Narrative:

I responded to a pilot discrepancy on commuter aircraft. The first officer's heat vent, i.e., chevy vent had fallen off during flight and rolled forward of rudder pedals as stated by the pilot. I entered the aircraft and began to search for the circular chevy vent, but was unable to locate it. I was convinced that the chevy vent was nowhere in the cockpit. I thought perhaps it may have rolled out of the aircraft passenger door prior to deplaning. I then installed a new heat vent and signed log page stating: 'installed svcable first officer's chevy vent. All checks good.' at PM00Z aircraft returned back to the gate from taxiing prior to departure. A pilot discrepancy was logged in logbook as follows: 'during flight control check for freedom of movement, elevator stuck upon pulling 1/2 of normal travel back. After several times pulling it back something released and normal travel was obtained.' returned to gate. Aircraft was then brought back to the company hangar at dtw. The chevy vent was found under the floor boards of the cockpit. I personally didn't see the location of the vent, however, I was told that it was not in an area conducive to elevator binding at time of discovery. It could have bound and then rolled after pulling yoke. I believe the inspection paper work stated foreign obstacle found. If this were to happen again I would take a significantly different approach to correct the discrepancy. However, at the time of incident I felt I was exercising good judgement. I am presently unaware of FAA investigations being conducted yet at this time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTT ACR ACFT RETURNS TO GATE WITH LOGBOOK WRITEUP OF PIC EXPERIENCING A PARTIALLY JAMMED ELEVATOR CTL. ACFT EQUIP PROB MALFUNCTION.

Narrative: I RESPONDED TO A PLT DISCREPANCY ON COMMUTER ACFT. THE FO'S HEAT VENT, I.E., CHEVY VENT HAD FALLEN OFF DURING FLT AND ROLLED FORWARD OF RUDDER PEDALS AS STATED BY THE PLT. I ENTERED THE ACFT AND BEGAN TO SEARCH FOR THE CIRCULAR CHEVY VENT, BUT WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE IT. I WAS CONVINCED THAT THE CHEVY VENT WAS NOWHERE IN THE COCKPIT. I THOUGHT PERHAPS IT MAY HAVE ROLLED OUT OF THE ACFT PAX DOOR PRIOR TO DEPLANING. I THEN INSTALLED A NEW HEAT VENT AND SIGNED LOG PAGE STATING: 'INSTALLED SVCABLE FO'S CHEVY VENT. ALL CHKS GOOD.' AT PM00Z ACFT RETURNED BACK TO THE GATE FROM TAXIING PRIOR TO DEP. A PLT DISCREPANCY WAS LOGGED IN LOGBOOK AS FOLLOWS: 'DURING FLT CTL CHK FOR FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT, ELEVATOR STUCK UPON PULLING 1/2 OF NORMAL TRAVEL BACK. AFTER SEVERAL TIMES PULLING IT BACK SOMETHING RELEASED AND NORMAL TRAVEL WAS OBTAINED.' RETURNED TO GATE. ACFT WAS THEN BROUGHT BACK TO THE COMPANY HANGAR AT DTW. THE CHEVY VENT WAS FOUND UNDER THE FLOOR BOARDS OF THE COCKPIT. I PERSONALLY DIDN'T SEE THE LOCATION OF THE VENT, HOWEVER, I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NOT IN AN AREA CONDUCIVE TO ELEVATOR BINDING AT TIME OF DISCOVERY. IT COULD HAVE BOUND AND THEN ROLLED AFTER PULLING YOKE. I BELIEVE THE INSPECTION PAPER WORK STATED FOREIGN OBSTACLE FOUND. IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN AGAIN I WOULD TAKE A SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT APCH TO CORRECT THE DISCREPANCY. HOWEVER, AT THE TIME OF INCIDENT I FELT I WAS EXERCISING GOOD JUDGEMENT. I AM PRESENTLY UNAWARE OF FAA INVESTIGATIONS BEING CONDUCTED YET AT THIS TIME.

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.