# Incident 20010425013839I: Emb EMB145, Norfolk, VA, April 25, 2001

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 25, 2001, 18:15 local time
- Place: Norfolk, VA
- Airport: Norfolk International
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121)
- Operator: C2XA
- Location: 36.8599° N, 76.1999° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.8599&lon=-76.1999&mi=10
- Aircraft: N29917, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N29917) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Embraer EMB-145LR (registry code 3260212, https://openairdocs.org/model/embraer-emb-145lr) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison AE-3007A (registry code 03030, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-ae-3007a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: EMB EMB145
- People aboard: 53
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 4,800 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC01IA107](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC01IA107) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010425013839I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) THE CAPTAIN REPORTED THAT EN ROUTE FROM EWR TO ORF, THE "AUTO TRIM FAIL" AND THE "PIT TRIM #1 FAIL" ICAS CAPTIONS ILLUMINATED, AND APPROX. 15 MINUTES LATER, THE BACKUP TRIM SYSTEM #2 ALSO FAILED. NO PITCH TRIM WAS THEN AVAILABLE, AND TRIM STUCK AT +1.  DETAILED TROUBLESHOOTING BY COMPANY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL, AND ASSISTED BY EMBRAER TECH REPS, DETERMINED THAT THE PITCH TRIM ACTUATOR HAD FAILED.  THE ACTUATOR WAS REPLACED WITH A P/N 362200-1011 UNIT, THE SYSTEM FUNCTIONALLY CHECKED, AND THE AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO SERVICE.  THE DFDR WAS REMOVED, AND A COMPLETE DOWNLOAD DATA FILE WAS PROVIDED TO THE NTSB.  THE FAILED TRIM ACTUATOR WAS DELIVERED TO THE NTSB WASHINGTON HEADQUARTERS, FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION.                               (.4) DURING CRUISE FLIGHT, THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER JAMMED IN THE (-1)-DEGREE TRIM POSITION. AFTER AN UNEVENTFUL LANDING, THE ELEVATOR TRIM ACTUATOR WAS FORWARDED TO THE MANUFACTURER FOR EXAMINATION UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF A SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATOR. THE ELEVATOR TRIM ACTUATOR CONTAINED A PRIMARY AND BACK-UP CLUTCH GEAR, AND EACH GEAR HAD A RESPECTIVE TORQUE NUT AND LOCK WASHER. THE EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THAT THE TABS ON THE LOCK WASHERS W ERE NOT BENT OVER INTO THE LOCKED POSITION. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE TABS HAD EVER BEEN BENT INTO THE LOCKED POSITION. THE BACK-UP CLUTCH TORQUE NUT HAD BACKED OFF AND DOWN THE SHAFT, COMING TO REST AGAINST THE CLUTCH GEAR CLUSTER BEARING OUTER RACE. THE BACKED-OFF NUT EXHIBITED A SCRATCH AROUND THE OUTER EDGE OF THE FACE, CONSISTENT WITH FOULING AGAINST THE CLUTCH GEAR CLUSTER BEARING OUTER RACE, SUBSEQUENTLY JAMMING THE UNIT. THE MANUFACTURER IDENTIFIED THE ISOLATED ERROR IN THE PRODUCTION PROCESS.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB NYC01IA107](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC01IA107), Apr 25, 2001: Embraer EMB-145 (N29917), Norfolk, VA, incident, no damage. Probable cause: The manufacturer's inadequate quality control, which resulted in a jammed elevator trim actuator.

## Other reports on N29917 (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20110324003819I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110324003819I), Mar 24, 2011: Embraer EMB-145LR (N29917), Cleveland, OH, No damage. Flight number bta 2043 (N29917), reported a possible engine fire after landing runway 6L. The aircraft pulled off onto taxiway k, where the passengers deplaned…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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