What happened
On March 3, 1997, Federal Express Airlines operated a Boeing 727F freighter, identified by registration N465FE, at Hartsfield International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia. The aircraft was stationary on the ground with its engines running when a flight control malfunction occurred. The incident took place while the aircraft was parked, and no further details regarding the operational context or subsequent actions were provided in the available records.
The investigation
Examination of the aircraft revealed that an elevator trim tab casting nut had become backed off. This mechanical failure resulted in the nut jamming the elevator control surface, preventing normal operation. No additional mechanical findings or investigative data were documented beyond this specific component failure.