Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Total 650
Troubleshooting
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
Cruise at 9000 feet MSL; CHT #2 indicated temp of 450 and climbing.  After reducing power and leveling off completely; CHT #2 temp increased continuously.  Contacted ATC and asked to return to ZZZ. Thereafter; CHT #2 Peaked at 550 and then indicator failure occurred. At this point [requested priority handling] and flew the Visual [for Runway] XX to ZZZ. After landing; provided information to ZZZ airport ops.
Cruising at 9;000 feet MSL CHT #2 indicated temp of 450 and climbing. After reducing power and leveling off completely CHT #2 temp increased continuously. Contacted ATC and asked to return to ZZZ. After turning to return CHT on #2 peaked at 550 and the indicator failed. At that time we [requested priority handling] and flew the Visual [for Runway] XX to ZZZ. After landing provided PIC information to ZZZ Airport ops and reported the incident to Chief Pilot at the company.
C172 pilots reported excessive cylinder head temperature resulted in an air turn back.