Narrative:

On jul/wed/02, I departed ZZZ airport for a VFR day flight, and after opening my VFR flight plan with the FSS, I began to experience control problems with the airplane. The plane began to pitch down and the yoke became stiff. I found that I could not turn the plane using coordinated controls, and the trim wheel kept spinning. Prior to the flight, I checked all controls and found all controls to move freely and in the correct position. At no time did I use the autoplt, and the autoplt was not engaged. At this point, I made a decision to return to ZZZ airport. On the return the flight controls became even more difficult to maneuver, and I decided to declare an emergency and execute a landing in a suitable field. The elevator trim did not work, and the yoke appeared to be stuck. I made a landing in a farm field with only minor damage to the plane and no injuries. Later on, after I returned to my home, I did contact the FBO and they told the FSDO that the autoplt was on. This is a false statement! At no time was the autoplt on. Their maintenance manual showed prior complaints with run away trim noise from the elevator, and an autoplt can be made to follow pressure on the yoke by the pilot. Further, by disconnecting the electric circuit breaker, the device shuts down. Further, if the autoplt was on, and I was unable to shut it down or to override the motors which operate the ailerons, then this is a serious manufacturing effect, and an airworthiness directive should be issued. The plane was a 2000 cessna 182SR.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C182SR MADE AN EMER OFF FIELD LNDG DUE TO RPTED FLT CTL FAILURE. CAUSE ALLEGED TO BE INADVERTENT AUTOPLT ENGAGEMENT.

Narrative: ON JUL/WED/02, I DEPARTED ZZZ ARPT FOR A VFR DAY FLT, AND AFTER OPENING MY VFR FLT PLAN WITH THE FSS, I BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE CTL PROBS WITH THE AIRPLANE. THE PLANE BEGAN TO PITCH DOWN AND THE YOKE BECAME STIFF. I FOUND THAT I COULD NOT TURN THE PLANE USING COORDINATED CTLS, AND THE TRIM WHEEL KEPT SPINNING. PRIOR TO THE FLT, I CHKED ALL CTLS AND FOUND ALL CTLS TO MOVE FREELY AND IN THE CORRECT POS. AT NO TIME DID I USE THE AUTOPLT, AND THE AUTOPLT WAS NOT ENGAGED. AT THIS POINT, I MADE A DECISION TO RETURN TO ZZZ ARPT. ON THE RETURN THE FLT CONTROLS BECAME EVEN MORE DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER, AND I DECIDED TO DECLARE AN EMER AND EXECUTE A LNDG IN A SUITABLE FIELD. THE ELEVATOR TRIM DID NOT WORK, AND THE YOKE APPEARED TO BE STUCK. I MADE A LNDG IN A FARM FIELD WITH ONLY MINOR DAMAGE TO THE PLANE AND NO INJURIES. LATER ON, AFTER I RETURNED TO MY HOME, I DID CONTACT THE FBO AND THEY TOLD THE FSDO THAT THE AUTOPLT WAS ON. THIS IS A FALSE STATEMENT! AT NO TIME WAS THE AUTOPLT ON. THEIR MAINT MANUAL SHOWED PRIOR COMPLAINTS WITH RUN AWAY TRIM NOISE FROM THE ELEVATOR, AND AN AUTOPLT CAN BE MADE TO FOLLOW PRESSURE ON THE YOKE BY THE PLT. FURTHER, BY DISCONNECTING THE ELECTRIC CIRCUIT BREAKER, THE DEVICE SHUTS DOWN. FURTHER, IF THE AUTOPLT WAS ON, AND I WAS UNABLE TO SHUT IT DOWN OR TO OVERRIDE THE MOTORS WHICH OPERATE THE AILERONS, THEN THIS IS A SERIOUS MANUFACTURING EFFECT, AND AN AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE SHOULD BE ISSUED. THE PLANE WAS A 2000 CESSNA 182SR.

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.