Service difficulty report · Cartridge · Cirrus SR20

Difficulty date
December 17, 2003
Submitted
June 4, 2004
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N938CD
Make and model
Cirrus SR20
Aircraft serial
1338
Aircraft time
210 hours
Engine
Cont IO360ES
Part
Cartridge
Condition
Failed
Location
Elevator
Stage of operation
AP
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
F
Precautionary procedure
O

As reported to the FAA. Reports are unverified, and codes are left as the FAA publishes them.

What was found

ON APPROACH, PILOT DISENGAGED AUTOPILOT, FOUND ELEVATOR CONTROL TO BE STUCK IN FIXED POSITION, PITCH TRIM CONTROL WAS STILL AVAILABLE BOTH UP AND DOWN. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO (FREE) CONTROL WITH NO SUCCESS THE PILOT "JERKED" CONTROL BACK. CONTROL BROKE FREE ENOUGH TO PROVIDE "UP" ELEVATOR CONTROL. PILOT LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. AC WAS MOVED INTO HEATED HANGAR WHERE INITIAL INSPECTION REVEALED ELEVATOR TO BE VERY DIFFICULT TO MOVE IN EITHER DIRECTION. ELEVATOR WAS ABLE TO BE MOVED TO FULL TRAVELS IN BOTH DIRECTIONS WITH RELATIVE EASE ALTHOUGH PITCH TRIM CARTRIDGE MADE MORE "NOISE" THAN NORMAL. PITCH TRIM CARTRIDGE WAS REMOVED AND REPLACED WITH NEW PART. REMOVED PART WAS INSPECTED WITH NO ANOMALIES NOTED.

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