B737-500 crew had jammed stabilizer in buf class east.

Attributes
ACN	524918
Time
Date	200109
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : buf.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl single value : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : buf.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-500
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10500 flight time type : 6500
ASRS Report	524918
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Kbuf to kewr. During climb out, the electric horizontal stabilizer became inoperative. Manual trimming was attempted but the stabilizer would not move. A crosscheck for tripped circuit breaker's was made and all appeared to be in, including the 'stabilizer trim' circuit breaker. The QRH 'jammed stabilizer' checklist was utilized. The aircraft was controllable but with notable forward yoke pressure. Any emergency was declared, an air return back to kbuf. The landing was uneventful with a return to the gate. Main inspected the aircraft and found the 'trim actuator' circuit breaker tripped. Main said the circuit breaker might have tripped due to the H.south. Trim motor binding or overheating. Human performance: the air carrier afm to abnormal procedures describes checking for tripped circuit breaker's prior to initiating any QRH checklist. My perception of seeing the stabilizer trim circuit breaker in and not seeing the trim actuator circuit breaker tripped (which is on a different panel) had me believe electrical power was available to the motor. The QRH would have been a lot more helpful if it stated that two different circuit breaker's control power to one sy (electric trim). I recommend an update to the QRH, referencing more circuit breaker locations that control the electrical power to system.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-500 CREW HAD JAMMED STAB IN BUF CLASS E.

Narrative: KBUF TO KEWR. DURING CLBOUT, THE ELECTRIC HORIZONTAL STABILIZER BECAME INOPERATIVE. MANUAL TRIMMING WAS ATTEMPTED BUT THE STABILIZER WOULD NOT MOVE. A CROSSCHECK FOR TRIPPED CB'S WAS MADE AND ALL APPEARED TO BE IN, INCLUDING THE 'STABILIZER TRIM' CB. THE QRH 'JAMMED STABILIZER' CHECKLIST WAS UTILIZED. THE ACFT WAS CONTROLLABLE BUT WITH NOTABLE FORWARD YOKE PRESSURE. ANY EMER WAS DECLARED, AN AIR RETURN BACK TO KBUF. THE LANDING WAS UNEVENTFUL WITH A RETURN TO THE GATE. MAIN INSPECTED THE ACFT AND FOUND THE 'TRIM ACTUATOR' CB TRIPPED. MAIN SAID THE CB MIGHT HAVE TRIPPED DUE TO THE H.S. TRIM MOTOR BINDING OR OVERHEATING. HUMAN PERFORMANCE: THE ACR AFM TO ABNORMAL PROCEDURES DESCRIBES CHECKING FOR TRIPPED CB'S PRIOR TO INITIATING ANY QRH CHECKLIST. MY PERCEPTION OF SEEING THE STABILIZER TRIM CB IN AND NOT SEEING THE TRIM ACTUATOR CB TRIPPED (WHICH IS ON A DIFFERENT PANEL) HAD ME BELIEVE ELECTRICAL PWR WAS AVAILABLE TO THE MOTOR. THE QRH WOULD HAVE BEEN A LOT MORE HELPFUL IF IT STATED THAT TWO DIFFERENT CB'S CONTROL PWR TO ONE SY (ELECTRIC TRIM). I RECOMMEND AN UPDATE TO THE QRH, REFERENCING MORE CB LOCATIONS THAT CONTROL THE ELECTRICAL PWR TO SYS.

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.