Citation Excel (C560XL)
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Training / Qualification; Situational Awareness; Distraction; Troubleshooting; Workload
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory; Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Inflight Shutdown; General Declared Emergency
Aircraft; Procedure; Weather
After a relatively uneventful departure we were in our initial climbout; on our fifth leg of the duty day; on day six of our tour; enroute to a Midwest airport. Departure was more or less on time. The PIC and I had been paired together all week with almost no issues of any significance. We had leveled off at 15;000 FT for a few minutes. We were just above the cloud layer with VMC on top and a bright moon. I queried ATC about a further climb. We finally received a climb clearance to FL230. Shortly after the pilot flying initiated the climb there was a loud bang with subsequent violent vibrations and noise. After a few moments I noticed the ITT was RED. I told the pilot flying about the ITT and suggested an immediate shutdown. There was a brief odor similar to the simultaneous operation of the APU bleed air and engine running at the same time. I did not perceive this smell as smoke. We exchanged controls and the PIC ran the Engine Failure In-Flight checklist and had started the Single Engine Approach and Landing checklist. At the time of the malfunction and just before the malfunction all parameters were normal. There were no annunciator lights on just before the malfunction or even while the malfunction was happening. After the shutdown the vibrations ceased immediately. To make matters worse and to perpetuate the feeling of time compression the weather was challenging in the area and it was night. When we departed with the ceiling was around 1;000 FT AGL with visibility around three miles; there was also on and off rain and freezing rain. The wind in the area was as also significant; from the southeast 20 KTS gusting higher. I declared an emergency and requested vectors to the nearest suitable airport. ATC suggested two. ATC then came back and thought one of the two might be closed.  On the previous leg; we had discussed the other airport as a diversion possibility due to freezing rain at the departure airport. From recollection the divert airport suggestion was a good option. Weather from ATC was reporting visibility of three miles and overcast of 800 FT. We started to get vectors for the ILS; after reviewing the approach; the pilot flying decided the longer runway would be a better option; the weather was above minimums for the approach; so we switched to the RNAV 20. I finally finished the S.E. Approach and Landing checklist once established on the approach. The approach and landing were uneventful.
A CE560XL engine failed during climb at about 15;000 FT. An emergency was declared; the QRH completed and the flight diverted to a nearby airport with better reported weather than the departure airport.