Skip to content

CHI84IA197

1984-05-15 · BATTLE CREEK, Michigan, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Aircraft involved

Factual narrative

WHILE CRUISING AT 7000 FT MSL, THE 1ST OFFICER WAS TRIMMING THE RUDDER, USING THE ROTARY SWITCH ON THE CENTER CONSOLE, WHEN HE FELT A 'SNAP' INSIDE THE SWITCH. AFTER THAT, THE SWITCH WOULD ROTATE FREELY BETWEEN THE STOPS. THE ACFT BEGAN YAWING LEFT & RIGHT UNTIL THE CREW PULLED THE APPROPRIATE CIRCUIT BREAKER TO DISABLE THE RUDDER TRIM. SUBSEQUENTLY, THEY LANDED WITH FULL RIGHT RUDDER TRIM. AN EXAM REVEALED THAT A CENTERING SPRING, P/N 42M4231137, WHICH LOADS THE SWITCH TO THE NEUTRAL/OFF POSITION HAD FAILED AT A FATIGUE CRACK. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1984_CHI84IA197.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Search this event elsewhere

External sources are reported, not agency: signal that something happened, not fact about what happened.