On January 4, 1985, a Swearingen SA226TC (registration N322BA) operated by Britt Airways was involved in an aviation accident near St. Louis, MO. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The trim actuator was inadequate for operation as overhauled. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 4 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
After departing St. Louis and reaching cruise, the crew experienced a continuous trim pitch-up that required reduced airspeed. No aural indication was noted. The return to the airport was uneventful. Inspection revealed an out-of-tolerance trim actuator with 355 hours since overhaul, not overhauled to manufacturer specifications.
Incident Description
After departing St. Louis and reaching cruise flight, the crew experienced a continuous trim pitch-up condition that had to be relieved by reducing airspeed. No aural indication was noted by the crew. The return to the departure airport was uneventful.
Inspection Findings
Follow-up inspection of the trim system revealed an out-of-tolerance trim actuator. The unit had accumulated 355 operational hours since an O-time overhaul. Normal service life for a trim actuator is approximately 2,000 hours. The unit had been certified as O-time by an FAA-certified shop.
Trim Actuator Condition
A teardown inspection of the trim actuator unit revealed that it had not been overhauled to the specifications of the unit manufacturer. The trim actuator was deemed inadequate for operation as overhauled.
Probable cause
The trim actuator was inadequate for operation as overhauled.