Service difficulty report · Servo · Cessna 550

Difficulty date
May 11, 2025
Submitted
May 22, 2025
Operation
Air carrier
Aircraft
N904MA
Make and model
Cessna 550
Aircraft serial
550B1104
Aircraft time
8,617 hours, 6,795 cycles
Part
Servo
Part number
4006719904
Part serial
04098913
Condition
Binding
Location
Elevator Control
Part time
8,639 hours, 6,806 cycles
Stage of operation
DE
How discovered
C
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

AUTOPILOT DISCONNECTED UNCOMMANDED DURING DESCENT. AIRCRAFT EXHIBITED UNCOMMANDED PITCH TRIM INPUT RESULTING IN NOSE-DOWN ATTITUDE REQUIRING SIGNIFICANT MANUAL CONTROL INPUT. AFTER PULLING PITCH TRIM CB AND RESETTING AUTOPILOT, AIRCRAFT THEN EXHIBITED UNCOMMANDED NOSE-UP ATTITUDE ON AUTOPILOT RE-ENGAGEMENT. ISSUE SUSPECTED WITH PITCH TRIM AND/OR AUTOPILOT SYSTEM. THIS ALSO HAPPENED WITH THE AUTO PILOT DISCONNECTED, AND PITCH-TRIM CB PUSHED BACK IN. THE PILOTS TRIED TO MANUAL TRIM THE AIRCRAFT WITH THE MANUAL TRIM WHEEL, AND PITCH TRIM CB PUSHED IN. AT FIRST COULD NOT TRIM THE AIRCRAFT AND THEN A SUDDEN ABRUPT PITCH UP FOLLOWED BY AN AGGRESSIVE PITCH DOWN. ELEVATOR SERVO WAS FOUND TO BE THE ISSUE WITH THE SYSTEM AND REPLACED WITH OVERHAULED.

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