20031113035749I

Incident

FAA incident report · Cessna 650 · Richmond, VA · November 13, 2003

Date: November 13, 2003 · 15:00 local
Place: Richmond, VA
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: DJFA
Aircraft: N386CW
Reported as: Cessna 650
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 6,604 total1,370 in this make and model39 in the last 90 days

N386CWRegistration cancelled Nov 9, 2007 · Cessna 650S/N 6500186 · Built 1990 Airframe modelCessna 650 Engine modelGarrett TFE731 seriesTurbo-fan

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) Pilot reported at 20,000 feet, the elevator trim dn annunciator illuminated. The pitch trim indicator was reading +1 degrees (full nose down). Crew disconnected autopilot (following abnormal procedure checklist), and aircraft pitched down with the control yoke in the full aft position. Crew was not able to maintain altitude (200-300 ft./min. Descent) initially. However, they were able to maintain altitude and control of the aircraft below approximately 9000 ft. Cessna aircraft, along with a Cessna service center have replaced a suspected faulty horizontal stabilizer actuator and autopilot controller. Cessna aircraft will conduct an evaluation of these parts with FAA aco oversight.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT REPORTED AT 20,000 FEET, THE ELEVATOR TRIM DN ANNUNCIATOR ILLUMINATED. THE PITCH TRIM INDICATOR WAS READING +1 DEGREES (FULL NOSE DOWN). CREW DISCONNECTED AUTOPILOT (FOLLOWING ABNORMAL PROCEDURE CHECKLIST), AND AIRCRAFT PITCHED DOWN WITH THE CONTROL YOKE IN THE FULL AFT POSITION. CREW WAS NOT ABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE (200-300 FT./MIN. DESCENT) INITIALLY. HOWEVER, THEY WERE ABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT BELOW APPROXIMATELY 9000 FT. CESSNA AIRCRAFT, ALONG WITH A CESSNA SERVICE CENTER HAVE REPLACED A SUSPECTED FAULTY HORIZONTAL STABILIZER ACTUATOR AND AUTOPILOT CONTROLLER. CESSNA AIRCRAFT WILL CONDUCT AN EVALUATION OF THESE PARTS WITH FAA ACO OVERSIGHT.