Air carrier flight crew reported on maintenance ferry flight experiencing rudder limited status message after rotation resulting in the return to the departure airport.
Synopsis
Air carrier flight crew reported on maintenance ferry flight experiencing rudder limited status message after rotation resulting in the return to the departure airport.
Narrative
Ferry flight for RUD LIMITER status that could not be cleared by Maintenance. Immediately after rotation; the RUD LIMITER status message escalated to a RUD LIMITER caution. After cleaning up the aircraft and during the climb; we completed the QRH for RUD LIMITER caution and verified the Rudder Travel Limitation (RTL) did not move to a smaller angle; as directed by the ferry permit. The QRH called for landing at the nearest suitable airport. We contacted Dispatch via ACARS and shortly after via ARINC. After deliberating both parties agreed to return to ZZZ. I coordinated a return to the field with ATC while we waited for authorization. Dispatch later relayed messages from Maintenance advising us to review the ferry permit; to which we responded we did and completed the QRH. It was ultimately decided best to continue to ZZZ and re-assess on the ground. I spoke to the Dispatcher after we parked and he informed me that he attempting to run numbers for the flight at 200 KIAS (as we would have been restricted to with the caution message) and that he could not stating he does not have a profile for the CRJ900 at 200kts cruise. The new caution message was written up after the flight. No emergency was declared during the flight.Cause: Fault in Rudder Limiter system.
Second reporter narrative
Flight ABCD was a maintenance repo flight from ZZZ to ZZZ1 due to a Rudder Limiter Fault message. The crew was notified and given a flight permit before departure that discussed the parameters of the status message and what to look for before takeoff and during flight. In the permit; it discussed if the status turned into the rudder limiter caution message; the crew must review the QRH or AFM. The crew discussed with maintenance before the flight the plan of action of returning if the caution message displayed. As the crew climbed out after takeoff the caution message had displayed. Pilot flying (PF) took over the aircraft and radios while pilot monitoring (PM) took over the QRH and contacting Dispatch. The QRH stated; the max airspeed of 200kts; limit excessive rudder movements; and land at the nearest suitable airport. The PM discussed with Dispatch and determined to return back to ZZZ. Maintenance messaged and requested the flight continue to ZZZ1 but the PM and PF decided it would be best to return. Cause: Maintenance discrepancy turned into a caution.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.