Narrative:

This report is an advisory to alert the company and embraer to a problem with its electro-mechanical gust lock. My crew took over an aircraft with a deferred electro-mechanical gust lock. While getting the aircraft ready for flight and boarding passenger; I inadvertently engaged the gust lock after completing the sps test; as this is a normal procedure during non-MEL operations. The gust lock engaged 1/2 way and would not disengage regardless of what I tried to do. Maintenance was contacted and it took them nearly 2 hours to disengage the gust lock. Furthermore; on taxi-in during a later flight with the same aircraft; the first officer of the flight inadvertently engaged the gust lock again and caused another flight delay. Note: the flight controls were unaffected (free and correct) by this gust lock engagement. The only impact was to the throttle quadrant when the horizontal bar was blocking full thrust lever movement. I am also aware of 2 instances during flight in which the gust lock was inadvertently (hands slipped; fidgeting during a long flight; etc) engaged 1/2 way and could not be undone. During one instance; a landing was conducted at reduced power. Recommendations: the electro-mechanical gust lock is more dangerous than its manual cousin. It is my recommendation that when it is deferred; either the horizontal bar connecting the 2 actuators be removed or the actual locking mechanism be deactivated. Furthermore; there needs to be a way; while in-flight; to completely deactivate the gust lock to prevent future emergencys from happening.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: E145 CAPT ADVISES ELECTRO-MECHANICAL GUST LOCK; WHEN DEFERRED INOP; POSES A POTENTIAL THREAT DUE TO THE POTENTIAL FOR A PARTIAL ENGAGEMENT WHICH CANNOT BE UNDONE IF THE SYS IS INADVERTENTLY UTILIZED THROUGH PLT HABIT PATTERNS.

Narrative: THIS RPT IS AN ADVISORY TO ALERT THE COMPANY AND EMBRAER TO A PROB WITH ITS ELECTRO-MECHANICAL GUST LOCK. MY CREW TOOK OVER AN ACFT WITH A DEFERRED ELECTRO-MECHANICAL GUST LOCK. WHILE GETTING THE ACFT READY FOR FLT AND BOARDING PAX; I INADVERTENTLY ENGAGED THE GUST LOCK AFTER COMPLETING THE SPS TEST; AS THIS IS A NORMAL PROC DURING NON-MEL OPS. THE GUST LOCK ENGAGED 1/2 WAY AND WOULD NOT DISENGAGE REGARDLESS OF WHAT I TRIED TO DO. MAINT WAS CONTACTED AND IT TOOK THEM NEARLY 2 HRS TO DISENGAGE THE GUST LOCK. FURTHERMORE; ON TAXI-IN DURING A LATER FLT WITH THE SAME ACFT; THE FO OF THE FLT INADVERTENTLY ENGAGED THE GUST LOCK AGAIN AND CAUSED ANOTHER FLT DELAY. NOTE: THE FLT CTLS WERE UNAFFECTED (FREE AND CORRECT) BY THIS GUST LOCK ENGAGEMENT. THE ONLY IMPACT WAS TO THE THROTTLE QUADRANT WHEN THE HORIZ BAR WAS BLOCKING FULL THRUST LEVER MOVEMENT. I AM ALSO AWARE OF 2 INSTANCES DURING FLT IN WHICH THE GUST LOCK WAS INADVERTENTLY (HANDS SLIPPED; FIDGETING DURING A LONG FLT; ETC) ENGAGED 1/2 WAY AND COULD NOT BE UNDONE. DURING ONE INSTANCE; A LNDG WAS CONDUCTED AT REDUCED PWR. RECOMMENDATIONS: THE ELECTRO-MECHANICAL GUST LOCK IS MORE DANGEROUS THAN ITS MANUAL COUSIN. IT IS MY RECOMMENDATION THAT WHEN IT IS DEFERRED; EITHER THE HORIZ BAR CONNECTING THE 2 ACTUATORS BE REMOVED OR THE ACTUAL LOCKING MECHANISM BE DEACTIVATED. FURTHERMORE; THERE NEEDS TO BE A WAY; WHILE INFLT; TO COMPLETELY DEACTIVATE THE GUST LOCK TO PREVENT FUTURE EMERS FROM HAPPENING.

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.