Narrative:

Stabilizer jammed while aircraft was trimmed for 280 KTS. None of the method available to trim, ie, autoplt cruise trim, fast trim, nor manual trim, would work. The jammed stabilizer calls for flaps 15 degrees and 150 KTS on approach. While at 10000 ft we tried to configure to see if this was possible. We were unable to maintain altitude with flaps 15 degrees and approximately 165 KTS. As expected, the yoke was very heavy and it felt like we were running out of elevator authority/authorized. During this time, I briefed the flight attendants and had them prepare for an emergency landing. Also conferred with air carrier maintenance to see if they had any ideas. We were unable to unjam the elevator. We declared an emergency and flew the approach at flaps 5 degrees and touched down gently at approximately 180 KTS on runway 9R at mia with the emergency equipment standing by. I was able to roll out without applying brakes at high speed. The flight attendants did a great job of preparing the cabin, and the first officer and so did a great job as well. We taxied to gate. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: crew was flying a B727-200 aircraft. The aircraft was within normal center of gravity limits for takeoff. The problem was first noticed on climb out from gua when the autoplt trim indices were noted holding nose up elevator. The autoplt was left on until well into descent at mia, then turned off. The aircraft was nose heavy. This is where the jammed trim was discovered. The crew worked through the abnormal checklists. The captain configured the aircraft early and discovered that the flight manual abnormal checklist would cause loss of aircraft control with the recommended flaps 15 degrees at 150 KTS. The aircraft required flaps 5 degrees and 180 KTS to retain pitch control. Several days later the captain had an opportunity to fly his air carrier's simulator. He reported that the simulator did not duplicate the actual aircraft, and remained ctlable at the recommended flap settings and speeds. The air carrier engineering department is evaluating changes in the aircraft flight manual to prevent loss of control. The captain does not know what maintenance found wrong with the aircraft trim system.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 HAD A JAMMED STABILIZER.

Narrative: STABILIZER JAMMED WHILE ACFT WAS TRIMMED FOR 280 KTS. NONE OF THE METHOD AVAILABLE TO TRIM, IE, AUTOPLT CRUISE TRIM, FAST TRIM, NOR MANUAL TRIM, WOULD WORK. THE JAMMED STABILIZER CALLS FOR FLAPS 15 DEGS AND 150 KTS ON APCH. WHILE AT 10000 FT WE TRIED TO CONFIGURE TO SEE IF THIS WAS POSSIBLE. WE WERE UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALT WITH FLAPS 15 DEGS AND APPROX 165 KTS. AS EXPECTED, THE YOKE WAS VERY HVY AND IT FELT LIKE WE WERE RUNNING OUT OF ELEVATOR AUTH. DURING THIS TIME, I BRIEFED THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND HAD THEM PREPARE FOR AN EMER LNDG. ALSO CONFERRED WITH ACR MAINT TO SEE IF THEY HAD ANY IDEAS. WE WERE UNABLE TO UNJAM THE ELEVATOR. WE DECLARED AN EMER AND FLEW THE APCH AT FLAPS 5 DEGS AND TOUCHED DOWN GENTLY AT APPROX 180 KTS ON RWY 9R AT MIA WITH THE EMER EQUIP STANDING BY. I WAS ABLE TO ROLL OUT WITHOUT APPLYING BRAKES AT HIGH SPD. THE FLT ATTENDANTS DID A GREAT JOB OF PREPARING THE CABIN, AND THE FO AND SO DID A GREAT JOB AS WELL. WE TAXIED TO GATE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: CREW WAS FLYING A B727-200 ACFT. THE ACFT WAS WITHIN NORMAL CTR OF GRAVITY LIMITS FOR TKOF. THE PROB WAS FIRST NOTICED ON CLBOUT FROM GUA WHEN THE AUTOPLT TRIM INDICES WERE NOTED HOLDING NOSE UP ELEVATOR. THE AUTOPLT WAS LEFT ON UNTIL WELL INTO DSCNT AT MIA, THEN TURNED OFF. THE ACFT WAS NOSE HVY. THIS IS WHERE THE JAMMED TRIM WAS DISCOVERED. THE CREW WORKED THROUGH THE ABNORMAL CHKLISTS. THE CAPT CONFIGURED THE ACFT EARLY AND DISCOVERED THAT THE FLT MANUAL ABNORMAL CHKLIST WOULD CAUSE LOSS OF ACFT CTL WITH THE RECOMMENDED FLAPS 15 DEGS AT 150 KTS. THE ACFT REQUIRED FLAPS 5 DEGS AND 180 KTS TO RETAIN PITCH CTL. SEVERAL DAYS LATER THE CAPT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO FLY HIS ACR'S SIMULATOR. HE RPTED THAT THE SIMULATOR DID NOT DUPLICATE THE ACTUAL ACFT, AND REMAINED CTLABLE AT THE RECOMMENDED FLAP SETTINGS AND SPDS. THE ACR ENGINEERING DEPT IS EVALUATING CHANGES IN THE ACFT FLT MANUAL TO PREVENT LOSS OF CTL. THE CAPT DOES NOT KNOW WHAT MAINT FOUND WRONG WITH THE ACFT TRIM SYS.

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.