Narrative:

I am sic in a metroliner. We went through the checklist for taxi and takeoff in preparation to continue to ZZZ1. When we taxied in; I reset the trim. I looked at the rudder trim indicator and thought it was aligned properly. Upon takeoff; the aircraft rolled hard right but we were able to maintain control with lots of aileron input opposite of the roll. We were not climbing very well. Aborting the takeoff was not an option due to length of runway left. We checked to make sure the torque was matched and we had not lost an engine. Again we checked the trim indicator; it looked ok. We declared an emergency and climbed to 6000 ft MSL when we broke out on top. On the downwind to return to ZZZ; ILS runway 21; we realized the trim was the problem. We un-declared the emergency situation but elected to return to ZZZ. We landed uneventfully. It seemed because of the design of the rudder trim control wheel it was difficult to tell in the dark that it was positioned properly. I think rushing through the checklist and not putting enough emphasis on the trim indicators led to the problem. We will now (both crew members) visually check; with more emphasis; the position of trim indicators. The rudder trim wheel can be rotated through 360 degrees till the indicator appears again.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SW4 FLT CREW MISSETS RUDDER TRIM FOR TKOF. RAPID ROLL AND RECOVERY NECESSITATED AFTER LIFTOFF.

Narrative: I AM SIC IN A METROLINER. WE WENT THROUGH THE CHKLIST FOR TAXI AND TKOF IN PREPARATION TO CONTINUE TO ZZZ1. WHEN WE TAXIED IN; I RESET THE TRIM. I LOOKED AT THE RUDDER TRIM INDICATOR AND THOUGHT IT WAS ALIGNED PROPERLY. UPON TKOF; THE ACFT ROLLED HARD R BUT WE WERE ABLE TO MAINTAIN CTL WITH LOTS OF AILERON INPUT OPPOSITE OF THE ROLL. WE WERE NOT CLBING VERY WELL. ABORTING THE TKOF WAS NOT AN OPTION DUE TO LENGTH OF RWY LEFT. WE CHKED TO MAKE SURE THE TORQUE WAS MATCHED AND WE HAD NOT LOST AN ENG. AGAIN WE CHKED THE TRIM INDICATOR; IT LOOKED OK. WE DECLARED AN EMER AND CLBED TO 6000 FT MSL WHEN WE BROKE OUT ON TOP. ON THE DOWNWIND TO RETURN TO ZZZ; ILS RWY 21; WE REALIZED THE TRIM WAS THE PROB. WE UN-DECLARED THE EMER SITUATION BUT ELECTED TO RETURN TO ZZZ. WE LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. IT SEEMED BECAUSE OF THE DESIGN OF THE RUDDER TRIM CTL WHEEL IT WAS DIFFICULT TO TELL IN THE DARK THAT IT WAS POSITIONED PROPERLY. I THINK RUSHING THROUGH THE CHKLIST AND NOT PUTTING ENOUGH EMPHASIS ON THE TRIM INDICATORS LED TO THE PROB. WE WILL NOW (BOTH CREW MEMBERS) VISUALLY CHK; WITH MORE EMPHASIS; THE POS OF TRIM INDICATORS. THE RUDDER TRIM WHEEL CAN BE ROTATED THROUGH 360 DEGS TILL THE INDICATOR APPEARS AGAIN.

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.