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C172 instructor experiences an elevator anomaly shortly after takeoff (70 ft AGL) with his student flying. The aircraft stops climbing and and the instructor takes over and attempts a landing on the remaining runway unsuccessfully. Instructor then decided to deal with the issue as an inflight emergency. With good power but sluggish elevator control the aircraft is maneuvered to a safe landing on the longest runway.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1186610 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201407 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201-1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | ZZZ.Airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | Takeoff |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Component | |
| Aircraft Component | Elevator ControlSystem |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Instructor Pilot Not Flying |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Commercial Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Instrument |
| Experience | Flight Crew Last 90 Days 100 Flight Crew Total 1150 Flight Crew Type 800 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical |
Narrative:
We took off and at 70 feet AGL; the airplane stopped climbing. I took the airplane from my student and tried to put the airplane down on the remaining runway; but the elevator was fighting me; and I had reduced control over the elevator. At this point; at 110 KTS; I decided that the safest choice was to fly and deal with the situation as an inflight emergency. We were climbing at less than 110 KTS; with the RPM normal; but with sluggish (at best) elevator control. We reached 300 ft; declared an emergency; and landed safely on [the right runway]. Upon examination; it appeared that two of our elevator cables had snapped. Because of the reduced ability to control elevator tab angle; when I pitched down; speed built significantly because I could not flare; which is interesting to know carrying forward.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: C172 instructor experiences an elevator anomaly shortly after takeoff (70 FT AGL) with his student flying. The aircraft stops climbing and and the instructor takes over and attempts a landing on the remaining runway unsuccessfully. Instructor then decided to deal with the issue as an inflight emergency. With good power but sluggish elevator control the aircraft is maneuvered to a safe landing on the longest runway.
Narrative: We took off and at 70 feet AGL; the airplane stopped climbing. I took the airplane from my student and tried to put the airplane down on the remaining runway; but the elevator was fighting me; and I had reduced control over the elevator. At this point; at 110 KTS; I decided that the safest choice was to fly and deal with the situation as an inflight emergency. We were climbing at less than 110 KTS; with the RPM normal; but with sluggish (at best) elevator control. We reached 300 FT; declared an emergency; and landed safely on [the right runway]. Upon examination; it appeared that two of our elevator cables had snapped. Because of the reduced ability to control elevator tab angle; when I pitched down; speed built significantly because I could not flare; which is interesting to know carrying forward.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.