What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On Monday July 7, 2008 1455Z a Mcdonnell Douglas MD-81, N804ME operated by midwest airlines as a chartered flight #8663 departed chicago's midway (mdw) at approximately 1455Z. privacy data omitted Was onboard the chartered flight at the time of the incident. During climb-out from mdw, when beginning to level off at initial departure altitude, the control pressure needed to level off seemed abnormal requiring higher than normal inputs. This was only noticed in the pitch control. Aileron, rudder and pitch trim inputs were normal. The aircraft continued to climb to 32000' while the flight crew performed procedures call out in the quick reference hand book (qrh). Trouble-shooting process determined the aircraft was fully controllable using both primary pitch trim and higher than normal control force inputs and autopilot (alt long trim). Crew notified company maintenance control and dispatch and it was determined that it would be appropriate to divert to st. Louis (stl) and declared an emergency. Descending maintenance control and dispatch and it was determined that it would be appropriate to divert to st. Louis (stl) and declared an emergency. Descending through 15000' immediately thereafter the control pressures needed to hand fly returned to normal. The aircraft landed safely without incident into stl.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON MONDAY JULY 7, 2008 1455Z A MCDONNELL DOUGLAS MD-81, N804ME OPERATED BY MIDWEST AIRLINES AS A CHARTERED FLIGHT #8663 DEPARTED CHICAGO'S MIDWAY (MDW) AT APPROXIMATELY 1455Z. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS ONBOARD THE CHARTERED FLIGHT AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. DURING CLIMB-OUT FROM MDW, WHEN BEGINNING TO LEVEL OFF AT INITIAL DEPARTURE ALTITUDE, THE CONTROL PRESSURE NEEDED TO LEVEL OFF SEEMED ABNORMAL REQUIRING HIGHER THAN NORMAL INPUTS. THIS WAS ONLY NOTICED IN THE PITCH CONTROL. AILERON, RUDDER AND PITCH TRIM INPUTS WERE NORMAL. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO CLIMB TO 32000' WHILE THE FLIGHT CREW PERFORMED PROCEDURES CALL OUT IN THE QUICK REFERENCE HAND BOOK (QRH). TROUBLE-SHOOTING PROCESS DETERMINED THE AIRCRAFT WAS FULLY CONTROLLABLE USING BOTH PRIMARY PITCH TRIM AND HIGHER THAN NORMAL CONTROL FORCE INPUTS AND AUTOPILOT (ALT LONG TRIM). CREW NOTIFIED COMPANY MAINTENANCE CONTROL AND DISPATCH AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO DIVERT TO ST. LOUIS (STL) AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. DESCENDING MAINTENANCE CONTROL AND DISPATCH AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO DIVERT TO ST. LOUIS (STL) AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. DESCENDING THROUGH 15000' IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER THE CONTROL PRESSURES NEEDED TO HAND FLY RETURNED TO NORMAL. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED SAFELY WITHOUT INCIDENT INTO STL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.