Narrative:

This report actually references 2 flts. After a problem with flight spoilers and spoileron caution messages while descending into ZZZ1; we executed QRH procedures; declared a precautionary emergency; and landed uneventfully. Maintenance was called immediately and after 2 hours; the problem was not fixed. The mechanic working on the plane in ZZZ1; in conjunction with maintenance control; suggested we shut down the plane completely for 5 minutes and restart it to see if the problem would go away. I told him that if that is the procedure and if it fixes our problem; I would fly the plane. It worked; and on the way out to the runway; as an additional check; we ran a complete flight control check. Everything operations checked normal. On descent into ZZZ2; on the return flight; we again got ib and ob flight spoilers and ib and ob spoileron caution message; accompanied by a quick short roll which was easily counter controled. QRH procedure was followed; emergency declared; dispatch consulted; landed without incident. I have serious reservations about shutting down the plane and restarting it (hard reboot) in order to clear maintenance discrepancies. The first maintenance fault indicated a 'power control unit runaway' which is potentially pretty serious. When we landed in ZZZ2; maintenance fault indicated several 'power control unit jammed' conditions. In ZZZ2; the mechanic had initially indicated that he could not clear 2 spoiler control computer messages. I don't think our original problem was fixed. It was probably only masked. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the captain believes the real problem is masked by the powering down of the plane; and waiting 5 minutes or longer and then repowering the plane. The technician worked for two hours self-testing units and swapping units with no elimination of the spoiler and spoileron caution warning. At termination of the second flight; maintenance faults indicated several power control unit jammed conditions. If this repowering procedure is in the maintenance manual; it should be revisited and better training given to technicians on when it can be used and when it cannot be used.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CRJ700 ON DSCNT AT FL200 DECLARED AN EMER DUE TO CAUTION MESSAGES ON FLT SPOILERS AND SPOILERON. CLRED BY MAINT BY POWERING DOWN. NEXT FLT; GOT SAME MESSAGES WITH A QUICK SHORT ACFT ROLL.

Narrative: THIS RPT ACTUALLY REFERENCES 2 FLTS. AFTER A PROBLEM WITH FLT SPOILERS AND SPOILERON CAUTION MESSAGES WHILE DSNDING INTO ZZZ1; WE EXECUTED QRH PROCS; DECLARED A PRECAUTIONARY EMER; AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. MAINT WAS CALLED IMMEDIATELY AND AFTER 2 HOURS; THE PROB WAS NOT FIXED. THE MECHANIC WORKING ON THE PLANE IN ZZZ1; IN CONJUNCTION WITH MAINT CTL; SUGGESTED WE SHUT DOWN THE PLANE COMPLETELY FOR 5 MINUTES AND RESTART IT TO SEE IF THE PROB WOULD GO AWAY. I TOLD HIM THAT IF THAT IS THE PROC AND IF IT FIXES OUR PROB; I WOULD FLY THE PLANE. IT WORKED; AND ON THE WAY OUT TO THE RWY; AS AN ADDITIONAL CHK; WE RAN A COMPLETE FLT CTL CHK. EVERYTHING OPS CHKED NORMAL. ON DSCNT INTO ZZZ2; ON THE RETURN FLT; WE AGAIN GOT IB AND OB FLT SPOILERS AND IB AND OB SPOILERON CAUTION MESSAGE; ACCOMPANIED BY A QUICK SHORT ROLL WHICH WAS EASILY COUNTER CTLED. QRH PROC WAS FOLLOWED; EMER DECLARED; DISPATCH CONSULTED; LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. I HAVE SERIOUS RESERVATIONS ABOUT SHUTTING DOWN THE PLANE AND RESTARTING IT (HARD REBOOT) IN ORDER TO CLR MAINT DISCREPANCIES. THE FIRST MAINT FAULT INDICATED A 'POWER CONTROL UNIT RUNAWAY' WHICH IS POTENTIALLY PRETTY SERIOUS. WHEN WE LANDED IN ZZZ2; MAINT FAULT INDICATED SEVERAL 'POWER CONTROL UNIT JAMMED' CONDITIONS. IN ZZZ2; THE MECHANIC HAD INITIALLY INDICATED THAT HE COULD NOT CLR 2 SPOILER CTL COMPUTER MESSAGES. I DON'T THINK OUR ORIGINAL PROB WAS FIXED. IT WAS PROBABLY ONLY MASKED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE CAPT BELIEVES THE REAL PROB IS MASKED BY THE POWERING DOWN OF THE PLANE; AND WAITING 5 MINUTES OR LONGER AND THEN REPOWERING THE PLANE. THE TECHNICIAN WORKED FOR TWO HOURS SELF-TESTING UNITS AND SWAPPING UNITS WITH NO ELIMINATION OF THE SPOILER AND SPOILERON CAUTION WARNING. AT TERMINATION OF THE SECOND FLT; MAINT FAULTS INDICATED SEVERAL POWER CTL UNIT JAMMED CONDITIONS. IF THIS REPOWERING PROC IS IN THE MAINT MANUAL; IT SHOULD BE REVISITED AND BETTER TRAINING GIVEN TO TECHNICIANS ON WHEN IT CAN BE USED AND WHEN IT CANNOT BE USED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.