Electrical conduit in the vertical stabilizer was misrouted and prevented up elevator to be applied.

Attributes
ACN	246403
Time
Date	199305
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : oerk
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 12300 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	246403
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During a preflight control check the control column would not move aft of neutral. Pilot's inspections revealed nothing binding or blocking elevator controls, cables, or surfaces. When a mechanic removed top-most inspection plate on top of vertical stabilizer, he found the navigation light wire conduit was not routed through nor secured by the 2 bracket/holders for that purpose. The aircraft had been released from the factory 8 days previous after being painted and undergoing several inspections. The airplane flew 20 hours, 8000 mi, and performed 10 takeoffs and lndgs with at least 1 full ('to the stops') flight control check before each leg. The problem was not indicated until preparation for the subsequent flight. While trouble-shooting, it was noted that full elevator up travel was available after trimming horizontal stabilizer almost full nose up. The conduit was found to have worked its way downward until it was blocking up elevator travel inside the top of the vertical stabilizer.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ELECTRICAL CONDUIT IN THE VERT STABILIZER WAS MISROUTED AND PREVENTED UP ELEVATOR TO BE APPLIED.

Narrative: DURING A PREFLT CTL CHK THE CTL COLUMN WOULD NOT MOVE AFT OF NEUTRAL. PLT'S INSPECTIONS REVEALED NOTHING BINDING OR BLOCKING ELEVATOR CTLS, CABLES, OR SURFACES. WHEN A MECH REMOVED TOP-MOST INSPECTION PLATE ON TOP OF VERT STABILIZER, HE FOUND THE NAV LIGHT WIRE CONDUIT WAS NOT ROUTED THROUGH NOR SECURED BY THE 2 BRACKET/HOLDERS FOR THAT PURPOSE. THE ACFT HAD BEEN RELEASED FROM THE FACTORY 8 DAYS PREVIOUS AFTER BEING PAINTED AND UNDERGOING SEVERAL INSPECTIONS. THE AIRPLANE FLEW 20 HRS, 8000 MI, AND PERFORMED 10 TKOFS AND LNDGS WITH AT LEAST 1 FULL ('TO THE STOPS') FLT CTL CHK BEFORE EACH LEG. THE PROB WAS NOT INDICATED UNTIL PREPARATION FOR THE SUBSEQUENT FLT. WHILE TROUBLE-SHOOTING, IT WAS NOTED THAT FULL ELEVATOR UP TRAVEL WAS AVAILABLE AFTER TRIMMING HORIZ STABILIZER ALMOST FULL NOSE UP. THE CONDUIT WAS FOUND TO HAVE WORKED ITS WAY DOWNWARD UNTIL IT WAS BLOCKING UP ELEVATOR TRAVEL INSIDE THE TOP OF THE VERT STABILIZER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.