Air carrier light transport lost control of elevation trim while on IAP ILS approach to phl.

Attributes
ACN	161731
Time
Date	199010
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phl
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : phl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 7400 flight time type : 1400
ASRS Report	161731
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While on the approach to runway 27R at phl inside joani, the FAF, and at about 1200', the elevator trim cable broke. The aircraft was an light transport and the landing gear along with 5 degree of flaps had been extended. As we extended the flaps to 15 degrees and brought the propellers to maximum RPM, the cable broke. In this confign this aircraft has pitch up characteristics which were difficult to control with just the manual inputs of both pilots on the controller column. At this point due to the close proximity to the ground, it would not have been wise to change the confign of the aft by either retracting the flaps or extending them to 30 degrees for normal landing. The wind was gusting to 22 KTS about 25 degrees off the left side, and the aircraft was landed uneventfully on 27R. The light transport has no procedure for any trim malfunction in flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LTT LOST CTL OF ELEVATION TRIM WHILE ON IAP ILS APCH TO PHL.

Narrative: WHILE ON THE APCH TO RWY 27R AT PHL INSIDE JOANI, THE FAF, AND AT ABOUT 1200', THE ELEVATOR TRIM CABLE BROKE. THE ACFT WAS AN LTT AND THE LNDG GEAR ALONG WITH 5 DEG OF FLAPS HAD BEEN EXTENDED. AS WE EXTENDED THE FLAPS TO 15 DEGS AND BROUGHT THE PROPS TO MAX RPM, THE CABLE BROKE. IN THIS CONFIGN THIS ACFT HAS PITCH UP CHARACTERISTICS WHICH WERE DIFFICULT TO CTL WITH JUST THE MANUAL INPUTS OF BOTH PLTS ON THE CTLR COLUMN. AT THIS POINT DUE TO THE CLOSE PROX TO THE GND, IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN WISE TO CHANGE THE CONFIGN OF THE AFT BY EITHER RETRACTING THE FLAPS OR EXTENDING THEM TO 30 DEGS FOR NORMAL LNDG. THE WIND WAS GUSTING TO 22 KTS ABOUT 25 DEGS OFF THE LEFT SIDE, AND THE ACFT WAS LANDED UNEVENTFULLY ON 27R. THE LTT HAS NO PROC FOR ANY TRIM MALFUNCTION IN FLT.

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.