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A BE1900D is flight tested for aileron trim problems. Test flight reports trim ok. Next revenue flight by same crew finds aileron trim rigged backwards.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 557502 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200208 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Beech 1900 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : parked |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 2000 |
| ASRS Report | 557502 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 205 flight time total : 1670 flight time type : 786 |
| ASRS Report | 557515 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : fault isolation performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : testing |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
On aug/mon/02, I conducted a test flight for a part 121 commuter airline. The flight took place at XA00, after flying a 5 hour shift. The aircraft needed a test flight to check the aileron trim. Talking with the mechanics, they stated that 3 degrees of trim was needed to keep aircraft straight and level before being written up. While taxiing out, I checked the aileron trim for full movement in both directions and reset at 0 degrees prior to flight. After run-up, my seat could not be adjusted for comfort, I later wrote up the captain's seat. I opted to make the takeoff because the aircraft had been in maintenance for an extended period of time. The aircraft had a structural inspection. The takeoff was normal. After passing through 1500 ft, I gave the controls to my first officer because the seat was not comfortable for flying. We executed steep turns, stalls and an ILS approach to check out as many system as possible. We noted a difference in the airspeed indicators. The first officer's side was 10-15 KTS slow. That was written up. After landing, I asked the first officer how the plane felt. He said 'fine.' we signed off the paperwork. The following day, we were assigned the same aircraft for scheduled part 121 flight. On the second leg (my leg), I noticed that the aileron trim was working improperly -- it was rigged backwards. We also encountered pressurization problems. After landing, the aircraft was written up and grounded until proper repairs were made. After talking to chief pilot and maintenance control, this was not the first time this had occurred. I was unaware that the aileron trim had been dismantled and rerigged prior to test flight. Maintenance never told me this -- they were rushing to get the plane out for test flight. If I had been aware of previous problems of rigging backwards and extent of maintenance procedure, I would have been looking for this problem in the first place.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A BE1900D IS FLT TESTED FOR AILERON TRIM PROBS. TEST FLT RPTS TRIM OK. NEXT REVENUE FLT BY SAME CREW FINDS AILERON TRIM RIGGED BACKWARDS.
Narrative: ON AUG/MON/02, I CONDUCTED A TEST FLT FOR A PART 121 COMMUTER AIRLINE. THE FLT TOOK PLACE AT XA00, AFTER FLYING A 5 HR SHIFT. THE ACFT NEEDED A TEST FLT TO CHK THE AILERON TRIM. TALKING WITH THE MECHS, THEY STATED THAT 3 DEGS OF TRIM WAS NEEDED TO KEEP ACFT STRAIGHT AND LEVEL BEFORE BEING WRITTEN UP. WHILE TAXIING OUT, I CHKED THE AILERON TRIM FOR FULL MOVEMENT IN BOTH DIRECTIONS AND RESET AT 0 DEGS PRIOR TO FLT. AFTER RUN-UP, MY SEAT COULD NOT BE ADJUSTED FOR COMFORT, I LATER WROTE UP THE CAPT'S SEAT. I OPTED TO MAKE THE TKOF BECAUSE THE ACFT HAD BEEN IN MAINT FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. THE ACFT HAD A STRUCTURAL INSPECTION. THE TKOF WAS NORMAL. AFTER PASSING THROUGH 1500 FT, I GAVE THE CTLS TO MY FO BECAUSE THE SEAT WAS NOT COMFORTABLE FOR FLYING. WE EXECUTED STEEP TURNS, STALLS AND AN ILS APCH TO CHK OUT AS MANY SYS AS POSSIBLE. WE NOTED A DIFFERENCE IN THE AIRSPD INDICATORS. THE FO'S SIDE WAS 10-15 KTS SLOW. THAT WAS WRITTEN UP. AFTER LNDG, I ASKED THE FO HOW THE PLANE FELT. HE SAID 'FINE.' WE SIGNED OFF THE PAPERWORK. THE FOLLOWING DAY, WE WERE ASSIGNED THE SAME ACFT FOR SCHEDULED PART 121 FLT. ON THE SECOND LEG (MY LEG), I NOTICED THAT THE AILERON TRIM WAS WORKING IMPROPERLY -- IT WAS RIGGED BACKWARDS. WE ALSO ENCOUNTERED PRESSURIZATION PROBS. AFTER LNDG, THE ACFT WAS WRITTEN UP AND GNDED UNTIL PROPER REPAIRS WERE MADE. AFTER TALKING TO CHIEF PLT AND MAINT CTL, THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAD OCCURRED. I WAS UNAWARE THAT THE AILERON TRIM HAD BEEN DISMANTLED AND RERIGGED PRIOR TO TEST FLT. MAINT NEVER TOLD ME THIS -- THEY WERE RUSHING TO GET THE PLANE OUT FOR TEST FLT. IF I HAD BEEN AWARE OF PREVIOUS PROBS OF RIGGING BACKWARDS AND EXTENT OF MAINT PROC, I WOULD HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR THIS PROB IN THE FIRST PLACE.
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.