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Inexperienced C411 pilot engages autoplt vice yaw damper shortly after takeoff and nose pitches down in response to settings retained from the previous approach.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 807007 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200810 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | msl single value : 250 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : zzz.tower tower : cvg.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Cessna 411 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : initial |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 114 flight time total : 2400 flight time type : 14 |
| ASRS Report | 807007 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : published procedure other anomaly |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : overcame equipment problem |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
I had completed flight training in a C441 simulator 2 months prior to the incident. I had flown several flts in the right seat to gain experience in the 441. This was my first flight sitting left seat; with an experienced 441 pilot in the right seat. We went through the checklist; however; the checklist didn't have specific pre-takeoff check items. I failed to set the autoplt prior to takeoff. It was set for pitch from the previous approach. We departed and at about 200 ft I went to engage the yaw damper; however; I flipped the switch up instead of down. This engaged the autoplt; which caused the plane to start a descent. As soon as I realized we were descending; I pulled up on the yoke and got the plane in a climb attitude. When I realized I was fighting the autoplt; I disengaged it and started a climb. The sink rate warning and terrain warning were going off. I then realized I didn't have the flight director set properly and set it for a climb and engaged the autoplt. The controller queried us about our altitude; but by that time we were at 700 ft MSL and breaking above the overcast. The 2 problems were that I didn't set the flight director properly before takeoff and accidentally engaging the autoplt instead of the yaw damper. I will make sure I do a complete 'flow' for pre-takeoff check and make sure that the flight director is set properly before applying power for takeoff.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: INEXPERIENCED C411 PLT ENGAGES AUTOPLT VICE YAW DAMPER SHORTLY AFTER TKOF AND NOSE PITCHES DOWN IN RESPONSE TO SETTINGS RETAINED FROM THE PREVIOUS APCH.
Narrative: I HAD COMPLETED FLT TRAINING IN A C441 SIMULATOR 2 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. I HAD FLOWN SEVERAL FLTS IN THE R SEAT TO GAIN EXPERIENCE IN THE 441. THIS WAS MY FIRST FLT SITTING L SEAT; WITH AN EXPERIENCED 441 PLT IN THE R SEAT. WE WENT THROUGH THE CHKLIST; HOWEVER; THE CHKLIST DIDN'T HAVE SPECIFIC PRE-TKOF CHK ITEMS. I FAILED TO SET THE AUTOPLT PRIOR TO TKOF. IT WAS SET FOR PITCH FROM THE PREVIOUS APCH. WE DEPARTED AND AT ABOUT 200 FT I WENT TO ENGAGE THE YAW DAMPER; HOWEVER; I FLIPPED THE SWITCH UP INSTEAD OF DOWN. THIS ENGAGED THE AUTOPLT; WHICH CAUSED THE PLANE TO START A DSCNT. AS SOON AS I REALIZED WE WERE DSNDING; I PULLED UP ON THE YOKE AND GOT THE PLANE IN A CLB ATTITUDE. WHEN I REALIZED I WAS FIGHTING THE AUTOPLT; I DISENGAGED IT AND STARTED A CLB. THE SINK RATE WARNING AND TERRAIN WARNING WERE GOING OFF. I THEN REALIZED I DIDN'T HAVE THE FLT DIRECTOR SET PROPERLY AND SET IT FOR A CLB AND ENGAGED THE AUTOPLT. THE CTLR QUERIED US ABOUT OUR ALT; BUT BY THAT TIME WE WERE AT 700 FT MSL AND BREAKING ABOVE THE OVCST. THE 2 PROBS WERE THAT I DIDN'T SET THE FLT DIRECTOR PROPERLY BEFORE TKOF AND ACCIDENTALLY ENGAGING THE AUTOPLT INSTEAD OF THE YAW DAMPER. I WILL MAKE SURE I DO A COMPLETE 'FLOW' FOR PRE-TKOF CHK AND MAKE SURE THAT THE FLT DIRECTOR IS SET PROPERLY BEFORE APPLYING PWR FOR TKOF.
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.