Narrative:

After departing runway XXX at ZZZ, WX was clear, wind 320/21 gust 26, I started a left turn around 400 to 500 ft AGL at around 700-800 ft we were in light to mod turbulence when a sharp but not violent yaw to the left then to the right and then back to the left occurred. I was on the rudder pedals, but felt no movement in them. I said to the captain 'what was that?' he said, 'are you on the rudders?' I said, 'my feet are now on the floor.' then we got a second cycle of rudder kicks, left then right. He had put his toes lightly on the pedals and felt no movement. At this time we were climbing through 2000 ft and were coming out of the turbulence when we heard ATC trying to get hold of us. They gave us a turn and a climb and we continued to clean up the aircraft with no other movements. At no time were there any lights, ECAM, paddle switch indications of a problem. The whole incident lasted 4-5 seconds. On climb out we contacted ZZZ1 via commercial radio and they recommended we go back to ZZZ. We did not declare an emergency and landed without incident. Upon arrival at the gate maintenance pulled the tape on the flight data recorder. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter indicated that the flight data recorder (fdr) was analyzed after the incident and that the flight augmentation computers (facility) and yaw damper required replacement. The aircraft was subsequently flight checked ok. However, after further analysis of the flight data tapes by company maintenance, it was found that the rudder had 63 events of uncommanded movement. The aircraft was grounded for further diagnosis and maintenance. The reporter has flown the aircraft recently and indicated there were no further problems.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A300 AIRBUS FLT CREW EXPERIENCED UNCOMMANDED RUDDER MOVEMENT CAUSING THE ACFT TO YAW SHARPLY LEFT AND RIGHT IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING RWY XXX AT ZZZ, WX WAS CLR, WIND 320/21 GUST 26, I STARTED A LEFT TURN AROUND 400 TO 500 FT AGL AT AROUND 700-800 FT WE WERE IN LIGHT TO MOD TURB WHEN A SHARP BUT NOT VIOLENT YAW TO THE LEFT THEN TO THE RIGHT AND THEN BACK TO THE LEFT OCCURRED. I WAS ON THE RUDDER PEDALS, BUT FELT NO MOVEMENT IN THEM. I SAID TO THE CAPT 'WHAT WAS THAT?' HE SAID, 'ARE YOU ON THE RUDDERS?' I SAID, 'MY FEET ARE NOW ON THE FLOOR.' THEN WE GOT A SECOND CYCLE OF RUDDER KICKS, LEFT THEN RIGHT. HE HAD PUT HIS TOES LIGHTLY ON THE PEDALS AND FELT NO MOVEMENT. AT THIS TIME WE WERE CLBING THROUGH 2000 FT AND WERE COMING OUT OF THE TURB WHEN WE HEARD ATC TRYING TO GET HOLD OF US. THEY GAVE US A TURN AND A CLB AND WE CONTINUED TO CLEAN UP THE ACFT WITH NO OTHER MOVEMENTS. AT NO TIME WERE THERE ANY LIGHTS, ECAM, PADDLE SWITCH INDICATIONS OF A PROB. THE WHOLE INCIDENT LASTED 4-5 SECS. ON CLB OUT WE CONTACTED ZZZ1 VIA COMMERCIAL RADIO AND THEY RECOMMENDED WE GO BACK TO ZZZ. WE DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. UPON ARR AT THE GATE MAINT PULLED THE TAPE ON THE FLT DATA RECORDER. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR INDICATED THAT THE FLT DATA RECORDER (FDR) WAS ANALYZED AFTER THE INCIDENT AND THAT THE FLT AUGMENTATION COMPUTERS (FAC) AND YAW DAMPER REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. THE ACFT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY FLT CHECKED OK. HOWEVER, AFTER FURTHER ANALYSIS OF THE FLT DATA TAPES BY COMPANY MAINT, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE RUDDER HAD 63 EVENTS OF UNCOMMANDED MOVEMENT. THE ACFT WAS GROUNDED FOR FURTHER DIAGNOSIS AND MAINT. THE RPTR HAS FLOWN THE ACFT RECENTLY AND INDICATED THERE WERE NO FURTHER PROBS.

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.