What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) After departing monterey airport (mry) on a revenue flight, a mesa aircraft, N97325, experienced during climbout an autopilot pitch trim warning light and a jammed 5" nose down condition. The crew accomplished the flight manual procedures to disconnect the autopilot and the aircraft required approximately 2 inches of nose up pressure to maintain level flight. After contacting maintenance control to explain the problem, the trim was discovered to only operate in the nose up position. The crew then elected to cancel its flight to phoenix sky harbor airport (phx) and divert to the Fresno Yosemite int'l airport (fat). The aircraft landed uneventfully and was turned over to maintenance for further troubleshooting.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AFTER DEPARTING MONTEREY AIRPORT (MRY) ON A REVENUE FLIGHT, A MESA AIRCRAFT, N97325, EXPERIENCED DURING CLIMBOUT AN AUTOPILOT PITCH TRIM WARNING LIGHT AND A JAMMED 5" NOSE DOWN CONDITION. THE CREW ACCOMPLISHED THE FLIGHT MANUAL PROCEDURES TO DISCONNECT THE AUTOPILOT AND THE AIRCRAFT REQUIRED APPROXIMATELY 2 INCHES OF NOSE UP PRESSURE TO MAINTAIN LEVEL FLIGHT. AFTER CONTACTING MAINTENANCE CONTROL TO EXPLAIN THE PROBLEM, THE TRIM WAS DISCOVERED TO ONLY OPERATE IN THE NOSE UP POSITION. THE CREW THEN ELECTED TO CANCEL ITS FLIGHT TO PHOENIX SKY HARBOR AIRPORT (PHX) AND DIVERT TO THE FRESNO YOSEMITE INT'L AIRPORT (FAT). THE AIRCRAFT LANDED UNEVENTFULLY AND WAS TURNED OVER TO MAINTENANCE FOR FURTHER TROUBLESHOOTING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.