Embraer lineage 1000 flight crew reported the captain was having difficulty with pitch control after...

Narrative:

Took off and after about 1200 feet noticed that it was difficult to lower the nose of the aircraft. By 1600 feet started making a left turn to heading 300 and realized that something was wrong with the trim of the aircraft. Asked the right seat pilot to help me force the control wheel down to keep the airspeed. Looked at the pitch trim indicator and saw it almost full nose up. Thought to myself we were having a pitch trim runaway. Called pitch trim runaway memory item. First officer went for the procedure but went back to the control wheel to help push nose down to avoid stall. First chance I had I performed the memory item for pitch trim runaway and followed with the remainder of the procedure. Called out loud 'pitch trim runaway'; first officer went for the QRH in the center console and went back to help push the control wheel down. First officer places the QRH on the top of glare shield. [Advised ATC] and asked for time to troubleshoot. After pitch trim runaway procedure realized that the problem remained; airplane is still trimmed full nose up and slow in airspeed. By then I left my controls to try the procedure again. I let go of the control wheels; reset the system; called briefly the flight attendant to prepare for landing when first officer realizes that he can now control the airplane and the trim system is working. After that first officer says that he has control of the airplane and that the trim system was working at that time.got control of the aircraft at about 7500 feet. Headed back to the departure airport and landed. Maintenance from embraer and our company went to check the aircraft and detected that the captain pitch control switches were found installed wrong. Switches were commanding nose up and down inverted. Luckily after we got control of the aircraft with the autopilot; I took control of the airplane to land and never touched the pitch trim switches again all the way to the runway. Had I touched those switches again problem would come back in worst scenario and closer to the ground.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Embraer Lineage 1000 flight crew reported the Captain was having difficulty with pitch control after takeoff. Control was reestablished using the FO's pitch trim switch. After returning to the departure airport it was discovered the Captain's pitch trim switch was installed upside down.

Narrative: Took off and after about 1200 feet noticed that it was difficult to lower the nose of the aircraft. By 1600 feet started making a left turn to heading 300 and realized that something was wrong with the trim of the aircraft. Asked the right seat pilot to help me force the control wheel down to keep the airspeed. Looked at the pitch trim indicator and saw it almost full nose up. Thought to myself we were having a pitch trim runaway. Called pitch trim runaway memory item. First Officer went for the procedure but went back to the control wheel to help push nose down to avoid stall. First chance I had I performed the memory item for pitch trim runaway and followed with the remainder of the procedure. Called out loud 'pitch trim runaway'; FO went for the QRH in the center console and went back to help push the control wheel down. FO places the QRH on the top of glare shield. [Advised ATC] and asked for time to troubleshoot. After pitch trim runaway procedure realized that the problem remained; airplane is still trimmed full nose up and slow in airspeed. By then I left my controls to try the procedure again. I let go of the control wheels; reset the system; called briefly the FA to prepare for landing when FO realizes that he can now control the airplane and the trim system is working. After that FO says that he has control of the airplane and that the trim system was working at that time.Got control of the aircraft at about 7500 feet. Headed back to the departure airport and landed. Maintenance from Embraer and our company went to check the aircraft and detected that the Captain pitch control switches were found installed wrong. Switches were commanding nose up and down inverted. Luckily after we got control of the aircraft with the autopilot; I took control of the airplane to land and never touched the pitch trim switches again all the way to the runway. Had I touched those switches again problem would come back in worst scenario and closer to the ground.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.

Attributes
ACN	1406591
Time
Date	201611
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Embraer Lineage 1000 (EMB190BJ)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Climb
Route In Use	Oceanic Vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Component
Aircraft Component	Elevator Trim System
Person 1
Function	Pilot Flying Captain
Qualification	Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 95 Flight Crew Total 6535 Flight Crew Type 4152
Person 2
Function	Pilot Not Flying First Officer
Qualification	Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 59 Flight Crew Total 16200 Flight Crew Type 2840
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Deviation - Procedural Maintenance

Embraer lineage 1000 flight crew reported the captain was having difficulty with pitch control after takeoff. Control was reestablished using the first officer's pitch trim switch. After returning to the departure airport it was discovered the captain's pitch trim switch was installed upside down.