Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ocoee, Florida 34761
Friday, December 2, 2011 12:28 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The flight crew reported that a "pitch trim miscompare" message illuminated in the cockpit just before they were to level off at 41,000 feet mean sea level (msl). After accomplishing the checklist items and disconnecting the autopilot, the flight crew had to exert considerable forward yoke pressure to maintain level flight. The flight crew found the manual pitch trim control wheel to be "frozen" in the forward position and were unable to move it. They declared an emergency and initiated a descent. Upon reaching 8,000 feet msl, the trim wheel released and the system returned to normal. The airplane landed uneventfully. Maintenance personnel inspected the left and right pitch trim actuators and found that the grease was contaminated with water. The actuators had been inspected and lubricated within the required 1,200-hour interval.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Water contamination in the pitch trim actuators.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 12/2/2011
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1228
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Ocoee
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 34761
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 283824N
Event Location Longitude 0813900W
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1253 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 120
Weather Observation Facility ID MCO
Elevation of weather observation facility 96
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 17
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.31
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report 2011-12-02 12:53 METAR KMCO 021753Z 05010G17KT 10S
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 29715
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 14 2012 11:03AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N576CS
NTSB Number ERA12IA097
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 560XL
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 560-5794
Certified Max Gross Weight 20200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 11
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Aug 13 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2623
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name CITATIONSHARES SALES INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address FIVE AMERICAN LANE
Aircraft Owner City GREENWICH
Aircraft Owner State CT
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 06831
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name CitationShares Management LLC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address FIVE AMERICAN LANE
Operator City GREENWICH
Operator State CT
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 06831
Operator Code Z5FA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code APF
Departure City Naples
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1150
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code IAD
Destination City Dulles
Destination State VA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 14 2012 11:03AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --