No Matter What You Fly, Ice Is Nothing To Be Nonchalant About

A Citation Excel, flying under Part 135, had a rude awakening earlier this month when a 'pitch trim miscompare' warning became a full-blown pitch trim failure. They were nearing 41,000 feet when the Miscompare light went on, followed by "Frozen" behavior by the pitch trim itself. After passing through 8000 feet, where the air was obviously much warmer, the system came back online...

NTSB Identification: ERA12IA097
Nonscheduled 14 CFR Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Incident occurred Friday, December 02, 2011 in Ocoee, FL
Aircraft: CESSNA 560XL, registration: N576CS
Injuries: 3 Uninjured.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

On December 2, 2011, about 1228 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 560XL, N576CS, landed at Orlando International Airport (MCO), Orlando, Florida, following an in-flight pitch trim malfunction that occurred near Ocoee, Florida. The airline transport-rated pilot and co-pilot were not injured. The airplane was not damaged. The airplane was registered to CitationShares Sales, Inc. and operated by CitationShares Management LLC under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 as an on-demand air taxi flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The flight originated at Naples Municipal Airport, Naples, Florida, at 1150 and was destined for Washington Dulles International Airport, Dulles, Virginia.

The flight crew reported the following. While approaching their level off altitude of flight level 410, a "pitch trim miscompare" message illuminated in the cockpit. After accomplishing the checklist items and disconnecting the autopilot, considerable forward yoke pressure was required to maintain level flight. The crew found the manual pitch trim control wheel to be "frozen" in the forward position and unable to move it. The crew declared an emergency and diverted to MCO. During the descent for landing, upon reaching 8,000 feet mean sea level (MSL), the trim wheel released and the system returned to normal. The crew cancelled the emergency and landed at MCO uneventfully.

After the aircraft was secured, maintenance personnel inspected flight control system. The left and right elevator trim actuators were found to be contaminated with moisture.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov