Service difficulty report · Trim System · Piper PA23250

Difficulty date
August 1, 2011
Submitted
September 9, 2011
Operation
Air carrier
Make and model
Piper PA23250
Aircraft time
5,351 hours
Engine
Lyc TIO540C1A
Propeller
Hartzl HCE2YR2
Part
Trim System
Part number
2080203
Condition
Binding
Stage of operation
CR
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
F
Precautionary procedure
A

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

What was found

DURING SLOW CRUISE OPERATION AT ALTITUDE, THE STABILATOR TRIM WAS MOVED NOSE UP. WHEN THE PILOT APPLIED POWER TO RESUME NORMAL FLIGHT OPERATIONS, THE ACFT DID NOT RESPOND TO TRIM INPUTS. THE ELECTRIC TRIM DID NOT MOVE THE MANUAL TRIM HANDLE AS IT DOES IN NORMAL OPERATIONS, AND WHILE THE MANUAL TRIM HANDLE COULD BE TURNED, IT DID NOT HAVE A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON CONTROL FORCES. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE FROM THE COCKPIT THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM SO THE CREW ELECTED TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY AND DESCEND TO A SUITABLE AERODROME. REQUIRED CONTROL FORCES DECREASED WITH SPEED ON SHORT FINAL AND IN THE FLARE, SO TOUCHDOWN WAS NORMAL AND THE ACFT LANDED SAFELY AT 1745Z. ON THE GROUND, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ELEVATOR STABILATOR TRIM HAD JAMMED AT THE LOW END OF ITS TRAVEL. AN AMO INVESTIGATED THE STABILATOR TRIM SYS AND FOUND THE STABILATOR TRIM JACK SCREW TO HAVE CONTAMINANTS IN THE GREASE. THE JACKSCREW WAS CLEANED AND LUBRICATED AND THE STABILATOR TRIM SYS FUNCTIONED WITHOUT FAULT.

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