Originally Posted by
MechEngr
Did they move in response to abnormal foot pressure or refuse to move at all? Had the rudder been effective prior to landing? Will have to wait for the NTSB report.
The forces applied were significantly beyond normal, and the rudder was not effective prior to landing. The pedal forces were not enough, thankfully, to break the shear pins. From the
NTSB urgent safety recommendation report:
According to data derived from the flight data recorder, the flight crew applied
approximately 32 pounds of force to the rudder pedals before touchdown which
yielded no discernible effect on the rudder position or heading. The flight crew
attempted to clear the jammed rudder controls immediately after touchdown,
applying approximately 75 pounds of force to the rudder pedals when the airspeed
was about 120 knots, again with no effect on the rudder position or heading.
With the airplane’s airspeed continuing to decrease during rollout, the flight
crew applied approximately 42 pounds of force to the pedals, but the jam persisted.
The captain elected instead to use the nosewheel steering tiller as the airplane
slowed to a safe taxi speed. The captain stated that, after the airplane entered the
assigned taxiway, he asked the first officer to check the rudder pedals on his side of
the flight deck, and the first officer indicated that the same anomaly was occurring.
Data derived from the flight data recorder indicate that shortly after, with the
airplane traveling at a groundspeed of less than 20 knots, the flight crew applied
approximately 59 pounds of force on the rudder pedals, and the rudder pedals and
rudder surface began to operate normally.