Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 560XL near Des Moines, IA — 2012-08-15

Final reportCEN12IA554
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Date
2012-08-15
Location
Des Moines, IA, USA
Airport
DSM
Aircraft
CESSNA 560XL
Registration
N108EK
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Cruise

Probable cause

A temporary loss of control during cruise flight for reasons that could not be determined because postincident examination of the autopilot, pitch trim systems, and horizontal stabilizer revealed no anomalies consistent with a loss of control.

NTSB narrative

The flight crewmembers reported that, after about 10 minutes of cruise flight at 40,000 ft pressure altitude, they observed an autopilot pitch trim mistrim annunciation and an associated master caution indication. As they began to reference the applicable checklist, the autopilot automatically disengaged, the airplane suddenly pitched down, and the airspeed increased to about 30 knots over the redline. The flight crew regained control of the airplane and then leveled it at 33,000 ft pressure altitude. The flight crew subsequently landed the airplane without further incident. The autopilot was not used after the temporary loss of airplane control; however, the electric pitch trim was used after passing through 10,000 ft mean sea level, and it functioned normally. A postincident examination of the autopilot, pitch trim systems, and horizontal stabilizer did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a loss of control.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Crew could have followed checklist for AP Pitch Mis-trim earlier.

NTSB coding

  • Flight control sys malf/fail · Enroute-cruise

Evidence available

  • CVR
  • 7 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents7

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