Narrative:

After normal taxi out and checklist, a departure was made on runway 22L. While in the initial left turn to a heading of 90 degrees, I noticed the aircraft was sluggish entering the turn. The first officer attempted a turn (left/right) and agreed the turn rate was sluggish, especially to the left. I informed ATC we wished to return to ord. They asked nature of problem and if we wanted to declare an emergency. I declined, since the situation did not seem serious. We were vectored to final on 22R for landing, at which time I decided to declare an emergency to have equipment standing by in the even the problem became more serious on final. Passenger and F/a's were briefed and F/a's were told to expect normal landing--but to stay alert for abnormalities. Landing was made west/O further incident. At gate arrival, maintenance met the aircraft and said the aircraft had previous write up with #5 spoiler and bad left turn rate. I made a maintenance log book entry and proceeded to operations with my crew. In operations a discussion arose as to whether we should consider the incident a control malfunction and pull the cockpit voice recorder circuit breaker. We all agreed it probably did not, but we went back to pull it anyway. Maintenance had already taken the airplane off the gate and moved it to the hangar. I contacted maintenance and asked them to immediately pull the voice recorder circuit breaker, which they agreed to do.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF LGT FELT SLUGGISH. FLT CONTROLS JUSTIFIED RETURNING LNDG FOR MAINTENANCE.

Narrative: AFTER NORMAL TAXI OUT AND CHKLIST, A DEP WAS MADE ON RWY 22L. WHILE IN THE INITIAL LEFT TURN TO A HDG OF 90 DEGS, I NOTICED THE ACFT WAS SLUGGISH ENTERING THE TURN. THE F/O ATTEMPTED A TURN (LEFT/RIGHT) AND AGREED THE TURN RATE WAS SLUGGISH, ESPECIALLY TO THE LEFT. I INFORMED ATC WE WISHED TO RETURN TO ORD. THEY ASKED NATURE OF PROB AND IF WE WANTED TO DECLARE AN EMER. I DECLINED, SINCE THE SITUATION DID NOT SEEM SERIOUS. WE WERE VECTORED TO FINAL ON 22R FOR LNDG, AT WHICH TIME I DECIDED TO DECLARE AN EMER TO HAVE EQUIP STANDING BY IN THE EVEN THE PROB BECAME MORE SERIOUS ON FINAL. PAX AND F/A'S WERE BRIEFED AND F/A'S WERE TOLD TO EXPECT NORMAL LNDG--BUT TO STAY ALERT FOR ABNORMALITIES. LNDG WAS MADE W/O FURTHER INCIDENT. AT GATE ARR, MAINT MET THE ACFT AND SAID THE ACFT HAD PREVIOUS WRITE UP WITH #5 SPOILER AND BAD LEFT TURN RATE. I MADE A MAINT LOG BOOK ENTRY AND PROCEEDED TO OPS WITH MY CREW. IN OPS A DISCUSSION AROSE AS TO WHETHER WE SHOULD CONSIDER THE INCIDENT A CONTROL MALFUNCTION AND PULL THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER CB. WE ALL AGREED IT PROBABLY DID NOT, BUT WE WENT BACK TO PULL IT ANYWAY. MAINT HAD ALREADY TAKEN THE AIRPLANE OFF THE GATE AND MOVED IT TO THE HANGAR. I CONTACTED MAINT AND ASKED THEM TO IMMEDIATELY PULL THE VOICE RECORDER CB, WHICH THEY AGREED TO DO.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.