Fishfreighter

261 was not the result of a pitch trim problem. Please don't cite specific accidents if you are unaware of the cause factors.

abelenky

If it wasn't the trim, what was it?
I've always understood it to be a trim problem (the trim problem was the result of a faulty part and improper maintenance).

Quoting from Wikipedia (and indirectly from the accident report):

Fishfreighter

Perhaps you should read the accident report instead of relying on wikipedia (the place where anybody can post anything).

Quoted directly from the NTSB report:


"The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was a loss of airplane pitch control resulting from the in-flight failure of the horizontal stabilizer trim system jackscrew assembly’s acme nut threads."

Lack of understanding of the system operation would lead you and others to ASSUME it was a trim system failure. However, while the jackscrew is part of the trim system, it was not the trim system that failed. Rather it was the jackscrew acme nut that failed resulting in the excessive deflection of the horizontal stabilizer beyond controllable limits.

Personally, I'd refrain from commenting on accidents you have no knowledge about, especially if you're relying on Wikipedia for the "facts."

HA717

I know the crew that worked the flight. Flown with the captain as well...both very good reputations.