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Captain of a jet commander 1121B (JC21), overshot climb altitude due to difficulty in pitching down the aircraft for leveloff. Pitch control became normal after hearing a loud bang in rear of aircraft. Postflt inspection disclosed a hammer was left near the horizontal pitch control.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 397141 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199803 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : phx |
| State Reference | AZ |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 8200 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : phx |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : initial climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | departure other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 3350 flight time type : 30 |
| ASRS Report | 397141 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | aircraft : equipment problem dissipated |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
After takeoff from phx, runway 8L, I was unable to keep the nose pointed down by using trim and forward elevator pressure. After passing through 7000 ft a loud 'bang' occurred aft of the passenger area. After the 'bang,' control pressures returned to normal, although the assigned altitude was exceeded by about 1200 ft. The flight continued in a normal manner to publication, where, upon investigation in the aft section by mechanics, a hammer was found next to the elevator. I believe that the hammer left in the aft horizontal elevator area caused a control problem, thus preventing the assigned altitude from being maintained. The loud 'bang' noise caused a distraction, and a congested frequency limited my ability to advise ATC of the current problem.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CAPT OF A JET COMMANDER 1121B (JC21), OVERSHOT CLB ALT DUE TO DIFFICULTY IN PITCHING DOWN THE ACFT FOR LEVELOFF. PITCH CTL BECAME NORMAL AFTER HEARING A LOUD BANG IN REAR OF ACFT. POSTFLT INSPECTION DISCLOSED A HAMMER WAS LEFT NEAR THE HORIZ PITCH CTL.
Narrative: AFTER TKOF FROM PHX, RWY 8L, I WAS UNABLE TO KEEP THE NOSE POINTED DOWN BY USING TRIM AND FORWARD ELEVATOR PRESSURE. AFTER PASSING THROUGH 7000 FT A LOUD 'BANG' OCCURRED AFT OF THE PAX AREA. AFTER THE 'BANG,' CTL PRESSURES RETURNED TO NORMAL, ALTHOUGH THE ASSIGNED ALT WAS EXCEEDED BY ABOUT 1200 FT. THE FLT CONTINUED IN A NORMAL MANNER TO PUB, WHERE, UPON INVESTIGATION IN THE AFT SECTION BY MECHS, A HAMMER WAS FOUND NEXT TO THE ELEVATOR. I BELIEVE THAT THE HAMMER LEFT IN THE AFT HORIZ ELEVATOR AREA CAUSED A CTL PROB, THUS PREVENTING THE ASSIGNED ALT FROM BEING MAINTAINED. THE LOUD 'BANG' NOISE CAUSED A DISTR, AND A CONGESTED FREQ LIMITED MY ABILITY TO ADVISE ATC OF THE CURRENT PROB.
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.