A B727-200 IN CLB AT 6000 FT DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED DUE TO AN UPPER AND LOWER RUDDER SPLIT CAUSED BY A YAW DAMPER FAILURE.

Date: 1998-01 · Aircraft: B727-200

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical|other-unspecified

Synopsis

A B727-200 IN CLB AT 6000 FT DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED DUE TO AN UPPER AND LOWER RUDDER SPLIT CAUSED BY A YAW DAMPER FAILURE.

Narrative

ON DEP FROM MIA FO WAS FLYING. AFTER CLEAN-UP FO NEEDED APPROX 20 DEGS L AILERON CTL WHEEL TO KEEP WINGS LEVEL. WE CONTINUED S ON OUR DEP AND WHILE ACCELERATING THROUGH 220 KTS; WE EXPERIENCED A ROLLING MOMENT AND A DEFINITE MOVEMENT FROM THE TAIL SECTION. WE ALSO NOTICED A SPLIT ON THE YAW DAMPER GAUGE WITH THE UPPER RUDDER TO THE L AND THE LOWER RUDDER TO THE R. WE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AND THE ACFT SETTLED DOWN AND THE RUDDERS CAME BACK TO NORMAL. WE AGREED TO ACCELERATE BECAUSE THE ACFT WAS FLYING NORMALLY AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN PASSING 240 KTS. I DECIDED TO DECLARE AN EMER AND RETURNED TO MIA. WE DUMPED APPROX 13000 LBS OF FUEL AND WHILE DECELERATING THE TOP AND BOTTOM RUDDERS SPLIT AGAIN. WE NOTICED THE TAIL SECTION MOVE CONSIDERABLY AND THIS WAS CONFIRMED BY THE FLT ATTENDANT. WE CONFIGURED NORMALLY AFTER SLOWING TO 200 KTS AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ACFT WAS A B727-200 AND MAINT REPORTED THE CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS THE REPLACEMENT OF THE UPPER AND LOWER YAW DAMPER COUPLERS. THE RPTR SAID THE RUDDER POS INDICATOR SHOWED THE RUDDERS DID SPLIT.

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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.