Cessna 560XL N108EK

Summary

On 15 August 2012 at about 13:35 local time, a Cessna 560XL registered N108EK, operated by Elliott Aviation Flight Services Inc, was involved in an incident near Des Moines, Iowa, United States. 8 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

15 August 2012 at 13:35

Classification

Incident

Location

Des Moines, Iowa, United States

Nearest airport

Des Moines International (DSM)

Coordinates

41.5339, -93.6631

Aircraft

Cessna 560XL

Registration

N108EK

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Elliott Aviation Flight Services Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Executive/Corporate

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Minneapolis → Arlington

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN12IA554

Nobody was injured.

A temporary loss of control during cruise flight for reasons that could not be determined because postincident examination of the autopilot, pitch trim systems, and horizontal stabilizer revealed no anomalies consistent with a loss of control.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight crewmembers reported that, after about 10 minutes of cruise flight at 40,000 ft pressure altitude, they observed an autopilot pitch trim mistrim annunciation and an associated master caution indication. As they began to reference the applicable checklist, the autopilot automatically disengaged, the airplane suddenly pitched down, and the airspeed increased to about 30 knots over the redline. The flight crew regained control of the airplane and then leveled it at 33,000 ft pressure altitude. The flight crew subsequently landed the airplane without further incident. The autopilot was not used after the temporary loss of airplane control; however, the electric pitch trim was used after passing through 10,000 ft mean sea level, and it functioned normally. A postincident examination of the autopilot, pitch trim systems, and horizontal stabilizer did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a loss of control.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.