Air carrier widebody transport diverts to company's major overhaul base for rudder problem.

Attributes
ACN	141784
Time
Date	199004
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid enroute airway : n90
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	141784
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 21000 flight time type : 210
ASRS Report	142026
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

During initial climb/turn to 350 degree heading departing lga runway 31, as PF I noticed an out of trim rudder condition. I instinctively reached back and gave a few turns of right rudder trim. A few moments later into the climb I again noticed the ball deflected right and again attempted to manual trim. I now glanced back and saw I had 5-6 degrees of right rudder input and it was not correcting. The aircraft was flying ok with added aileron input. We (the crew) first suspected a deflected spoiler panel and the second officer was sent aft to visually inspect the wing. During his absence I pushed hard on the right rudder pedal, and although I could get some response it was harder to push than normal and seemed to be locked. We stopped our climb at 12000' and 250 KTS for further troubleshooting. I told the captain I thought we had a rudder problem. He took the aircraft, felt the rudder pressure and agreed. We accomplished the abnormal procedure for jammed rudder with success. We conferred with our company maintenance and flight control and mutually agreed to divert to atl. Aircraft flew normally for following cruise, descent, approach and landing despite depressurized rudder system. I attribute the positive outcome of this incident to recent flight/CRM training.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB DIVERTS TO COMPANY'S MAJOR OVERHAUL BASE FOR RUDDER PROBLEM.

Narrative: DURING INITIAL CLB/TURN TO 350 DEG HDG DEPARTING LGA RWY 31, AS PF I NOTICED AN OUT OF TRIM RUDDER CONDITION. I INSTINCTIVELY REACHED BACK AND GAVE A FEW TURNS OF RIGHT RUDDER TRIM. A FEW MOMENTS LATER INTO THE CLB I AGAIN NOTICED THE BALL DEFLECTED RIGHT AND AGAIN ATTEMPTED TO MANUAL TRIM. I NOW GLANCED BACK AND SAW I HAD 5-6 DEGS OF RIGHT RUDDER INPUT AND IT WAS NOT CORRECTING. THE ACFT WAS FLYING OK WITH ADDED AILERON INPUT. WE (THE CREW) FIRST SUSPECTED A DEFLECTED SPOILER PANEL AND THE S/O WAS SENT AFT TO VISUALLY INSPECT THE WING. DURING HIS ABSENCE I PUSHED HARD ON THE RIGHT RUDDER PEDAL, AND ALTHOUGH I COULD GET SOME RESPONSE IT WAS HARDER TO PUSH THAN NORMAL AND SEEMED TO BE LOCKED. WE STOPPED OUR CLB AT 12000' AND 250 KTS FOR FURTHER TROUBLESHOOTING. I TOLD THE CAPT I THOUGHT WE HAD A RUDDER PROB. HE TOOK THE ACFT, FELT THE RUDDER PRESSURE AND AGREED. WE ACCOMPLISHED THE ABNORMAL PROC FOR JAMMED RUDDER WITH SUCCESS. WE CONFERRED WITH OUR COMPANY MAINT AND FLT CTL AND MUTUALLY AGREED TO DIVERT TO ATL. ACFT FLEW NORMALLY FOR FOLLOWING CRUISE, DSNT, APCH AND LNDG DESPITE DEPRESSURIZED RUDDER SYS. I ATTRIBUTE THE POSITIVE OUTCOME OF THIS INCIDENT TO RECENT FLT/CRM TRNING.

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.