What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 1/2/2013, I spoke with captain privacy data omitted in reference to tcf 3448. Captain privacy data omitted stated that on 12/16/2012, he was pilot in command of tcf 3448, aircraft N652RW. The flight began in ord. He stated the flight began normal with all checklists completed successfully including the flight control check. He stated that while at cruise, with autopilot on, the rudder trim was displaced approximately 50% left and the yoke was displaced slightly right wing low. He brought this to the attention of the first officer. Beginning their descent, captain privacy data omitted stated that the autopilot disconnected and rolled slightly right but not abruptly. When he tried to roll back left, the captains yoke would not roll left. He transferred control to the first officer and declared an emergency. He asked air traffic control for right turns only. The first officer applied extra force on the yoke to stop the roll and at this point, the yoke broke free and the aircraft responded normally thru out the rest of the flight. They landed normally in bdl, their planned destination. Maintenance was notified and spent over 32 man hours trouble shooting the problem. They could find no problem with the flight controls and no onboard flight recorders showed any abnormalities. The aircraft was test flown and then ferried to ind where maintenance personnel and FAA airworthiness personnel again performed operational checks with no findings. The aircraft was then released for revenue service.
As the FAA filed it
ON 1/2/2013, I SPOKE WITH CAPTAIN ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ IN REFERENCE TO TCF 3448. CAPTAIN ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT ON 12/16/2012, HE WAS PILOT IN COMMAND OF TCF 3448, AIRCRAFT N652RW. THE FLIGHT BEGAN IN ORD. HE STATED THE FLIGHT BEGAN NORMAL WITH ALL CHECKLISTS COMPLETED SUCCESSFULLY INCLUDING THE FLIGHT CONTROL CHECK. HE STATED THAT WHILE AT CRUISE, WITH AUTOPILOT ON, THE RUDDER TRIM WAS DISPLACED APPROXIMATELY 50% LEFT AND THE YOKE WAS DISPLACED SLIGHTLY RIGHT WING LOW. HE BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE FIRST OFFICER. BEGINNING THEIR DESCENT, CAPTAIN ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT THE AUTOPILOT DISCONNECTED AND ROLLED SLIGHTLY RIGHT BUT NOT ABRUPTLY. WHEN HE TRIED TO ROLL BACK LEFT, THE CAPTAINS YOKE WOULD NOT ROLL LEFT. HE TRANSFERRED CONTROL TO THE FIRST OFFICER AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. HE ASKED AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL FOR RIGHT TURNS ONLY. THE FIRST OFFICER APPLIED EXTRA FORCE ON THE YOKE TO STOP THE ROLL AND AT THIS POINT, THE YOKE BROKE FREE AND THE AIRCRAFT RESPONDED NORMALLY THRU OUT THE REST OF THE FLIGHT. THEY LANDED NORMALLY IN BDL, THEIR PLANNED DESTINATION. MAINTENANCE WAS NOTIFIED AND SPENT OVER 32 MAN HOURS TROUBLE SHOOTING THE PROBLEM. THEY COULD FIND NO PROBLEM WITH THE FLIGHT CONTROLS AND NO ONBOARD FLIGHT RECORDERS SHOWED ANY ABNORMALITIES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS TEST FLOWN AND THEN FERRIED TO IND WHERE MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL AND FAA AIRWORTHINESS PERSONNEL AGAIN PERFORMED OPERATIONAL CHECKS WITH NO FINDINGS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS THEN RELEASED FOR REVENUE SERVICE.