A319 flight crew has pitch trim abnormality during cruise.

Attributes
ACN	701773
Time
Date	200606
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zlc.artcc
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl single value : 35000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc.artcc tracon : edff.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 7900 flight time type : 2400
ASRS Report	701773
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : ecam other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Approximately 1 hour into flight; the manual trim wheel started making 1/4 revolutions commanding nose up and noses down pitch. After 2 cycles of this; I disconnected autoplt #1 and as I connected autoplt #2; we got an 'elac 2 pitch fault' ECAM. I assigned the aircraft to the first officer along with ATC; worked the ECAM action and also the flight manual was referred to. It must be noted that when we received the aircraft; the inbound crew told us that they had gotten the same ECAM message with power xfers. I had maintenance look at the aircraft and they replaced the #2 elac before departure and operations checked it good. As we taxied out for departure; we got an 'elac 2 elevator pitch fault.' we called maintenance and performed a reset procedure. We taxied for 2 more mins and got the same ECAM message. Again; we called maintenance and he said to try 1 more reset. We did and it worked -- for departure and taxi out and initial cruise. Back to the in air portion; I had referenced the books; performed ECAM and discussed with the first officer and our jumpseater that the elac itself was replaced; the merits of continuing for another 4 hours with an aircraft that had just had unneeded pitch trim excursions did not warrant a continuation past den.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A319 FLT CREW HAS PITCH TRIM ABNORMALITY DURING CRUISE.

Narrative: APPROX 1 HR INTO FLT; THE MANUAL TRIM WHEEL STARTED MAKING 1/4 REVOLUTIONS COMMANDING NOSE UP AND NOSES DOWN PITCH. AFTER 2 CYCLES OF THIS; I DISCONNECTED AUTOPLT #1 AND AS I CONNECTED AUTOPLT #2; WE GOT AN 'ELAC 2 PITCH FAULT' ECAM. I ASSIGNED THE ACFT TO THE FO ALONG WITH ATC; WORKED THE ECAM ACTION AND ALSO THE FLT MANUAL WAS REFERRED TO. IT MUST BE NOTED THAT WHEN WE RECEIVED THE ACFT; THE INBOUND CREW TOLD US THAT THEY HAD GOTTEN THE SAME ECAM MESSAGE WITH PWR XFERS. I HAD MAINT LOOK AT THE ACFT AND THEY REPLACED THE #2 ELAC BEFORE DEP AND OPS CHKED IT GOOD. AS WE TAXIED OUT FOR DEP; WE GOT AN 'ELAC 2 ELEVATOR PITCH FAULT.' WE CALLED MAINT AND PERFORMED A RESET PROC. WE TAXIED FOR 2 MORE MINS AND GOT THE SAME ECAM MESSAGE. AGAIN; WE CALLED MAINT AND HE SAID TO TRY 1 MORE RESET. WE DID AND IT WORKED -- FOR DEP AND TAXI OUT AND INITIAL CRUISE. BACK TO THE IN AIR PORTION; I HAD REFED THE BOOKS; PERFORMED ECAM AND DISCUSSED WITH THE FO AND OUR JUMPSEATER THAT THE ELAC ITSELF WAS REPLACED; THE MERITS OF CONTINUING FOR ANOTHER 4 HRS WITH AN ACFT THAT HAD JUST HAD UNNEEDED PITCH TRIM EXCURSIONS DID NOT WARRANT A CONTINUATION PAST DEN.

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.