AN A321 EXPERIENCED A JAMMED ELEVATOR. AN EMER WAS DECLARED AND THE FLT DIVERTED TO A NEARBY ARPT.

Date: 2005-04 · Aircraft: A321 · Phase: cruise

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical|inflight-event-encounter-loss-of-aircraft-control|other-horizontal-stabilizer-jammed

Synopsis

AN A321 EXPERIENCED A JAMMED ELEVATOR. AN EMER WAS DECLARED AND THE FLT DIVERTED TO A NEARBY ARPT.

Narrative

FL340 ECAM 'FLT CTL ELEVATOR/AILERON COMPUTER #2 PITCH' AUTOPLT #2 DISCONNECT (INVOLUNTARY) FOLLOWED BY ECAM 'FLT CTL STABILIZER JAM' AND 'FLT CTL ALT LAW (PROT LOST).' CTL OF PITCH DEGRADED. DSNDED TO BELOW RVSM ALT. LEVELOFF REQUIRED FULL AFT STICK (DSCNT RATE 1000 FPM) PLUS STABILIZER WHEEL ROTATION (STABILIZER WHEEL WAS AT APPROX 2.5 ON). DUE TO HANDLING DIFFICULTIES (+/-300 FT OF LEVEL FLT) MOUNTAIN WAVE ACTIVITY; ETC; DECISION MADE TO DIVERT TO MCI. DECLARED EMER. SLIGHTLY OVERWT LNDG APPROX 172000 LBS AT 100 FPM DSCNT. ACFT HANDLING IMPROVED AT LOWER ALTS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT ECAM ANNUNCIATION 'ELAC 2' WAS FOLLOWED ABOUT 10 MINS LATER BY 'ELAC 1' FAILURE THEN 'STABILIZER JAM.' THIS EVOLUTION TOOK ABOUT 15 MINS. THE ACFT WAS DIFFICULT TO CTL AND REQUIRED FULL AFT STICK PLUS MANUAL TRIM WHEEL MOVEMENT TO LEVEL. THE ACR HAS YET TO TELL THE CREW WHAT THE FAILURE ACTUALLY WAS. THE RPTR WAS NOT SURE WHAT THE CAUSE WAS; BUT HE FELT THE RESULT WAS SIMILAR TO A SLOW RUNAWAY STABILIZER TRIM. THE ACFT WAS CTLABLE WITH THE MANUAL STABILIZER TRIM.

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