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NTSB Report

October 16, 2003 · Beech 1900D · N850CA

Albany, NY

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Incident
Date
October 16, 2003
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (2 uninjured)
Location
Albany, NY
Aircraft
Beech 1900D
Tail Number
N850CA
Operator
Commutair
Injuries
None
NTSB Number
NYC04IA010

During the takeoff roll, the flightcrew was unable to rotate the airplane, and the takeoff was aborted uneventfully. Examination of the airplane revealed that when the elevator trim wheel in the cockpit was positioned to neutral, the elevator trim was actually in the full nose-down position. The elevator trim wheel could not be physically moved lower than 3 units of nose up trim. The incident flight was the first flight after maintenance, in which the elevator trim wheel was removed and reinstalled. The maintenance technician did not index the trim wheel when he removed it, and reinstalled the trim wheel incorrectly. In addition, the maintenance did not contain a procedure to remove and reinstall the elevator trim wheel. Following the maintenance, no functional check of the elevator trim system was performed. When the captain performed a preflight inspection of the airplane, he did not set the elevator trim wheel to the setting prescribed on the preflight checklist, and he failed to detect the error.

NTSB Probable Cause

The maintenance technician's improper maintenance performed on the airplane, and his failure to perform a functional check, which resulted in a restricted movement of the elevator trim wheel. Factors were the captain's inadequate preflight inspection, and insufficient information in the manufacturer's maintenance manual.

Full Narrative

On October 16, 2003, at 0805 eastern daylight time, a Beech 1900D, N850CA, operated by CommutAir as Continental Connection flight 8718, was not damaged during an aborted takeoff at Albany International Airport (ALB), Albany, New York. The certificated airline transport pilot and certificated commercial pilot were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the planned flight to Westchester County Airport (HPN), White Plains, New York. An instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the positioning flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the Director of Safety at CommutAir, the captain initiated a takeoff roll on runway 1 at ALB. As the airplane accelerated to approximately 115 knots, about V1, the captain noted that the elevator control was jammed. He subsequently aborted the takeoff and taxied back to the ramp uneventfully. The airplane was examined at CommutAir's maintenance facility after the incident. The examination revealed that when the elevator trim wheel in the cockpit was positioned to neutral, the elevator trim was actually in the full nose-down position. A maintenance technician performed maintenance on the airplane one day prior to the incident, and the incident flight was the first flight after the maintenance was completed. The maintenance technician stated that part of the work performed on the airplane included removal and replacement of a throttle pin. To accomplish that procedure, the maintenance technician had removed the elevator trim wheel. However, he did not index the elevator trim wheel before removing it, and reinstalled it incorrectly. The maintenance technician further stated that there was no published procedure in the Raytheon Airliner Maintenance Manual (AMM) regarding the removal and reinstallation of the elevator trim wheel. Following the maintenance, neither the maintenance technician nor the quality inspector performed a functional check of the elevator trim system. CommutAir's Exterior Preflight Inspection checklist instructed pilots to set the elevator trim 1.5 units nose up, prior to performing the exterior check. The captain stated that during his preflight inspection of the airplane, he set the elevator trim wheel to what he believed to be 1.5 units nose up. However, examination of the miss-indexed trim wheel revealed that it could not be physically moved lower than 3 units nose up. Following the incident, CommutAir expanded the trim check procedure contained in the Exterior Preflight Inspection checklist. In addition, Raytheon Aircraft added a procedure to the AMM for removing and reinstalling the manual elevator trim wheel.

Flight

Event TypeIncident
Event Time08:05 EDT
Nearest AirportAlbany International Airport (0nm)
Runway1
Runway Length7200 ft
Runway Width150 ft
Flight Plan FiledIFR
Flight Plan ActivatedYes
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftBeech 1900D
Tail NumberN850CA
Aircraft CategoryAir
OperatorCommutair
Operating RulePart 91
Engines2
Engine TypeTurboprop
Engine DetailsPratt & Whitney Canada · PT6A-67D · Turboprop · 1279 | Pratt & Whitney Canada · pt6A-67D · Turboprop · 1279
Seats21

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (2 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured2
Total2
Crew 1Age 42 · First Class · None
Crew 2Age 27 · Second Class · None

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind170° @ 7 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point45 C / 36 C
Altimeter29.87 inHg
Observation Time11:51
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data