- Date
- May 15, 1984, 14:10 local (18:10 UTC)
- Place
- Battle Creek, MI
- Injuries
- 25 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N708ZWde Havilland DHC-7-102
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19840515023869I
- Case key
- 12450
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.
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Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
While cruising at 7000 ft MSL, the 1st officer was trimming the rudder, using the rotary switch on the center console, when he felt a 'snap' inside the switch. After that, the switch would rotate freely between the stops. The acft began yawing left & right until the crew pulled the appropriate circuit breaker to disable the rudder trim. Subsequently, they landed with full right rudder trim. An exam revealed that a centering spring, p/n 42M4231137, which loads the switch to the neutral/off position had failed at a fatigue crack.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N708ZW
- Reported as
- de Havilland DHC-7-102
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- DHC-7-102
- Engine
- P&W PT6A-50, 1,600 horsepower, turbo jet
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Registered owner
- Air Wisconsin, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- MKG · Muskegon, MI
- Destination
- BTL · Battle Creek, MI
- Flight plan
- IFR
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 34
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Unknown
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 9,592 total · 860 in this make and model · 179 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.