Description

On 31 January 2005, an ATR 42-300 being operated by Danish Air Transport on a scheduled passenger flight from Bergen to Florø in day Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) encountered pitch control difficulties during rotation and subsequent climb and after declaring an emergency made a successful return to land on the departure runway seven minutes later. None of the 25 occupants were injured and the only damage found was to the elevator and its leading edge fairings.

Investigation

An Investigation was carried out by the Accident Investigation Board Norway (AIBN). It was noted that the aircraft was making its fourth flight of he day with the same flight crew. It was established that the take-off roll acceleration had been normal but that during rotation, the aircraft commander as PF had needed to apply “excess force” on the control column to get the aircraft airborne. Once airborne, it became clear that the elevator was not working as it should and full elevator deflection was necessary to maintain normal pitch for the initial climb. For a period, the First Officer assisted physically with elevator control and both flight crew informed the investigators that it was extremely demanding to maintain control of the aircraft with the response to pitch control inputs unevenly and "jerky". An Emergency was declared to ATC one minute after take off with the aircraft about 3 NM north of the airport and approaching 2,000 feet altitude. The control problems were considered by the Flight Crew to have diminished somewhat once the aircraft levelled out and turned back towards the airport and a successful visual return was accomplished.