Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

St. Louis, Missouri 63101
Friday, January 4, 1985 16:10 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER DEPARTING ST LOUIS AND REACHING CRUISE FLT THE CREW EXPERIENCED A CONTINUAL TRIM PITCH-UP WHICH HAD TO BE RELIEVED BY A REDUCED AIRSPEED. NO AURAL INDICATION WAS NOTED BY THE CREW. THE RETURN TO THE AIRPORT WAS UNEVENTFUL. FOLLOW-UP INSPECTION OF THE TRIM SYSTEM REVEALED A OUT OF TOLERANCE TRIM ACTUATOR WITH 355 OPERATIONAL HOURS SINCE O-TIME OVERHAUL. NORMAL LIFE FOR A TRIM ACTUATOR IS ABT 2000 HOURS. THIS UNIT WAS CERTIFIED AS O-TIME BY AN FAA CERTIFIED SHOP. A TEARDOWN INSPECTION OF THE TRIM ACTUATOR UNIT REVEALED THAT THE UNIT WAS NOT OVERHAULED TO SPECIFICATIONS OF THE UNIT MANUFACTURER. THE TRIM ACTUATOR WAS INADEQUATE FOR OPERATION AS OVERHAULED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 1/4/1985
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1610
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City ST. LOUIS
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 63101
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1548 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID STL
Elevation of weather observation facility 601
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 5
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5021
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 4 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2146
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28158
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N322BA
NTSB Number MKC85IA045
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SWEARINGEN
Aircraft Model SA226TC
Aircraft Series Identifier SA226TC
Aircraft Serial Number TC261
Certified Max Gross Weight 12500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 17
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 13923
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BRITT AIRWAYS
Aircraft Owner Street Address HULMAN FIELD
Aircraft Owner City TERRE HAUTE
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 47801
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BRITT AIRWAYS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code BRIA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code STL
Departure City ST. LOUIS
Departure State MO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1600
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City EVANSVILLE
Destination State IN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --