Aircraft equipment problem critical.

Attributes
ACN	301255
Time
Date	199503
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tpa
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 21000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	301255
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Primary longitudinal trim and alternate trim system would not trim 'nose down' only 'nose up.' tpa maintenance replaced the trim motor and operation returned to normal. On the next approach at clt the same problem occurred. After a mechanic observed the jammed condition at the gate, the trim system returned to normal operation. In spite of the direct observation of the jammed condition, the mechanic then certifies the aircraft airworthy because 'we could not duplicate the problem, therefore it does not exist! Let me recap. I've observed not intermittent, random, but predictable malfunction of a primary flight control system, and along with 2 other credible, qualified witnesses (first officer and mechanic) I'm then told by supervisory personnel that the problem doesn't exist -- the plane is ok. I refused the aircraft. These people are scary.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB CRITICAL.

Narrative: PRIMARY LONGITUDINAL TRIM AND ALTERNATE TRIM SYS WOULD NOT TRIM 'NOSE DOWN' ONLY 'NOSE UP.' TPA MAINT REPLACED THE TRIM MOTOR AND OP RETURNED TO NORMAL. ON THE NEXT APCH AT CLT THE SAME PROB OCCURRED. AFTER A MECH OBSERVED THE JAMMED CONDITION AT THE GATE, THE TRIM SYS RETURNED TO NORMAL OP. IN SPITE OF THE DIRECT OBSERVATION OF THE JAMMED CONDITION, THE MECH THEN CERTIFIES THE ACFT AIRWORTHY BECAUSE 'WE COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROB, THEREFORE IT DOES NOT EXIST! LET ME RECAP. I'VE OBSERVED NOT INTERMITTENT, RANDOM, BUT PREDICTABLE MALFUNCTION OF A PRIMARY FLT CTL SYS, AND ALONG WITH 2 OTHER CREDIBLE, QUALIFIED WITNESSES (FO AND MECH) I'M THEN TOLD BY SUPERVISORY PERSONNEL THAT THE PROB DOESN'T EXIST -- THE PLANE IS OK. I REFUSED THE ACFT. THESE PEOPLE ARE SCARY.

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.