Narrative:

Experienced low frequency airframe vibration after liftoff and throughout climb to FL330 and continued at FL330. Turns and power changes did not alter the vibration. Could be felt through rudder pedals, yoke, power quadrant, and seat of the pants. Flight conditions were clear and smooth. Contacted maintenance control approximately 30 mins into the flight via communication radio at approximately 125 mi north of pxr. After advising maintenance control of the situation and answering several of their questions, maintenance control put us on 'hold' to discuss/research the situation. After a few mins passed, maintenance control asked us to remove hydraulic power from the flight controls and note any changes in the airframe vibration. I illuminated the seatbelt sign and had the flight attendants secure the cabin and seat themselves. With the first officer at the controls and guarding the rudder and yoke, the autoplt was disengaged, aircraft was trimmed, and hydraulic power was removed. No vibration changes were noted, however, the aircraft began a slow right roll (2-3 degrees per second) requiring left aileron input to maintain straight and level. As more left aileron was required to slow the right turn, we simultaneously centered the controls and restored hydraulic power to the flight controls returning to normal flight confign. Results were discussed with maintenance control via the communication radio and appropriate maintenance logbook entries were made. The first officer and I never felt we had done anything unsafe. We did what maintenance control asked us to do, and we relied on their 'sage' advice. I was subsequently advised by an air carrier fleet manager that maintenance control should never have asked us to remove hydraulic power -- that sort of 'troubleshooting' was limit to post-maintenance functional check flts.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 IN CRUISE AT FL330 EXPERIENCES ACFT VIBRATION. CONTACTED MAINT CTLR WHO REQUESTED TURNING OFF FLT CTL HYD PWR FOR TROUBLESHOOTING.

Narrative: EXPERIENCED LOW FREQ AIRFRAME VIBRATION AFTER LIFTOFF AND THROUGHOUT CLB TO FL330 AND CONTINUED AT FL330. TURNS AND PWR CHANGES DID NOT ALTER THE VIBRATION. COULD BE FELT THROUGH RUDDER PEDALS, YOKE, PWR QUADRANT, AND SEAT OF THE PANTS. FLT CONDITIONS WERE CLR AND SMOOTH. CONTACTED MAINT CTL APPROX 30 MINS INTO THE FLT VIA COM RADIO AT APPROX 125 MI N OF PXR. AFTER ADVISING MAINT CTL OF THE SIT AND ANSWERING SEVERAL OF THEIR QUESTIONS, MAINT CTL PUT US ON 'HOLD' TO DISCUSS/RESEARCH THE SIT. AFTER A FEW MINS PASSED, MAINT CTL ASKED US TO REMOVE HYD PWR FROM THE FLT CTLS AND NOTE ANY CHANGES IN THE AIRFRAME VIBRATION. I ILLUMINATED THE SEATBELT SIGN AND HAD THE FLT ATTENDANTS SECURE THE CABIN AND SEAT THEMSELVES. WITH THE FO AT THE CTLS AND GUARDING THE RUDDER AND YOKE, THE AUTOPLT WAS DISENGAGED, ACFT WAS TRIMMED, AND HYD PWR WAS REMOVED. NO VIBRATION CHANGES WERE NOTED, HOWEVER, THE ACFT BEGAN A SLOW R ROLL (2-3 DEGS PER SECOND) REQUIRING L AILERON INPUT TO MAINTAIN STRAIGHT AND LEVEL. AS MORE L AILERON WAS REQUIRED TO SLOW THE R TURN, WE SIMULTANEOUSLY CTRED THE CTLS AND RESTORED HYD PWR TO THE FLT CTLS RETURNING TO NORMAL FLT CONFIGN. RESULTS WERE DISCUSSED WITH MAINT CTL VIA THE COM RADIO AND APPROPRIATE MAINT LOGBOOK ENTRIES WERE MADE. THE FO AND I NEVER FELT WE HAD DONE ANYTHING UNSAFE. WE DID WHAT MAINT CTL ASKED US TO DO, AND WE RELIED ON THEIR 'SAGE' ADVICE. I WAS SUBSEQUENTLY ADVISED BY AN ACR FLEET MGR THAT MAINT CTL SHOULD NEVER HAVE ASKED US TO REMOVE HYD PWR -- THAT SORT OF 'TROUBLESHOOTING' WAS LIMIT TO POST-MAINT FUNCTIONAL CHK FLTS.

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.