Pilots praised for calmly dealing with jammed flight control

The crew of a cargo plane has been praised for its calm response to a jammed flight control while flying near Glasgow in October.

The Boeing 767-316F was carrying fresh goods from Iceland to the UK when a problem affected the system controlling ailerons - movable parts on the wings that tilt an aircraft from side to side.

A mayday call was issued, before the two pilots put pressure on the control wheel until the system came free. The plane later landed safely at Derby.

Investigators said ice had likely formed in the system causing the jam, and they said the pilots drew on their training to deal with the incident.

The aircraft was west of Glasgow when it did not turn as expected.

The two crew, assisted by a third pilot who was onboard as a passenger, consulted guidance on jammed controls and also carried out a series of checks.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said two of the pilots moved the control wheel with force at the same time.

In a new report, the AAIB said: "The co-pilot described feeling like something broke and immediately the roll control returned to normal.

"The crew then re-engaged the autopilot and continued to East Midlands Airport where they landed without further incident."

Investigators added: "The crew dealt with the incident calmly, descending first before applying force to the control wheels and releasing the jam.

"Previous simulator training had provided them with experience of a jammed control which proved accurate and useful.

"The well-known possibility of ice also meant the crew had a good plan for how to tackle the jam."