1997-04 · NASA ASRS report 365933
C210 PLT HAS VIOLENT VIBRATION WHEN ATTEMPTING TO LEVEL OFF. FULL FORWARD PRESSURE WILL NOT ALLOW A LEVEL OFF. PWR REDUCED AND RPTR NOTICED ELEVATOR HAD SPLIT WITH ONE SECTION IN THE UP POS.
AIRPLANE HAD DEPARTED ON AN IFR CLRNC IN VMC AND WAS CLRED TO 3000 FT. AT APPROX 3000 FT I LOOKED FOR TFC AND NEGLECTED TO STOP ASCENT. AT 3200 FT I BEGIN APPLYING FORWARD CTL PRESSURE TO LEVEL OFF AND DSND. APPLICATION OF FORWARD CTL PRESSURE WITH 2 HANDS WOULD NOT STOP THE ASCENT. AT THAT TIME THE PAX WHO OWNED THE PLANE AND IS A CFI BEGAN TO APPLY NOSE DOWN TRIM TO HELP ME. I DID NOT WANT TO REMOVE EITHER HAND FROM THE CTL WHEEL. AT THAT TIME THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A VIOLENT VIBRATION. PWR WAS IMMEDIATELY REDUCED AND VIBRATION CEASED. DURING THIS TIME ALT INCREASED TO 3900 FT. WITH PWR REDUCED; CTL INPUTS WERE EFFECTIVE AND A DSCNT BEGAN. AS WE NEARED 3000 FT PWR WAS REAPPLIED AND THE VIBRATION BEGAN AGAIN. PWR WAS REDUCED AND THE VIBRATION CEASED. INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE AT THAT TIME REVEALED THAT THE R ELEVATOR HAD SPLIT INTO 2 PIECES WITH 1 SECTION STUCK WITH THE FORWARD EDGE UP INTO THE FLOW STREAM. A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG WAS SAFELY MADE. CORRECTIVE ACTION: PWR REDUCTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE SOONER AT 3000 FT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THE FAA AND CESSNA PERSONNEL INSPECTED THE ACFT AND NOTED THAT THE TRIM TAB APPARENTLY HAD A GREAT DEAL OF CORROSION AND HAD BROKEN OFF THE ACFT. IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT THE BRACKET WHICH ATTACHES THE TRIM TAB MAY HAVE BEEN THE PART THAT BROKE AWAY. CANNOT TELL SINCE THEY ARE IN SOMEONE'S FIELD. APPARENTLY THE TRIM TAB FLUTTERED AND BROKE AWAY AND THE ACTUATOR CAME LOOSE AND BEAT ON THE ELEVATOR CAUSING IT TO SPLIT. THE TRIM TAB IS FILLED WITH FOAM AND IT MAY BE THAT IT TRAPS MOISTURE. RPTR ARRIVED LATE AT THE INSPECTION AND MISSED SOME OF THE TALK ABOUT A SVC BULLETIN WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT APPLY TO THIS MODEL -- A 1963 CENTURION.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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