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Pilot of C350 reports electric trim ran away to full nose down with autoplt engaged. Unable to correct and landed holding manual elevator inputs to overcome the out of trim condition.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 793962 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200807 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 8000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : zzz.tracon |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Cessna Single Piston Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 1500 flight time type : 200 |
| ASRS Report | 793962 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : diverted to another airport other |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
At 500 ft AGL on assigned heading from ZZZ tower and after being cleared to climb to 8000 ft MSL; I engaged the autoplt and selected heading and pitch for the climb. The aircraft immediately automatic-trimmed to a full nose-down attitude. I disengaged the autoplt and the aircraft nose-down trim remained. Using strenuous back pressure; I returned to the field and landed. The incident has been reported to cessna. The avionics and engineering are being examined by cessna. Reporter clarified the aircraft identification as a columbia (now cessna) 350. He advised there is no manual or backup system for the pitch trim system. He advised that maintenance had determined a failed electronic module (he was not certain of the specifics) was the problem. It has been repaired and the aircraft is back in service.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF C350 REPORTS ELECTRIC TRIM RAN AWAY TO FULL NOSE DOWN WITH AUTOPLT ENGAGED. UNABLE TO CORRECT AND LANDED HOLDING MANUAL ELEVATOR INPUTS TO OVERCOME THE OUT OF TRIM CONDITION.
Narrative: AT 500 FT AGL ON ASSIGNED HDG FROM ZZZ TWR AND AFTER BEING CLRED TO CLB TO 8000 FT MSL; I ENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AND SELECTED HDG AND PITCH FOR THE CLB. THE ACFT IMMEDIATELY AUTO-TRIMMED TO A FULL NOSE-DOWN ATTITUDE. I DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AND THE ACFT NOSE-DOWN TRIM REMAINED. USING STRENUOUS BACK PRESSURE; I RETURNED TO THE FIELD AND LANDED. THE INCIDENT HAS BEEN RPTED TO CESSNA. THE AVIONICS AND ENGINEERING ARE BEING EXAMINED BY CESSNA. REPORTER CLARIFIED THE ACFT IDENTIFICATION AS A COLUMBIA (NOW CESSNA) 350. HE ADVISED THERE IS NO MANUAL OR BACKUP SYSTEM FOR THE PITCH TRIM SYSTEM. HE ADVISED THAT MAINTENANCE HAD DETERMINED A FAILED ELECTRONIC MODULE (HE WAS NOT CERTAIN OF THE SPECIFICS) WAS THE PROBLEM. IT HAS BEEN REPAIRED AND THE ACFT IS BACK IN SERVICE.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.