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.