Narrative:

Picked up aircraft (cheyenne) at ZZZ1 for normal test flight following phase 1 scheduled maintenance event. Except for a few very minor squawks, all was normal until it disengaged the flight director/autoplt about 800 ft AGL on final approach to the ILS runway 23 at ZZZ in visual conditions. At that time, it became apparent that the elevator control was binding and not moving smoothly or easily. Trim appeared to be locked up as well. I judged it would be best to continue a stabilized approach with the current elevator setting and to alter the flight path (vertical) with flap settings and engine power. This worked well, despite gusty winds (+20 KTS) and crosswind component with +/-15 KTS and windshear last 600 ft AGL. At moment of flare, increased power to raise nose and used elevator movement, as available, but limited. No damage, normal touchdown. No emergency declared due to short time between control binding and touchdown. Aircraft had been carefully preflted without any evidence of elevator problem. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the airplane was on a test flight after completion of scheduled maintenance. The reporter said the autoplt disconnected on final approach and it was discovered the elevator control was binding. The reporter stated the landing was made by using what elevator control was available and adding power to raise the nose. The reporter said the tail was opened up by maintenance and it was found that when a torque tube had been replaced the elevator trim servo support was not secured and had jammed the elevator cable. The reporter stated the flight control check prior to takeoff was normal with no binding.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PIPER PA31 ON FINAL APCH AT 800 FT AUTOPLT DISENGAGED AND PLT DISCOVERED THE ELEVATOR BINDING AND NOT MOVING SMOOTHLY. CAUSED BY LOOSE TRIM SERVO SUPPORT.

Narrative: PICKED UP ACFT (CHEYENNE) AT ZZZ1 FOR NORMAL TEST FLT FOLLOWING PHASE 1 SCHEDULED MAINT EVENT. EXCEPT FOR A FEW VERY MINOR SQUAWKS, ALL WAS NORMAL UNTIL IT DISENGAGED THE FLT DIRECTOR/AUTOPLT ABOUT 800 FT AGL ON FINAL APCH TO THE ILS RWY 23 AT ZZZ IN VISUAL CONDITIONS. AT THAT TIME, IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THE ELEVATOR CTL WAS BINDING AND NOT MOVING SMOOTHLY OR EASILY. TRIM APPEARED TO BE LOCKED UP AS WELL. I JUDGED IT WOULD BE BEST TO CONTINUE A STABILIZED APCH WITH THE CURRENT ELEVATOR SETTING AND TO ALTER THE FLT PATH (VERT) WITH FLAP SETTINGS AND ENG PWR. THIS WORKED WELL, DESPITE GUSTY WINDS (+20 KTS) AND XWIND COMPONENT WITH +/-15 KTS AND WINDSHEAR LAST 600 FT AGL. AT MOMENT OF FLARE, INCREASED PWR TO RAISE NOSE AND USED ELEVATOR MOVEMENT, AS AVAILABLE, BUT LIMITED. NO DAMAGE, NORMAL TOUCHDOWN. NO EMER DECLARED DUE TO SHORT TIME BTWN CTL BINDING AND TOUCHDOWN. ACFT HAD BEEN CAREFULLY PREFLTED WITHOUT ANY EVIDENCE OF ELEVATOR PROB. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE AIRPLANE WAS ON A TEST FLT AFTER COMPLETION OF SCHEDULED MAINT. THE RPTR SAID THE AUTOPLT DISCONNECTED ON FINAL APCH AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THE ELEVATOR CTL WAS BINDING. THE RPTR STATED THE LNDG WAS MADE BY USING WHAT ELEVATOR CTL WAS AVAILABLE AND ADDING PWR TO RAISE THE NOSE. THE RPTR SAID THE TAIL WAS OPENED UP BY MAINT AND IT WAS FOUND THAT WHEN A TORQUE TUBE HAD BEEN REPLACED THE ELEVATOR TRIM SERVO SUPPORT WAS NOT SECURED AND HAD JAMMED THE ELEVATOR CABLE. THE RPTR STATED THE FLT CTL CHK PRIOR TO TKOF WAS NORMAL WITH NO BINDING.

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.