELECTED TO MAKE A NORMAL VFR APCH; XING MIDFIELD AT 2000 FT FOR A L DOWNWIND ENTRY TO RWY 10L. I FELT THAT FLYING A STANDARD TFC PATTERN WOULD BE SAFER THAN TAKING UNUSUAL MEASURES TO LAND IMMEDIATELY. THE APCH AND LNDG WERE ENTIRELY NORMAL; AND I TAXIED TO THE FBO AND SHUT DOWN. NO EXTERNAL DAMAGE OR FUEL LEAKS WERE NOTED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.