MLG HAS PITCH UP PROB ON ROTATION AND SUBSEQUENT VIBRATION FELT THROUGH THE YOKE.

Narrative

UPON ROTATION AT OGG; ACFT FELT VERY TAIL HVY. NEARLY FULL FORWARD ELEVATOR AND RAPID APPLICATION OF ELEVATOR TRIM WERE REQUIRED TO PREVENT OVER-ROTATION. DURING GEAR AND FLAP RETRACTION AND ACCELERATION; ADDITIONAL TRIM WAS REQUIRED. AT APPROX 180 KTS AND ABOVE; THE ACFT DEVELOPED A MODERATE VIBRATION FELT THROUGH THE YOKE. AIRSPD WAS INCREASED TO 240 KTS BUT SINCE VIBRATION WAS ALSO INCREASING WE SLOWED TO 220 KTS AND LEVELED AT 7000 FT. TRIM WAS 1 1/2 - 2 UNITS FORWARD OF THE '0' INDEX (GREEN RANGE) AT THIS AIRSPD. A DECISION WAS MADE TO CONTINUE TO HNL DUE TO BETTER FACILITIES BEING AVAILABLE BUT PRIMARILY DUE TO WANTING TO AVOID HAVING TO MAKE AN APCH THROUGH THE TURB AT MCGREGOR POINT WITH UNKNOWN CTL PROBS AND/OR DAMAGE. THE FLT CONTINUED TO HNL. THE FIRST FLT ATTENDANT WAS ADVISED OF THE SIT AND ASKED TO PREPARE THE CABIN FOR AN EMER LNDG. I MADE AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO THAT EFFECT TO THE CABIN. PRIORITY HANDLING DIRECT HNL WAS RECEIVED FROM ATC. A NORMAL APCH TO RWY 8L WAS MADE; LNDG WITH 50 PERCENT FLAPS. APCH AND LNDG CONFIGNS WERE ESTABLISHED SLOWLY WITH CTL ABILITY CHKS AND MONITORING AT EACH STAGE. OTHER THAN THE UNUSUAL TRIM SIT AND A SLIGHT L ROLLING TENDENCY; APCH AND LNDG WERE NORMAL; EXCEPT FOR A NOTICEABLE LACK OF ELEVATOR AUTH IN THE FLARE. POST-FLT INSPECTION REVEALED A NUT OR RETAINER HAD BROKEN OR WORKED LOOSE IN THE L ELEVATOR CTL ASSEMBLY. THE L ELEVATOR PANEL BECAME JAMMED IN THE UP POS; PROBABLY ON INITIAL ROTATION; AND REMAINED IN THIS POS CAUSING THE NOSE-UP PITCHING MOMENT AND THE SLIGHT L ROLLING TENDENCY. THE VIBRATION FELT THROUGH THE YOKE WAS CAUSED BY THE CTL TAB FLAPPING IN THE SLIP STREAM. THE R ELEVATOR REMAINED FULLY FUNCTIONAL THROUGHOUT AND PROVIDED ADEQUATE CTL FOR ALL PHASES OF THE FLT.