Dash 8-200
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 85; Flight Crew Total 2925
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; Flight Crew Inflight Shutdown; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; General Declared Emergency
Aircraft
I was operating a ferry flight and just after departure around 400 FT; the #1 Engine torque immediately shot up to 116% with a noticeable change in yaw (and sound). My First Officer called out 'engine failure;' and while correcting for the yaw; I asked him to identify that the #1 Engine had failed and feathered. He said the engine had failed but did not feather; and I elected to immediately shut down the #1 Engine and feather it. We notified ATC of our engine failure and emergency condition. We ran the Engine Failure Checklist and circled back to land for a visual. With the Emergency Checklist not fully completed and clouds beginning to hide the airport; I requested additional vectors for the ILS in order to assure proper landing and to complete the Emergency Checklist in full. We then landed single-engine without incident.
DHC8-200 Captain experiences an over torque just after takeoff and elects to shut the engine down and return to the departure airport.