BE100 flight crew reports elevator freezing (literally) in cruise at 17000 feet. Descent to lower al...

Attributes
ACN	812814
Time
Date	200811
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 17000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Rain Ice Turbulence
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	King Air 100 A/B
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 1250 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	812814
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 84 flight time total : 17726 flight time type : 3146
ASRS Report	812815
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : regained aircraft control
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I went out to the aircraft and obtained the clearance. The clearance was obtained 30 mins prior to departure. We departed approximately XA30. I obtained the clearance; talked with ground; tower; and at least the first 2 or 3 controllers. I at no time manipulated the flight controls. Approximately 40 mins after departure; and in cruise flight; the captain noted the elevator being very stiff and; after a couple more mins; the elevator could not be moved at all in either direction. The captain asked for a lower altitude; since we were still in rain with icing (light rime) and had accumulated approximately 3/4 inch on the leading edges. He slowly reduced power and was controling the descent with the stabilizer trim. At approximately 13500 ft MSL; the elevator broke free and he made a normal landing. The captain was talking with center and they had declared an emergency for us; however; he canceled the emergency just before being handed off to approach. I do not have a current part 135 check ride in the king air; however; I am qualified. I do have current part 135 sic check rides in the company's other aircraft. The conquest is down for maintenance; and I am on salary; so I was put on the king air trip as an observer; not to fly. The captain is single pilot qualified. On several occasions; I talked to center on the radio. I did not believe talking on the radio was acting as a crew member. Supplemental information from acn 812815: flying along at 17000 ft; 10 degrees celsius; OAT elevator control froze. Notified center of our problem. They said they would declare an emergency for us. I requested and was given lower altitudes to get into warmer air. Before reaching 11000 ft; elevator control was regained. Changed center frequency. Was asked if emergency still existed and we said no; everything was normal. They said they were canceling emergency status. Continued to destination and landed normally.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE100 FLIGHT CREW REPORTS ELEVATOR FREEZING (LITERALLY) IN CRUISE AT 17000 FEET. DESCENT TO LOWER ALTITUDE AND WARMER AIR ALLOWS NORMAL CONTROL TO BE REGAINED. FAA REVIEW DISCOVERS THAT FIRST OFFICER IS NOT PART 135 CURRENT ON THIS AIRCRAFT.

Narrative: I WENT OUT TO THE ACFT AND OBTAINED THE CLRNC. THE CLRNC WAS OBTAINED 30 MINS PRIOR TO DEP. WE DEPARTED APPROX XA30. I OBTAINED THE CLRNC; TALKED WITH GND; TWR; AND AT LEAST THE FIRST 2 OR 3 CTLRS. I AT NO TIME MANIPULATED THE FLT CTLS. APPROX 40 MINS AFTER DEP; AND IN CRUISE FLT; THE CAPT NOTED THE ELEVATOR BEING VERY STIFF AND; AFTER A COUPLE MORE MINS; THE ELEVATOR COULD NOT BE MOVED AT ALL IN EITHER DIRECTION. THE CAPT ASKED FOR A LOWER ALT; SINCE WE WERE STILL IN RAIN WITH ICING (LIGHT RIME) AND HAD ACCUMULATED APPROX 3/4 INCH ON THE LEADING EDGES. HE SLOWLY REDUCED PWR AND WAS CTLING THE DSCNT WITH THE STABILIZER TRIM. AT APPROX 13500 FT MSL; THE ELEVATOR BROKE FREE AND HE MADE A NORMAL LNDG. THE CAPT WAS TALKING WITH CTR AND THEY HAD DECLARED AN EMER FOR US; HOWEVER; HE CANCELED THE EMER JUST BEFORE BEING HANDED OFF TO APCH. I DO NOT HAVE A CURRENT PART 135 CHK RIDE IN THE KING AIR; HOWEVER; I AM QUALIFIED. I DO HAVE CURRENT PART 135 SIC CHK RIDES IN THE COMPANY'S OTHER ACFT. THE CONQUEST IS DOWN FOR MAINT; AND I AM ON SALARY; SO I WAS PUT ON THE KING AIR TRIP AS AN OBSERVER; NOT TO FLY. THE CAPT IS SINGLE PLT QUALIFIED. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS; I TALKED TO CTR ON THE RADIO. I DID NOT BELIEVE TALKING ON THE RADIO WAS ACTING AS A CREW MEMBER. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 812815: FLYING ALONG AT 17000 FT; 10 DEGS CELSIUS; OAT ELEVATOR CTL FROZE. NOTIFIED CTR OF OUR PROB. THEY SAID THEY WOULD DECLARE AN EMER FOR US. I REQUESTED AND WAS GIVEN LOWER ALTS TO GET INTO WARMER AIR. BEFORE REACHING 11000 FT; ELEVATOR CTL WAS REGAINED. CHANGED CTR FREQ. WAS ASKED IF EMER STILL EXISTED AND WE SAID NO; EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL. THEY SAID THEY WERE CANCELING EMER STATUS. CONTINUED TO DEST AND LANDED NORMALLY.

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.

BE100 flight crew reports elevator freezing (literally) in cruise at 17000 feet. Descent to lower altitude and warmer air allows normal control to be regained. FAA review discovers that first officer is not part 135 current on this aircraft.