A BE20 pilot experienced difficulty moving the aircraft's elevator trim after flight in icing with t...

Attributes
ACN	684423
Time
Date	200601
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz.tracon
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Rain
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz1.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Super King Air 200 HDC
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 29
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	684423
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Weather
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

I was flying an empty leg reposition single pilot in a BE200. The WX was IMC in freezing temperature; but there was no structural ice on aircraft. After leveling off at cruise; I set the autoplt and began setting up the ILS 29 approach. I was given a descent clearance to 2100 ft and a heading to join the localizer. While in the descending turn; the autoplt disengaged and the aircraft pitched down. When I pulled up to recover; I could feel heavy resistance on the elevator control. I grabbed the manual trim wheel to try to trim off the pressure; but the wheel was frozen in a nose down trim confign. Fighting the heavy nose down elevator pressure and unable to move the trim wheel; I declared an emergency. At this time I was below MSA and off course so I fought to maintain altitude and turned back to try to rejoin the localizer and/or find the airport. ATC helped by giving position reports to the airport. The last report said I was 1 1/2 mi from the airport and airport was at my 1 O'clock position. At this time; I visually idented the airport and landed without incident. Maintenance inspected flight controls and trim and found nothing that would cause the problem. It is suspected that ice formed somewhere on the trim mechanism; causing it to freeze in position at cruise.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BE20 PLT EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY MOVING THE ACFT'S ELEVATOR TRIM AFTER FLT IN ICING WITH THE AUTOPLT ON.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING AN EMPTY LEG REPOSITION SINGLE PLT IN A BE200. THE WX WAS IMC IN FREEZING TEMP; BUT THERE WAS NO STRUCTURAL ICE ON ACFT. AFTER LEVELING OFF AT CRUISE; I SET THE AUTOPLT AND BEGAN SETTING UP THE ILS 29 APCH. I WAS GIVEN A DSCNT CLRNC TO 2100 FT AND A HDG TO JOIN THE LOC. WHILE IN THE DSNDING TURN; THE AUTOPLT DISENGAGED AND THE ACFT PITCHED DOWN. WHEN I PULLED UP TO RECOVER; I COULD FEEL HVY RESISTANCE ON THE ELEVATOR CTL. I GRABBED THE MANUAL TRIM WHEEL TO TRY TO TRIM OFF THE PRESSURE; BUT THE WHEEL WAS FROZEN IN A NOSE DOWN TRIM CONFIGN. FIGHTING THE HVY NOSE DOWN ELEVATOR PRESSURE AND UNABLE TO MOVE THE TRIM WHEEL; I DECLARED AN EMER. AT THIS TIME I WAS BELOW MSA AND OFF COURSE SO I FOUGHT TO MAINTAIN ALT AND TURNED BACK TO TRY TO REJOIN THE LOC AND/OR FIND THE ARPT. ATC HELPED BY GIVING POS RPTS TO THE ARPT. THE LAST RPT SAID I WAS 1 1/2 MI FROM THE ARPT AND ARPT WAS AT MY 1 O'CLOCK POS. AT THIS TIME; I VISUALLY IDENTED THE ARPT AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. MAINT INSPECTED FLT CTLS AND TRIM AND FOUND NOTHING THAT WOULD CAUSE THE PROB. IT IS SUSPECTED THAT ICE FORMED SOMEWHERE ON THE TRIM MECHANISM; CAUSING IT TO FREEZE IN POS AT CRUISE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

A BE20 pilot experienced difficulty moving the aircraft's elevator trim after flight in icing with the autoplt on.