Air Astana E190 upset linked to maintenance failure

An Air Astana E190 that almost crashed during a ferry flight to Astana, was found to have reversed aileron cables during the investigation. The aircraft had gone in for scheduled maintenance at Alverca do Ribatejo, and was departing via Minsk on 11 November. The crew lost control after takeoff, and were considering ditching the aircraft in the ocean. They were eventually able to land, after three attempts, at Beja.

The aircraft had been modified, via service bulletin, so that the cables no longer ran through a support near rib 21 in the wing. Somewhere between rib 19, and 23, the cables were inverted, resulting in the controls moving opposite of the input. At one point, the pilots had input hard right aileron, and the aircraft rolled 90+ degrees left. Investigators are trying to determine why a "No Dispatch" message involving flight controls was ignored, as well as why flight control checks by the crew didn't catch the problem. The aircraft suffered significant damage, and is being evaluated by the airline.

Portuguese investigators have found that an Embraer 190’s aileron cables had been incorrectly rigged before a ferry flight during which the pilots experienced severe in-flight control problems.

The Air Astana aircraft had undergone scheduled maintenance at the OGMA facility at Alverca do Ribatejo before its departure for Almaty, via Minsk, on 11 November last year.

But its crew struggled with serious instability almost immediately after the aircraft took off, with abnormal attitudes, oscillations, momentary losses of control, and high structural loads during recovery manoeuvring.

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a reply to: Zaphod58

The crew lost control after takeoff, and were considering ditching the aircraft in the ocean. They were eventually able to land, after three attempts, at Beja.

Do you think the pilot realized the inputs they were giving the controls were reacting opposite and that is how they managed to land the craft safely? Great job however they got it down safe.

a reply to: LookingAtMars

They must have eventually to get it under control well enough to land. A lot of people need to be suspended and retrained at best.