Narrative:

I departed IFR with two passengers on board. It was my second leg of the day in the aircraft. All engine indication[s] were within proper parameters on the previous leg. I performed an engine runup before departure - all engine indications were; once again; reading properly. I picked up my IFR flight plan in the air from center; and was cleared to climb to 8;000 feet and proceed direct VOR. Once again; engine gauges were reading correctly. Climbing through 7;000 feet; one of the passengers informed me that they had forgotten a piece of luggage. I called center to request direct to [departure airport]; which the controller gave me; and then cleared me to descend. I then started to reduce throttle for descent; glanced over to the engine instruments; and noticed the oil pressure had dropped below redline on the right engine. There were no vibrations or signs of engine roughness; and the other engine readings; including oil temperature; cylinder head temperature and exhaust gas temperature all read within normal parameters. My first inclination was that the oil temperature reading was in error; but I proceeded to reduce power on the right engine as a precautionary measure. I reached 5000 feet MSL about 15 miles west of [departure airport] when the right engine suddenly shuddered and started to vibrate violently. I immediately ran my engine shutdown checklist and secured the right engine. I then proceeded to inform center that I had an engine failure; and that I wanted to perform a visual approach into [departure airport]. I was cleared down to minimum vectoring altitude for the area; 2800 feet; and acquired visual contact with the airport about 8 miles out. I entered the left traffic pattern for runway; and successfully landed with a single engine operative. I then cleared the runway onto the tarmac; and shut down my operative engine.looking back; the only decision I made during the occurrence that I probably would have done differently would have been to perform a precautionary engine shutdown at the first sign of loss of oil pressure. At the time; I considered it reasonable that the oil indication was in error given the lack of any other sign of engine trouble. I believed that simply reducing the throttle until I made it back to the departure airport would have helped protect the engine just in case of any engine trouble; but it is clear after the fact that it was not sufficient.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Charter pilot reported he shut down the right engine in flight and returned to departure airport.

Narrative: I departed IFR with two passengers on board. It was my second leg of the day in the aircraft. All engine indication[s] were within proper parameters on the previous leg. I performed an engine runup before departure - all engine indications were; once again; reading properly. I picked up my IFR flight plan in the air from Center; and was cleared to climb to 8;000 feet and proceed direct VOR. Once again; engine gauges were reading correctly. Climbing through 7;000 feet; one of the passengers informed me that they had forgotten a piece of luggage. I called Center to request direct to [departure airport]; which the controller gave me; and then cleared me to descend. I then started to reduce throttle for descent; glanced over to the engine instruments; and noticed the oil pressure had dropped below redline on the right engine. There were no vibrations or signs of engine roughness; and the other engine readings; including oil temperature; cylinder head temperature and exhaust gas temperature all read within normal parameters. My first inclination was that the oil temperature reading was in error; but I proceeded to reduce power on the right engine as a precautionary measure. I reached 5000 feet MSL about 15 miles west of [departure airport] when the right engine suddenly shuddered and started to vibrate violently. I immediately ran my engine shutdown checklist and secured the right engine. I then proceeded to inform Center that I had an engine failure; and that I wanted to perform a visual approach into [departure airport]. I was cleared down to minimum vectoring altitude for the area; 2800 feet; and acquired visual contact with the airport about 8 miles out. I entered the left traffic pattern for runway; and successfully landed with a single engine operative. I then cleared the runway onto the tarmac; and shut down my operative engine.Looking back; the only decision I made during the occurrence that I probably would have done differently would have been to perform a precautionary engine shutdown at the first sign of loss of oil pressure. At the time; I considered it reasonable that the oil indication was in error given the lack of any other sign of engine trouble. I believed that simply reducing the throttle until I made it back to the departure airport would have helped protect the engine just in case of any engine trouble; but it is clear after the fact that it was not sufficient.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.