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A regional carrier flight crew became distracted by rudder trim problem, and overshot clearance altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 302365 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199504 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : bna |
| State Reference | TN |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4400 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : bna |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 440 |
| ASRS Report | 302365 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
After departure off of bna, I was climbing to an assigned altitude of 4000 ft MSL. Just prior to reaching 3000 ft MSL, the rudder trim became locked and would not turn to the right. I brought the situation to the attention of the captain. The captain started adjusting the trim to the left and told me to keep the aircraft coordinated with appropriate rudder pressure. The captain started to discuss his concerns that if we had an engine failure we wouldn't be able to trim the aircraft. Just prior to 4400 ft MSL the captain realized we were climbing through our altitude and reduced the power, pitched down, and stated 'watch your altitude.' at this point, I quickly returned us to 4000 ft MSL and we continued to evaluate the situation with the rudder trim. Just prior to receiving higher from ATC I worked the trim free and it functioned normally. We continued to our destination of tys and had contract maintenance check out the aircraft. The bottom line is I let the situation distract me from my primary duty as PF, and that, of course, is to fly the airplane.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A REGIONAL CARRIER FLC BECAME DISTRACTED BY RUDDER TRIM PROB, AND OVERSHOT CLRNC ALT.
Narrative: AFTER DEP OFF OF BNA, I WAS CLBING TO AN ASSIGNED ALT OF 4000 FT MSL. JUST PRIOR TO REACHING 3000 FT MSL, THE RUDDER TRIM BECAME LOCKED AND WOULD NOT TURN TO THE R. I BROUGHT THE SIT TO THE ATTN OF THE CAPT. THE CAPT STARTED ADJUSTING THE TRIM TO THE L AND TOLD ME TO KEEP THE ACFT COORDINATED WITH APPROPRIATE RUDDER PRESSURE. THE CAPT STARTED TO DISCUSS HIS CONCERNS THAT IF WE HAD AN ENG FAILURE WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO TRIM THE ACFT. JUST PRIOR TO 4400 FT MSL THE CAPT REALIZED WE WERE CLBING THROUGH OUR ALT AND REDUCED THE PWR, PITCHED DOWN, AND STATED 'WATCH YOUR ALT.' AT THIS POINT, I QUICKLY RETURNED US TO 4000 FT MSL AND WE CONTINUED TO EVALUATE THE SIT WITH THE RUDDER TRIM. JUST PRIOR TO RECEIVING HIGHER FROM ATC I WORKED THE TRIM FREE AND IT FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. WE CONTINUED TO OUR DEST OF TYS AND HAD CONTRACT MAINT CHK OUT THE ACFT. THE BOTTOM LINE IS I LET THE SIT DISTRACT ME FROM MY PRIMARY DUTY AS PF, AND THAT, OF COURSE, IS TO FLY THE AIRPLANE.
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.