ATL85FA261

Factual narrative

ACFT WAS ON TRNG FLT FOR INITIAL COPILOT QUAL FOR COMMUTER AIR CARRIER. INSTRUCTOR AND TWO TRAINEES WERE ON BOARD. THE ACFT DEPARTED CHARLOTTE AT ABOUT 2314EDT FOR THE HICKORYAREA FOR TRNG. AT ABOUT 0015EDT,IT WAS REPORTED THAT THE CREW VISITED THE HICKORY FSS. AFTER DEPARTING HICKORY, THE ACFT CLIMBED TO 5500 FT AND REMAINED GENERALLY BETWEEN CHARLOTTE. AT ABOUT 0145EDT, RADAR DATA SHOWED THE ACFT TO BE IN A STEEPNING DESCENT AN GAINING SPEED. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREE LIMBS, A UTILITY POLE AND THE GROUND IN ABOUT 35 ANGLE OF DESCENT IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA OF CONOVER NC. INVESTIGATION REVEALED A NOSE UP TRIM,WHICH WAS APRX 75 PERCENT OF THE AVAILABLE UP-TRIM(3.38 DEGREES UP- NOSE. THIS IS AN ABNORMAL SETTING;SO THE ENTIRE TRIM UNIT WAS RETAINED & SENT TO THE TALLEY CORP FOR DETAILED EXAM. THE RAM END FITTINGS WERE SENT TO GA TECH RESEARCH FOR SURFACE FRACTURE ANALYSIS. THE EXAM SHOWED DUCTILE OVERSTRESS & NO INDICATION OF PRE-CRACKED CONDITION. PITCH TRIM EMERGENCIES ARE A PART OF SUNBIRDS C-99 TRAINING PROGRAM(FIT 1 & 2) Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12