Narrative:

Airplane had departed on an IFR clearance in VMC and was cleared to 3000 ft. At approximately 3000 ft I looked for traffic and neglected to stop ascent. At 3200 ft I begin applying forward control pressure to level off and descend. Application of forward control pressure with 2 hands would not stop the ascent. At that time the passenger who owned the plane and is a CFI began to apply nose down trim to help me. I did not want to remove either hand from the control wheel. At that time the airplane experienced a violent vibration. Power was immediately reduced and vibration ceased. During this time altitude increased to 3900 ft. With power reduced, control inputs were effective and a descent began. As we neared 3000 ft power was reapplied and the vibration began again. Power was reduced and the vibration ceased. Inspection of the airplane at that time revealed that the right elevator had split into 2 pieces with 1 section stuck with the forward edge up into the flow stream. A precautionary landing was safely made. Corrective action: power reduction should have been made sooner at 3000 ft. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states the FAA and cessna personnel inspected the aircraft and noted that the trim tab apparently had a great deal of corrosion and had broken off the aircraft. It is also possible that the bracket which attaches the trim tab may have been the part that broke away. Cannot tell since they are in someone's field. Apparently the trim tab fluttered and broke away and the actuator came loose and beat on the elevator causing it to split. The trim tab is filled with foam and it may be that it traps moisture. Reporter arrived late at the inspection and missed some of the talk about a service bulletin which may or may not apply to this model -- a 1963 centurion.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C210 PLT HAS VIOLENT VIBRATION WHEN ATTEMPTING TO LEVEL OFF. FULL FORWARD PRESSURE WILL NOT ALLOW A LEVEL OFF. PWR REDUCED AND RPTR NOTICED ELEVATOR HAD SPLIT WITH ONE SECTION IN THE UP POS.

Narrative: AIRPLANE HAD DEPARTED ON AN IFR CLRNC IN VMC AND WAS CLRED TO 3000 FT. AT APPROX 3000 FT I LOOKED FOR TFC AND NEGLECTED TO STOP ASCENT. AT 3200 FT I BEGIN APPLYING FORWARD CTL PRESSURE TO LEVEL OFF AND DSND. APPLICATION OF FORWARD CTL PRESSURE WITH 2 HANDS WOULD NOT STOP THE ASCENT. AT THAT TIME THE PAX WHO OWNED THE PLANE AND IS A CFI BEGAN TO APPLY NOSE DOWN TRIM TO HELP ME. I DID NOT WANT TO REMOVE EITHER HAND FROM THE CTL WHEEL. AT THAT TIME THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A VIOLENT VIBRATION. PWR WAS IMMEDIATELY REDUCED AND VIBRATION CEASED. DURING THIS TIME ALT INCREASED TO 3900 FT. WITH PWR REDUCED, CTL INPUTS WERE EFFECTIVE AND A DSCNT BEGAN. AS WE NEARED 3000 FT PWR WAS REAPPLIED AND THE VIBRATION BEGAN AGAIN. PWR WAS REDUCED AND THE VIBRATION CEASED. INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE AT THAT TIME REVEALED THAT THE R ELEVATOR HAD SPLIT INTO 2 PIECES WITH 1 SECTION STUCK WITH THE FORWARD EDGE UP INTO THE FLOW STREAM. A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG WAS SAFELY MADE. CORRECTIVE ACTION: PWR REDUCTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE SOONER AT 3000 FT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THE FAA AND CESSNA PERSONNEL INSPECTED THE ACFT AND NOTED THAT THE TRIM TAB APPARENTLY HAD A GREAT DEAL OF CORROSION AND HAD BROKEN OFF THE ACFT. IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT THE BRACKET WHICH ATTACHES THE TRIM TAB MAY HAVE BEEN THE PART THAT BROKE AWAY. CANNOT TELL SINCE THEY ARE IN SOMEONE'S FIELD. APPARENTLY THE TRIM TAB FLUTTERED AND BROKE AWAY AND THE ACTUATOR CAME LOOSE AND BEAT ON THE ELEVATOR CAUSING IT TO SPLIT. THE TRIM TAB IS FILLED WITH FOAM AND IT MAY BE THAT IT TRAPS MOISTURE. RPTR ARRIVED LATE AT THE INSPECTION AND MISSED SOME OF THE TALK ABOUT A SVC BULLETIN WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT APPLY TO THIS MODEL -- A 1963 CENTURION.

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.