An MD80 on climb at 15000 ft declared an emergency due to yoke binding when passing center position. Increased speed increased yoke binding. Crew returned to departure airport.

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Attributes
ACN	686424
Time
Date	200602
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 15000
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	686424
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : aileron ctl yoke other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On climb out; I noticed the yoke would bind up when turning past the center position as I was speeding up (faster than 250 KTS). I talked with maintenance control and dispatch and returned to land. I declared an emergency and made a slow turn for ZZZ. I was able to follow a 3 to 1 profile into ZZZ with only 2 180 degree turns for runway 16L. (We used runway 16L for the length.) we were 9500 pounds overweight when we landed. Touchdown was at 100 ft per min. We had no further problems with the yoke binding when we slowed below 250 KTS. I don't understand why the increase in speed made the yoke bind.callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter said the binding was felt on the captain's yoke and the first officer's when passing through the center position. The reporter still can't explain why the binding increased as the speed increased. The reporter followed up to obtain the maintenance action taken and discovered the problem was on the ailerons and aileron tab hinges; adding; lubrication of the ailerons and aileron tab hinges plus retorqing of the aileron tab hinges corrected the problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 ON CLB AT 15000 FT DECLARED AN EMER DUE TO YOKE BINDING WHEN PASSING CENTER POSITION. INCREASED SPD INCREASED YOKE BINDING. CREW RETURNED TO DEP ARPT.

Narrative: ON CLB OUT; I NOTICED THE YOKE WOULD BIND UP WHEN TURNING PAST THE CENTER POSITION AS I WAS SPDING UP (FASTER THAN 250 KTS). I TALKED WITH MAINT CTL AND DISPATCH AND RETURNED TO LAND. I DECLARED AN EMER AND MADE A SLOW TURN FOR ZZZ. I WAS ABLE TO FOLLOW A 3 TO 1 PROFILE INTO ZZZ WITH ONLY 2 180 DEG TURNS FOR RWY 16L. (WE USED RWY 16L FOR THE LENGTH.) WE WERE 9500 LBS OVERWT WHEN WE LANDED. TOUCHDOWN WAS AT 100 FT PER MIN. WE HAD NO FURTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE YOKE BINDING WHEN WE SLOWED BELOW 250 KTS. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE INCREASE IN SPD MADE THE YOKE BIND.CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR SAID THE BINDING WAS FELT ON THE CAPT'S YOKE AND THE FO'S WHEN PASSING THROUGH THE CENTER POSITION. THE RPTR STILL CAN'T EXPLAIN WHY THE BINDING INCREASED AS THE SPD INCREASED. THE RPTR FOLLOWED UP TO OBTAIN THE MAINT ACTION TAKEN AND DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM WAS ON THE AILERONS AND AILERON TAB HINGES; ADDING; LUBRICATION OF THE AILERONS AND AILERON TAB HINGES PLUS RETORQING OF THE AILERON TAB HINGES CORRECTED THE PROBLEM.

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.