Incident
During climbout, the charter captain encountered restricted movement of the elevator on three separate occasions. The captain declared an emergency and returned to land at the airport of origin.
Findings
After landing, the pilot inspected the elevator and found snow and slush that had been brushed into the openings for the elevator hinge assembly. The pilot suspected that trapped moisture in these openings froze to the hinge, causing the restriction.
Comments
The pilot noted that the preflight inspection had revealed only wet wing surfaces. However, he was unable to see into the openings on top of the elevator during the preflight check.