EMB145 flight crew discovers excessive elevator play shortly after rotation; declares an emergency a...

Attributes
ACN	758293
Time
Date	200710
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 2300
ASRS Report	758293
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 1000 flight time type : 180
ASRS Report	758292
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

After takeoff out of ZZZ flight controls became very loose to ineffective after rotation (elevator). Leveled off at a safe altitude that we could achieve and declared an emergency. During the downwind segment flight controls (elevator) had about 6 inches of play in it returned to the field and contacted maintenance.callback conversation with reporter acn 758293 revealed the following information: this reporter could only add that the aircraft was quite controllable once trimmed in level flight. He was told by the mechanic who accepted the aircraft on return that he believed that bonding straps on the elevator torque tube had failed or come loose.supplemental information from acn 738292: during takeoff; the flight controller (elevator) felt ineffective. During the downwind leg the elevator regained some of its effectiveness; but still not to a normal capacity. An emergency was declared and all appropriate checklists were done followed by an uneventful landing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMB145 FLT CREW DISCOVERS EXCESSIVE ELEVATOR PLAY SHORTLY AFTER ROTATION; DECLARES AN EMER AND RETURNS SAFELY.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF OUT OF ZZZ FLT CTLS BECAME VERY LOOSE TO INEFFECTIVE AFTER ROTATION (ELEVATOR). LEVELED OFF AT A SAFE ALT THAT WE COULD ACHIEVE AND DECLARED AN EMER. DURING THE DOWNWIND SEGMENT FLT CTLS (ELEVATOR) HAD ABOUT 6 INCHES OF PLAY IN IT RETURNED TO THE FIELD AND CONTACTED MAINT.CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR ACN 758293 REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THIS RPTR COULD ONLY ADD THAT THE ACFT WAS QUITE CONTROLLABLE ONCE TRIMMED IN LEVEL FLT. HE WAS TOLD BY THE MECHANIC WHO ACCEPTED THE ACFT ON RETURN THAT HE BELIEVED THAT BONDING STRAPS ON THE ELEVATOR TORQUE TUBE HAD FAILED OR COME LOOSE.SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 738292: DURING TAKEOFF; THE FLT CTLR (ELEVATOR) FELT INEFFECTIVE. DURING THE DOWNWIND LEG THE ELEVATOR REGAINED SOME OF ITS EFFECTIVENESS; BUT STILL NOT TO A NORMAL CAPACITY. AN EMER WAS DECLARED AND ALL APPROPRIATE CHKLISTS WERE DONE FOLLOWED BY AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG.

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.

EMB145 flight crew discovers excessive elevator play shortly after rotation; declares an emergency and returns safely.