EA50 flight crew experienced a pitch trim malfunction and returned to departure airport for landing....

Attributes
ACN	759554
Time
Date	200710
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Eclipse 500
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 127 flight time total : 5400 flight time type : 35
ASRS Report	759554
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : landed as precaution other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

During maintenance ferry flight crew experienced elevator trim flight control degradation requiring immediate return to ZZZ; crew requested an immediate turn and descent back to ZZZ. Crew thought they received an immediate clearance to 4000 ft and turned and descended toward ZZZ. When queried by ATC as to nature of problem and if further assistance was necessary; crew said it was a flight control issue; but manageable and didn't feel necessary to declare emergency. We were in visual conditions at all times and completed uneventful approach and landing. During further conversation with ATC on the telephone afterwards it appeared that the descent and course change clearance may not have been as quick as crew thought; but due to the heat of the moment and task saturation the crew thought it was immediate. There were no conflicts with any other aircraft and flight ended without further incident. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that although the aircraft was controllable; the flight crew felt that an immediate return to the departure airport was necessary. They did not declare an emergency; but in their eagerness to return; they initiated a turn and descent before receiving clearance from ATC. Communication with ATC after landing revealed that no traffic conflict was created by the maneuver.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EA50 FLT CREW EXPERIENCED A PITCH TRIM MALFUNCTION AND RETURNED TO DEP ARPT FOR LNDG. TURN AND DESCENT WERE INITIATED PRIOR TO OBTAINING CLRNC.

Narrative: DURING MAINT FERRY FLT CREW EXPERIENCED ELEVATOR TRIM FLT CTL DEGRADATION REQUIRING IMMEDIATE RETURN TO ZZZ; CREW REQUESTED AN IMMEDIATE TURN AND DSCNT BACK TO ZZZ. CREW THOUGHT THEY RECEIVED AN IMMEDIATE CLRNC TO 4000 FT AND TURNED AND DSNDED TOWARD ZZZ. WHEN QUERIED BY ATC AS TO NATURE OF PROB AND IF FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS NECESSARY; CREW SAID IT WAS A FLT CTL ISSUE; BUT MANAGEABLE AND DIDN'T FEEL NECESSARY TO DECLARE EMER. WE WERE IN VISUAL CONDITIONS AT ALL TIMES AND COMPLETED UNEVENTFUL APCH AND LNDG. DURING FURTHER CONVERSATION WITH ATC ON THE TELEPHONE AFTERWARDS IT APPEARED THAT THE DSCNT AND COURSE CHANGE CLRNC MAY NOT HAVE BEEN AS QUICK AS CREW THOUGHT; BUT DUE TO THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT AND TASK SATURATION THE CREW THOUGHT IT WAS IMMEDIATE. THERE WERE NO CONFLICTS WITH ANY OTHER ACFT AND FLT ENDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE REPORTER STATED THAT ALTHOUGH THE ACFT WAS CONTROLLABLE; THE FLT CREW FELT THAT AN IMMEDIATE RETURN TO THE DEP ARPT WAS NECESSARY. THEY DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER; BUT IN THEIR EAGERNESS TO RETURN; THEY INITIATED A TURN AND DESCENT BEFORE RECEIVING CLRNC FROM ATC. COMMUNICATION WITH ATC AFTER LNDG REVEALED THAT NO TFC CONFLICT WAS CREATED BY THE MANEUVER.

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.

EA50 flight crew experienced a pitch trim malfunction and returned to departure airport for landing. Turn and descent were initiated prior to obtaining clearance.