DC9 crew had jammed right elevator, detector on early rotation.

Attributes
ACN	471550
Time
Date	200004
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ogg.airport
State Reference	HI
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ogg.tower tower : mem.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 50
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	471550
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : investigated other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : installation performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : scheduled maintenance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Air carrier flight from kahului, maui, to honolulu, distance 89 NM. Aircraft rotated early on takeoff roll, approximately 15 KTS prior to V1, first officer flying said it felt out of trim, and adjusted stabilizer aircraft nose down. Normal climb out. After cleanup, pilot noticed slight vibration in control column. Increased airspeed, caused vibration to increase. Decision made to slow airspeed to 250 KTS and proceed to destination. Aircraft was fully maneuverable in all axis, though somewhat stiff and sluggish in pitch control. Normal cruise, descent and landing. Upon block in, entered write-up in maintenance logbook. Right elevator was found to be stuck. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: 3 months prior to the incident the air carrier sent the aircraft to a contract maintenance shop for a D check. During this check the contract maintenance shop did not secure a nut in the elevator system properly. They left off a cotter pin. This allowed a nut in the elevator system to back off and jam the right elevator. The air carrier did a general fleet inspection and other aircraft were found with the missing cotter pin. The FAA was notified and is perusing problems with the contract maintenance shop.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9 CREW HAD JAMMED R ELEVATOR, DETECTOR ON EARLY ROTATION.

Narrative: ACR FLT FROM KAHULUI, MAUI, TO HONOLULU, DISTANCE 89 NM. ACFT ROTATED EARLY ON TKOF ROLL, APPROX 15 KTS PRIOR TO V1, FO FLYING SAID IT FELT OUT OF TRIM, AND ADJUSTED STABILIZER ACFT NOSE DOWN. NORMAL CLBOUT. AFTER CLEANUP, PLT NOTICED SLIGHT VIBRATION IN CTL COLUMN. INCREASED AIRSPD, CAUSED VIBRATION TO INCREASE. DECISION MADE TO SLOW AIRSPD TO 250 KTS AND PROCEED TO DEST. ACFT WAS FULLY MANEUVERABLE IN ALL AXIS, THOUGH SOMEWHAT STIFF AND SLUGGISH IN PITCH CTL. NORMAL CRUISE, DSCNT AND LNDG. UPON BLOCK IN, ENTERED WRITE-UP IN MAINT LOGBOOK. R ELEVATOR WAS FOUND TO BE STUCK. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: 3 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT THE ACR SENT THE ACFT TO A CONTRACT MAINT SHOP FOR A D CHK. DURING THIS CHK THE CONTRACT MAINT SHOP DID NOT SECURE A NUT IN THE ELEVATOR SYS PROPERLY. THEY LEFT OFF A COTTER PIN. THIS ALLOWED A NUT IN THE ELEVATOR SYS TO BACK OFF AND JAM THE R ELEVATOR. THE ACR DID A GENERAL FLEET INSPECTION AND OTHER ACFT WERE FOUND WITH THE MISSING COTTER PIN. THE FAA WAS NOTIFIED AND IS PERUSING PROBS WITH THE CONTRACT MAINT SHOP.

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.