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Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, GA (ATL/KATL)
Destination airport:
New York-La Guardia Airport, NY (LGA/KLGA)
Investigating agency:
NTSB
Confidence Rating:
Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative: American Eagle flight AA4439 returned to Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Georgia, USA, after suffering severe controllability issues after takeoff. The flight took off from runway 09L at 21:05 hours LT (02:05 UTC, Nov. 7). Shortly afterward the flight crew radioed an emergency and reported they were in a "stalling situation". They later stated having difficulty trying to descend. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Tower controller tried to assist the flight to return to the airport. After the flight crew regained control, the aircraft was vectored for a landing on runway 10.
Examination revealed chafed insulation around wires connecting the horizontal stabilizer actuator control electronics to the captain’s pitch trim switch and autopilot/trim disconnect button. The chafing was caused by contact with the incorrectly untucked pigtail of the forward mechanical stop bolt safety wire. Also when the captain’s pitch trim switch was removed from the yoke, marks were observed that indicated at some point before the incident flight, the pitch trim switch had been installed in an inverted position
Probable Cause: The captain’s use of his pitch trim switch, which had been placarded inoperative but not deactivated, resulting in the airplane pitching up when the captain was trying to trim down. The trim commands were reversed due to maintenance personnel’s incorrect installation of the pitch trim switch. Contributing to the incident was the operator’s delay in incorporating SB 170-27-0051 which would have prevented the switch from being installed inverted.