<< >> NASA ASRS Report 120486, August 1989

At cruise, small transport autoplt disengaged and aircraft made a 40 degree left turn and 1000 FPM climb. Emergency declared.

Attributes
ACN	120486
Time
Date	198908
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : eho
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : clt tower : eho
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 21 flight time total : 2200
ASRS Report	120486
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : regained aircraft control
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Level at 6000', the autoplt partially disengaged causing a 40 degree left hand turn and a 1000 FPM climb to the left. After using force to control the aircraft, I reported an emergency to clt TCA. They gave me immediate vectors of 210 degrees to shelby with a descent from 6000 to 3000'. Clt asked for souls and fuel. In the following few mins I went through the cockpit and discovered the autoplt was partially disengaged. I reset the autoplt and returned to normal flight. I notified clt of the problem and the correction. The tower at clt reacted quickly and professionally and are to be commended.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AT CRUISE, SMT AUTOPLT DISENGAGED AND ACFT MADE A 40 DEGREE LEFT TURN AND 1000 FPM CLIMB. EMERGENCY DECLARED.

Narrative: LEVEL AT 6000', THE AUTOPLT PARTIALLY DISENGAGED CAUSING A 40 DEG LEFT HAND TURN AND A 1000 FPM CLB TO THE LEFT. AFTER USING FORCE TO CONTROL THE ACFT, I RPTED AN EMER TO CLT TCA. THEY GAVE ME IMMEDIATE VECTORS OF 210 DEGS TO SHELBY WITH A DSCNT FROM 6000 TO 3000'. CLT ASKED FOR SOULS AND FUEL. IN THE FOLLOWING FEW MINS I WENT THROUGH THE COCKPIT AND DISCOVERED THE AUTOPLT WAS PARTIALLY DISENGAGED. I RESET THE AUTOPLT AND RETURNED TO NORMAL FLT. I NOTIFIED CLT OF THE PROB AND THE CORRECTION. THE TWR AT CLT REACTED QUICKLY AND PROFESSIONALLY AND ARE TO BE COMMENDED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.