"We can't pitch down!": Pilots' heroic actions save flight during terrifying malfunction

Just moments after taking off from Atlanta's runway 09L, at roughly 2,200 feet, the crew of Brickyard Flight 4439 encountered a pilot’s worst nightmare: the plane’s pitch trim system suddenly went rogue. Pitch trim controls the angle of the aircraft’s nose—crucial for stable flight. As the captain realized he couldn't engage the autopilot, he immediately knew something was seriously wrong, as reported by The Aviation Herald.

As the plane began pitching sharply upward, both pilots had to physically wrestle their controls, fighting desperately to push the nose down. They quickly declared an emergency to air traffic control, reporting they had a "trim runaway" and were in a terrifying "stalling situation," unable to lower their nose.

With immense physical effort, both pilots strained against the plane’s relentless upward thrust. The situation rapidly intensified as the horizontal stabilizer—the component responsible for pitch—became stuck in a dangerously steep angle, forcing the plane into violent oscillations that reached as much as 27 degrees.

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Air traffic control immediately jumped into action, clearing airspace and offering emergency assistance. But despite ATC's help, the plane was still dangerously out of control. "We can't pitch down," the crew desperately informed controllers as the aircraft inexplicably climbed, then descended erratically, forcing the pilots into an exhausting fight for their lives.

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One of the passengers on the flight, Austin Chen, vividly recalled the terrifying experience. "I knew something was wrong the second we took off," Chen shared in a YouTube comment.

"The pilots looked absolutely exhausted and in shock when they came out of the cockpit. It was definitely the scariest thing I’ve ever experienced."

In an extraordinary display of calm under pressure, the crew worked together to regain control. Recognizing that the malfunctioning trim system might be reversed, the captain decisively switched to the alternate control, finally stabilizing the aircraft enough to prepare for landing.

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The incident, which occurred in November 2018, received little media coverage at the time but has gained attention recently due to increased scrutiny around airline safety following a series of high-profile mishaps. The pilots' quick thinking and extraordinary teamwork deserve renewed recognition, illustrating the vital role human judgment plays in aviation safety.

The plane safely touched down on runway 10 approximately 19 minutes after departure. After landing, air traffic controllers and fellow pilots openly expressed admiration for the crew’s skillful handling of the crisis. A nearby Delta pilot chimed in over the radio, simply stating: "Nice job, guys."

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The subsequent investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed a troubling series of errors. Earlier that day, maintenance personnel had partially removed and reinstalled the captain’s pitch trim switch upside down without a proper functional test. This meant that when the captain tried to lower the plane’s nose, he unintentionally commanded it to rise even higher.

"It cannot be overstated how close they came to disaster," another E175 pilot, who identified themselves as @fastfiddler1625 on YouTube, explained.

"A pitch trim runaway is one of the worst things you can face in a plane. It’s fast and insidious."

Despite the harrowing situation, the pilots’ quick thinking and extraordinary teamwork turned a potential tragedy into a successful emergency landing, a testament to their training and courage. Fellow pilots and passengers alike expressed deep gratitude for the crew's extraordinary performance.

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Passenger Austin Chen summed up the feelings onboard best: "I shook both of their hands and I wish I could contact them again to tell them how much I appreciate how amazing they were."