NTSB: Cessna Citation Had Stuck Aileron Trim on Takeoff

The crew of Cessna Citation Encore N774SB had to react quickly to an apparent flight control failure on takeoff from Dallas Love Field earlier this month. According to an NTSB preliminary report on the February 9 incident, the first officer had difficulty holding runway heading while accelerating on takeoff, with the aircraft exhibiting “a tendency to roll right.”

The first officer continued the takeoff, with the control pressure required to hold wings level increasing on climbout. He transferred control to the captain, who was unable to adjust the aircraft’s aileron trim to compensate for the rolling tendency. After the crew declared an emergency, “the right roll control pressure decreased" as the jet slowed to return to Dallas Love and the captain “was able to free the aileron trim control” and land the aircraft without further incident. None of the five people onboard the charter flight to Idabel, Okla., was injured.