Narrative:

A renter pilot reported that the pitch trim and autoplt pitch were inoperative. We decided to fly the plane from pwk to dpa where repairs could be made. During preflight, it was determined that the trim was inoperative and the spring loaded trim cartridge/actuator was not working properly. The elevator control surface did not spring back into a neutral position when manually deflected like it normally does. Being familiar and confident with the control system, I didn't think it would pose a control or safety of flight issue. I also was curious how the aircraft would handle in this condition should this happen to me in IMC, I would know how the plane would 'feel.' therefore, I decided to make the maintenance positioning flight. The flight was uneventful. I later learned that the trim output shaft sheared and could have jammed/restr elevator movement. In retrospect, bad decision to go! Also, later read that pitch trim was required for kinds of operations equipment. Pitch trim motor output shaft sheared off allowing trim cartridge and arm to hang loosely in the tail potentially jamming and restricting elevator movement.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SR-20 PLT FERRIED THE ACFT WITHOUT AN FAA FERRY PERMIT, AFTER PITCH TRIM MOTOR SHAFT SHEARED OFF.

Narrative: A RENTER PLT RPTED THAT THE PITCH TRIM AND AUTOPLT PITCH WERE INOP. WE DECIDED TO FLY THE PLANE FROM PWK TO DPA WHERE REPAIRS COULD BE MADE. DURING PREFLT, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE TRIM WAS INOP AND THE SPRING LOADED TRIM CARTRIDGE/ACTUATOR WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THE ELEVATOR CTL SURFACE DID NOT SPRING BACK INTO A NEUTRAL POS WHEN MANUALLY DEFLECTED LIKE IT NORMALLY DOES. BEING FAMILIAR AND CONFIDENT WITH THE CTL SYS, I DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD POSE A CTL OR SAFETY OF FLT ISSUE. I ALSO WAS CURIOUS HOW THE ACFT WOULD HANDLE IN THIS CONDITION SHOULD THIS HAPPEN TO ME IN IMC, I WOULD KNOW HOW THE PLANE WOULD 'FEEL.' THEREFORE, I DECIDED TO MAKE THE MAINT POSITIONING FLT. THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. I LATER LEARNED THAT THE TRIM OUTPUT SHAFT SHEARED AND COULD HAVE JAMMED/RESTR ELEVATOR MOVEMENT. IN RETROSPECT, BAD DECISION TO GO! ALSO, LATER READ THAT PITCH TRIM WAS REQUIRED FOR KINDS OF OPS EQUIP. PITCH TRIM MOTOR OUTPUT SHAFT SHEARED OFF ALLOWING TRIM CARTRIDGE AND ARM TO HANG LOOSELY IN THE TAIL POTENTIALLY JAMMING AND RESTRICTING ELEVATOR MOVEMENT.

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.