20030623019309I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Cessna 177RG · Moorhead, MN · June 23, 2003

Date: June 23, 2003 · 16:47 local
Place: Moorhead, MN
Airport: Moorhead Municipal Airport
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N37VD
Reported as: Cessna 177RG
Reported engine: Lycoming IO360A1B6
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,625 total1,000 in this make and model30 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) During descent from 11000' MSL to 8000'MSL with the minneapolis center, pilot of N37VD trimmed down 500 fpm into s-tec a/p. pilot stated that during descent he manually pulled pitch against a/p and trim ran to end and jammed. Pilot advised air traffic of problem and was given steer direct to Moorhead (kjkj). Pilot stated that aircraft entered visual below 8000' MSL but encountered turbulence and hail from nearby thunderstorm buildup. Aircraft sustained very minor hail damage (cosmetic) and aircraft was landed without incident at Moorhead Municipal Airport (kjkj). Maintenance found trim cable jammed into trim chain drive first cog where trim cable ends and chain drive begins. Trim stop block was adjusted to correct problem. Pilot and passenger uninjured during event. Maintenance to submit m or d.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) DURING DESCENT FROM 11000' MSL TO 8000'MSL WITH THE MINNEAPOLIS CENTER, PILOT OF N37VD TRIMMED DOWN 500 FPM INTO S-TEC A/P. PILOT STATED THAT DURING DESCENT HE MANUALLY PULLED PITCH AGAINST A/P AND TRIM RAN TO END AND JAMMED. PILOT ADVISED AIR TRAFFIC OF PROBLEM AND WAS GIVEN STEER DIRECT TO MOORHEAD (KJKJ). PILOT STATED THAT AIRCRAFT ENTERED VISUAL BELOW 8000' MSL BUT ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE AND HAIL FROM NEARBY THUNDERSTORM BUILDUP. AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED VERY MINOR HAIL DAMAGE (COSMETIC) AND AIRCRAFT WAS LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT AT MOORHEAD MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (KJKJ). MAINTENANCE FOUND TRIM CABLE JAMMED INTO TRIM CHAIN DRIVE FIRST COG WHERE TRIM CABLE ENDS AND CHAIN DRIVE BEGINS. TRIM STOP BLOCK WAS ADJUSTED TO CORRECT PROBLEM. PILOT AND PASSENGER UNINJURED DURING EVENT. MAINTENANCE TO SUBMIT M OR D.