C172 pilot has control problems; declares an emergency and lands.

Attributes
ACN	718894
Time
Date	200611
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 1400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing : missed approach
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 5 flight time total : 350 flight time type : 125
ASRS Report	718894
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I approached with full flaps; carrying some power. Over the threshold; I pulled the power and simultaneously started to flare. The nose dropped sharply; and I immediately applied full power; bouncing on the nose back into the air. I told ATC I was going around. Moments later; I realized that I had the elevator at what seemed to be the aft stop; but was not climbing as steeply as expected. I announced to ATC I had a problem with my controls. I initially declined the offer of assistance; and proceeded; out of habit; to make right traffic; which had been opposite of my most recent clearance. I then told the tower that it might be good to 'get the trucks out' and subsequently declared an emergency. I will note right traffic was advantageous to me due to fewer obstacles at low altitude on that side of the runway. ATC did not mention my clearance deviation. The next day the mechanics found that the 'serializer' and serial cable from the inoperative GPS had fallen from the panel and was restricting the control movement. The inoperative avionics; which were not required for the flight; were; thus; the root cause of the serious control malfunction.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT HAS CTL PROBS; DECLARES AN EMER AND LANDS.

Narrative: I APCHED WITH FULL FLAPS; CARRYING SOME PWR. OVER THE THRESHOLD; I PULLED THE PWR AND SIMULTANEOUSLY STARTED TO FLARE. THE NOSE DROPPED SHARPLY; AND I IMMEDIATELY APPLIED FULL PWR; BOUNCING ON THE NOSE BACK INTO THE AIR. I TOLD ATC I WAS GOING AROUND. MOMENTS LATER; I REALIZED THAT I HAD THE ELEVATOR AT WHAT SEEMED TO BE THE AFT STOP; BUT WAS NOT CLBING AS STEEPLY AS EXPECTED. I ANNOUNCED TO ATC I HAD A PROB WITH MY CTLS. I INITIALLY DECLINED THE OFFER OF ASSISTANCE; AND PROCEEDED; OUT OF HABIT; TO MAKE R TFC; WHICH HAD BEEN OPPOSITE OF MY MOST RECENT CLRNC. I THEN TOLD THE TWR THAT IT MIGHT BE GOOD TO 'GET THE TRUCKS OUT' AND SUBSEQUENTLY DECLARED AN EMER. I WILL NOTE R TFC WAS ADVANTAGEOUS TO ME DUE TO FEWER OBSTACLES AT LOW ALT ON THAT SIDE OF THE RWY. ATC DID NOT MENTION MY CLRNC DEV. THE NEXT DAY THE MECHS FOUND THAT THE 'SERIALIZER' AND SERIAL CABLE FROM THE INOP GPS HAD FALLEN FROM THE PANEL AND WAS RESTRICTING THE CTL MOVEMENT. THE INOP AVIONICS; WHICH WERE NOT REQUIRED FOR THE FLT; WERE; THUS; THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE SERIOUS CTL MALFUNCTION.

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.