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A MD80 at 10000 ft declared an emergency due to extremely stiff ailerons. After 12 mins, ailerons freed up and operated normally. Cause unknown.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 574566 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200302 |
| Day | Tue |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | msl single value : 10000 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : zzz.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Super 80 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 574566 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : auto plt disconnect warning other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | aircraft : equipment problem dissipated flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency |
| Consequence | other other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
After a normal 2 hour and 30 min flight from ZZZ, we were at 210 KTS on the arrival. At the intersection with the autoplt on, the aircraft started a turn to the north as it should. At that time, the autoplt disconnected. At this time, I was flying and the controls felt locked. We were given a descent. We leveled off at 10000 ft. The ailerons were very, very hard to move. The rudder and elevator were ok. We declared an emergency and continued north while trying to figure out what the problem was. We called dispatch and maintenance technicians. After about 12 mins of aileron control problems, the problem cleared itself. We set up on a long straight in to runway 17R. We briefed the approach and what to do if the problem reoccurred.. This was a very serious situation for a while. I don't know why the problem cleared itself.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A MD80 AT 10000 FT DECLARED AN EMER DUE TO EXTREMELY STIFF AILERONS. AFTER 12 MINS, AILERONS FREED UP AND OPERATED NORMALLY. CAUSE UNKNOWN.
Narrative: AFTER A NORMAL 2 HR AND 30 MIN FLT FROM ZZZ, WE WERE AT 210 KTS ON THE ARR. AT THE INTXN WITH THE AUTOPLT ON, THE ACFT STARTED A TURN TO THE N AS IT SHOULD. AT THAT TIME, THE AUTOPLT DISCONNECTED. AT THIS TIME, I WAS FLYING AND THE CTLS FELT LOCKED. WE WERE GIVEN A DSCNT. WE LEVELED OFF AT 10000 FT. THE AILERONS WERE VERY, VERY HARD TO MOVE. THE RUDDER AND ELEVATOR WERE OK. WE DECLARED AN EMER AND CONTINUED N WHILE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PROB WAS. WE CALLED DISPATCH AND MAINT TECHNICIANS. AFTER ABOUT 12 MINS OF AILERON CTL PROBS, THE PROB CLRED ITSELF. WE SET UP ON A LONG STRAIGHT IN TO RWY 17R. WE BRIEFED THE APCH AND WHAT TO DO IF THE PROB REOCCURRED.. THIS WAS A VERY SERIOUS SIT FOR A WHILE. I DON'T KNOW WHY THE PROB CLRED ITSELF.
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.