Service difficulty report · Flt Controls · Bombdr DHC8402

Difficulty date
April 24, 2021
Submitted
April 26, 2021
Operation
Air carrier
Aircraft
N401QX
Make and model
Bombdr DHC8402
Aircraft serial
4031
Aircraft time
45,441 hours, 47,995 cycles
Part
Flt Controls
Condition
Stiff
Stage of operation
CL
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

AFTER TAKEOFF MAKING THE INITIAL LEFT HAND TURN CA NOTICED ROLL CONTROLS WERE HEAVY. DURING CLIMB AT 230KIAS ROLL CONTROL WAS AGREED TO BE HEAVIER THAN USUAL BY FO. AUTOPILOT ENGAGED ABOVE 10,000' ALL RESPONSES WERE NORMAL. DURING DESCENT BELOW 10,000', ROLL AND PITCH CONTROLS WERE AGAIN CONFIRMED TO BE HEAVY BY BOTH PILOTS. DURING VISUAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 30, CA PILOT FLYING, ROLL CONTROL WAS HEAVY TO ROLL INTO AND OUT OF A BANK ANGLE AT ALL SPEEDS. DURING THE FLARE PITCH CONTROL WAS HEAVY THROUGH THE LANDING. FLIGHT CONTROL DEFLECTIONS WERE NORMAL TRAVEL AT THE GATE AND NO UNUSUAL NOISES OR CONTROL BINDING WERE OBSERVED. T/O W/9000LBS FUEL & 41 SOULS. REMOVED FROM SERVICE. PERFORMED FLIGHT CONTROL CABLE TENSION CHECK ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT AILERON AND ELEVATOR REF Q400 AMM TASK 27-00-00-280-801. TENSION CHECK GOOD. PERFORMED FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT CHECK IAW GPM 9.2.5. FO CONTROL COLUMN CHAIN APPEARS TO BE TIGHT WHILE PERFORMING FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT CHECK PER GPM 9.2.5. PERFORMED ADJUSTMENT OF THE CONTROL COLUMN CHAIN ON FO SIDE IAW AMM TASK 27-31-01-820-801 STEPS 1-4A(1-2D). COMPLETED ADJUSTMENT OF THE FO CONTROL COLUMN CHAIN IAW Q400 AMM 27-31-01-820-801PARA 4.A(3) -THRU- 5.B. F.O.'S HANDWHEEL OPERATES SMOOTHLY, CHAIN TENSION IS WITHIN AMM LIMITS. COMPLETED FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT CHECK, ENSURED FULL TRAVEL AND VERIFIED PROPER DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT, NO DEFECTS NOTED PER GPM 9.2 (FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT CHECK). NO PARTS REPLACED. AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO SERVICE.