Might have gone just fine, they were looking for full deflection but probably taking for granted that it was the right direction. I can't swear I would have caught that in a modern jet airliner (in a cessna yes, I do look for an up aileron where my thumb is pointing).

W-O-W. Can you imagine if that crew had been wired for heartrate? Would have looked like an 11 on the Richter Scale. Amazing job.

Makes the Lion Air accident an even bigger bummer, a difficult situation for the crew no doubt. But compared to this incident it was eminently recoverable...

http://avherald.com/img/astana_e190_...a_181111_2.jpg

That image does not a happy day make.

The thing is, that's one of the primary reasons that check is done, besides blockages, binding and any other feel issue. I've investigated a fatal reverse-controls accident and it was pretty horrible. I'm not arguing whether it's been watered down to the point of not capturing the original intent, but it's interesting to see just how real it is when it happens, and it does happen. The pre-takeoff check was supposed to be the thing that catches it.

I get that, it's just that complacency is probably present for that in glass jets. Reading this I realized that I look for full deflection (have seen it not quite there), but am not really consciously checking the direction on the jet. Apparently something I should improve.

Kinda of like that LEX crash... how many of us said afterwards, yeah I could have done that?

I'd expect Embraer will add a "hey, something's not right here!" warning if all surfaces are not moving to their expected directions during that check.

It can happen anywhere.

Not so many years ago, 757 first flight of the day, ailerons did not deflect during control check at the gate (yeah we used to do it there). Maint. had left them locked out the night before.

Yoke felt normal, just no deflection noted on eicas.

About six months ago, doing the flight control check (767), Capt says “you try the ailerons.”

He thought they didn’t have the same force-gradient to the right as the left; thought the right aileron was lagging on EICAS, too.

I tried it...several times. Felt the same to me each way, and yeah, I held it at the stops. EICAS looked indistinguishable to me. Asked the Bunkie...he thought they looked equal on the display, too.

We flew and it was fine...it was just the Capt’s perception.

But I was very glad that he displayed concern, and didn’t just brush it under the table.

It was just the Captain's shoulder arthritis. :)