Re' this PITCH upset of B737-400 /
14Jun09, several aspects of this ntsb UPSET-INVESTIGATION seem unusual -- in a good way.
The Board's Safety
Recommendations A-11-7 through -11 &
background are now available:
http://www.ntsb.gov/recs/letters/2011/A-11-007-011.pdf
The DOCKET includes TBC's
EQA report (
Photos of tiny debris, & actuator, totals about 14 photos and six IPC drawings):
CD List Of Contents
434452
This mishap occurred
in Turkey. The
airline recovered the FOD, SAVED it & photos; and the
manufacturer did a good EQA examination of parts provided; & both provided information, and the USA's investigating authority provided the docket and safety recommendations.
For a minor upset, this case resulted in
a high quality product from the Board. Maybe it was just lucky that this 14Jun09 occurrence happened to a SMALLER operator, & lucky that the PCU's obstructing-DEBRIS was recovered: so investigators had GOOD EVIDENCE. No rumors about the human-operator inciting this upset, no guesses about the pilot's financial challenges, nor his state of mind. So nice when a mysterious upset is explained utilizing direct evidence, rather than rumor & "human factors" specialists. [I'm wondering if perhaps there was one staff engineer, & perhaps his manager, who spent TIME & EFFORT way beyond what might normally have been devoted to such a flight control problem. Nice results.]