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Medium large transport flight crew has equipment problem with trim control. Possible altitude deviation.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 202094 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199202 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : swf |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3900 msl bound upper : 4000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : n90 |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10500 flight time type : 1500 |
| ASRS Report | 202094 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : regained aircraft control |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
Upon descent into stewart field (swf) passing 4000 ft MSL for our assigned altitude of 3500 ft the ground proximity warning system gave a continuous aural warning (terrain, terrain, etc). The aircraft was on the #2 autoplt since it was the first officer's leg to fly. After the 3RD warning I directed the first officer to initiate a climb while I talked to ATC. When I noticed the aircraft was not climbing I instructed him to climb once more. At that time I noticed he was having extreme difficulty pulling the nose of the aircraft up. I joined him on the controls and made sure the autoplt was disconnected by use of my disconnect switch and then visually noticed the autoplt was off. At that time we noticed the aircraft was trimmed full nose down and both our trim switches were ineffective. The manual trim wheel also would not move. During this time I declared an emergency and received a climb clearance to 6000 ft which was above the cloud layer. While troubleshooting the problem (approximately 10-15 mins) the trim gradually returned to normal on its own and we executed a normal visual approach and landing at kswf. It is possible that due to our initial problem in climbing the aircraft and thus the delay in contacting ATC that an altitude violation occurred.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: MLG FLC HAS EQUIP PROBLEM WITH TRIM CTL. POSSIBLE ALTDEV.
Narrative: UPON DSCNT INTO STEWART FIELD (SWF) PASSING 4000 FT MSL FOR OUR ASSIGNED ALT OF 3500 FT THE GND PROX WARNING SYS GAVE A CONTINUOUS AURAL WARNING (TERRAIN, TERRAIN, ETC). THE ACFT WAS ON THE #2 AUTOPLT SINCE IT WAS THE FO'S LEG TO FLY. AFTER THE 3RD WARNING I DIRECTED THE FO TO INITIATE A CLB WHILE I TALKED TO ATC. WHEN I NOTICED THE ACFT WAS NOT CLBING I INSTRUCTED HIM TO CLB ONCE MORE. AT THAT TIME I NOTICED HE WAS HAVING EXTREME DIFFICULTY PULLING THE NOSE OF THE ACFT UP. I JOINED HIM ON THE CTLS AND MADE SURE THE AUTOPLT WAS DISCONNECTED BY USE OF MY DISCONNECT SWITCH AND THEN VISUALLY NOTICED THE AUTOPLT WAS OFF. AT THAT TIME WE NOTICED THE ACFT WAS TRIMMED FULL NOSE DOWN AND BOTH OUR TRIM SWITCHES WERE INEFFECTIVE. THE MANUAL TRIM WHEEL ALSO WOULD NOT MOVE. DURING THIS TIME I DECLARED AN EMER AND RECEIVED A CLB CLRNC TO 6000 FT WHICH WAS ABOVE THE CLOUD LAYER. WHILE TROUBLESHOOTING THE PROBLEM (APPROX 10-15 MINS) THE TRIM GRADUALLY RETURNED TO NORMAL ON ITS OWN AND WE EXECUTED A NORMAL VISUAL APCH AND LNDG AT KSWF. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT DUE TO OUR INITIAL PROBLEM IN CLBING THE ACFT AND THUS THE DELAY IN CONTACTING ATC THAT AN ALT VIOLATION OCCURRED.
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.