A C182SR MADE AN EMER OFF FIELD LNDG DUE TO RPTED FLT CTL FAILURE. CAUSE ALLEGED TO BE INADVERTENT AUTOPLT ENGAGEMENT.

Date: 2002-07 · Aircraft: Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG · Phase: landing

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical|other-loss-of-acft-ctl

Synopsis

A C182SR MADE AN EMER OFF FIELD LNDG DUE TO RPTED FLT CTL FAILURE. CAUSE ALLEGED TO BE INADVERTENT AUTOPLT ENGAGEMENT.

Narrative

ON JUL/WED/02; I DEPARTED ZZZ ARPT FOR A VFR DAY FLT; AND AFTER OPENING MY VFR FLT PLAN WITH THE FSS; I BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE CTL PROBS WITH THE AIRPLANE. THE PLANE BEGAN TO PITCH DOWN AND THE YOKE BECAME STIFF. I FOUND THAT I COULD NOT TURN THE PLANE USING COORDINATED CTLS; AND THE TRIM WHEEL KEPT SPINNING. PRIOR TO THE FLT; I CHKED ALL CTLS AND FOUND ALL CTLS TO MOVE FREELY AND IN THE CORRECT POS. AT NO TIME DID I USE THE AUTOPLT; AND THE AUTOPLT WAS NOT ENGAGED. AT THIS POINT; I MADE A DECISION TO RETURN TO ZZZ ARPT. ON THE RETURN THE FLT CONTROLS BECAME EVEN MORE DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER; AND I DECIDED TO DECLARE AN EMER AND EXECUTE A LNDG IN A SUITABLE FIELD. THE ELEVATOR TRIM DID NOT WORK; AND THE YOKE APPEARED TO BE STUCK. I MADE A LNDG IN A FARM FIELD WITH ONLY MINOR DAMAGE TO THE PLANE AND NO INJURIES. LATER ON; AFTER I RETURNED TO MY HOME; I DID CONTACT THE FBO AND THEY TOLD THE FSDO THAT THE AUTOPLT WAS ON. THIS IS A FALSE STATEMENT! AT NO TIME WAS THE AUTOPLT ON. THEIR MAINT MANUAL SHOWED PRIOR COMPLAINTS WITH RUN AWAY TRIM NOISE FROM THE ELEVATOR; AND AN AUTOPLT CAN BE MADE TO FOLLOW PRESSURE ON THE YOKE BY THE PLT. FURTHER; BY DISCONNECTING THE ELECTRIC CIRCUIT BREAKER; THE DEVICE SHUTS DOWN. FURTHER; IF THE AUTOPLT WAS ON; AND I WAS UNABLE TO SHUT IT DOWN OR TO OVERRIDE THE MOTORS WHICH OPERATE THE AILERONS; THEN THIS IS A SERIOUS MANUFACTURING EFFECT; AND AN AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE SHOULD BE ISSUED. THE PLANE WAS A 2000 CESSNA 182SR.

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