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A B737-300 on arrival at leveloff the autoplts, both 'a' and 'B,' would not trim in pitch mode or hold altitude. Elevator also appeared sluggish.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 602407 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200312 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | msl single value : 13000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : zzz.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| 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 |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 9000 |
| ASRS Report | 602407 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 6800 flight time type : 2000 |
| ASRS Report | 602408 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : overshoot other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : stab trim warning other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | other other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
On arrival to ZZZ and leveling off at 13000 ft, the autoplt would not level the aircraft on hold altitude. The 'stabilizer out of trim light' illuminated. I turned off the 'a' autoplt and trimmed the aircraft out of a nose down trim setting. The elevation seemed to have a 'dead hand' in it. I engaged the 'B' autoplt and the 'stabilizer out of trim' light came on again. Autoplt off again with a pitch down. Elevator still sluggish but trim was ok. We slowed to 250 KTS, then to 210 KTS and elevation pitch was much better. Asked approach for priority handling and landed uneventfully. Aircraft removed from service. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated on arrival at the gate the airplane was removed from service and the maintenance action taken is unknown.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B737-300 ON ARR AT LEVELOFF THE AUTOPLTS, BOTH 'A' AND 'B,' WOULD NOT TRIM IN PITCH MODE OR HOLD ALT. ELEVATOR ALSO APPEARED SLUGGISH.
Narrative: ON ARR TO ZZZ AND LEVELING OFF AT 13000 FT, THE AUTOPLT WOULD NOT LEVEL THE ACFT ON HOLD ALT. THE 'STABILIZER OUT OF TRIM LIGHT' ILLUMINATED. I TURNED OFF THE 'A' AUTOPLT AND TRIMMED THE ACFT OUT OF A NOSE DOWN TRIM SETTING. THE ELEVATION SEEMED TO HAVE A 'DEAD HAND' IN IT. I ENGAGED THE 'B' AUTOPLT AND THE 'STABILIZER OUT OF TRIM' LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. AUTOPLT OFF AGAIN WITH A PITCH DOWN. ELEVATOR STILL SLUGGISH BUT TRIM WAS OK. WE SLOWED TO 250 KTS, THEN TO 210 KTS AND ELEVATION PITCH WAS MUCH BETTER. ASKED APCH FOR PRIORITY HANDLING AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. ACFT REMOVED FROM SVC. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED ON ARR AT THE GATE THE AIRPLANE WAS REMOVED FROM SVC AND THE MAINT ACTION TAKEN IS UNKNOWN.
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.