<< >> NASA ASRS Report 574566, February 2003

A MD80 at 10000 ft declared an emergency due to extremely stiff ailerons. After 12 mins, ailerons freed up and operated normally. Cause unknown.

Attributes
ACN	574566
Time
Date	200302
Day	Tue
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 10000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	574566
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : auto plt disconnect warning other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	aircraft : equipment problem dissipated flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

After a normal 2 hour and 30 min flight from ZZZ, we were at 210 KTS on the arrival. At the intersection with the autoplt on, the aircraft started a turn to the north as it should. At that time, the autoplt disconnected. At this time, I was flying and the controls felt locked. We were given a descent. We leveled off at 10000 ft. The ailerons were very, very hard to move. The rudder and elevator were ok. We declared an emergency and continued north while trying to figure out what the problem was. We called dispatch and maintenance technicians. After about 12 mins of aileron control problems, the problem cleared itself. We set up on a long straight in to runway 17R. We briefed the approach and what to do if the problem reoccurred.. This was a very serious situation for a while. I don't know why the problem cleared itself.

Related reports:

• A dehavilland 8 in climb at 15000 ft declared an emergency a...
• A DC9-30 in cruise at FL310 declared an emergency and divert...
• A DC9-50 in climb at FL180 declared an emergency and diverte...
• An MD80 in cruise FL330 declared an emergency and diverted d...
• An MD88 in cruise at FL330 declared an emergency and diverte...
• Emergency declared for unknown aircraft equipment problem.

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.37000feet.com

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A MD80 AT 10000 FT DECLARED AN EMER DUE TO EXTREMELY STIFF AILERONS. AFTER 12 MINS, AILERONS FREED UP AND OPERATED NORMALLY. CAUSE UNKNOWN.

Narrative: AFTER A NORMAL 2 HR AND 30 MIN FLT FROM ZZZ, WE WERE AT 210 KTS ON THE ARR. AT THE INTXN WITH THE AUTOPLT ON, THE ACFT STARTED A TURN TO THE N AS IT SHOULD. AT THAT TIME, THE AUTOPLT DISCONNECTED. AT THIS TIME, I WAS FLYING AND THE CTLS FELT LOCKED. WE WERE GIVEN A DSCNT. WE LEVELED OFF AT 10000 FT. THE AILERONS WERE VERY, VERY HARD TO MOVE. THE RUDDER AND ELEVATOR WERE OK. WE DECLARED AN EMER AND CONTINUED N WHILE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PROB WAS. WE CALLED DISPATCH AND MAINT TECHNICIANS. AFTER ABOUT 12 MINS OF AILERON CTL PROBS, THE PROB CLRED ITSELF. WE SET UP ON A LONG STRAIGHT IN TO RWY 17R. WE BRIEFED THE APCH AND WHAT TO DO IF THE PROB REOCCURRED.. THIS WAS A VERY SERIOUS SIT FOR A WHILE. I DON'T KNOW WHY THE PROB CLRED ITSELF.

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.