An American Eagle Embraer ERJ-170 operating on behalf of American Airlines was forced to return to Chicago O’Hare International Airport after the captain reported that the aircraft’s control yoke had become loose shortly after departure.
Flight AA-3551, operated by Envoy Air, was travelling from Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) to Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) with 52 people on board when the problem developed.
Flight tracking data confirms that the aircraft subsequently returned to Chicago, with the flight recorded as diverted back to its departure airport.
Control problem develops after departure
The Embraer ERJ-170 departed from Chicago O’Hare’s Runway 09C bound for Minneapolis.
During the initial climb, the crew stopped the aircraft’s climb at approximately 9,000 feet after the captain reported that his control yoke had become loose.
The first officer subsequently took control of the aircraft as the crew assessed the situation.
A problem involving an aircraft’s control yoke is potentially serious because the yoke is used by pilots to control the aircraft’s pitch and roll through the associated flight-control systems.
Rather than continuing towards Minneapolis, the crew elected to return to Chicago and land the aircraft.
The decision allowed the crew to deal with the problem close to their departure airport while also providing access to maintenance facilities and emergency services if required.
Aircraft returns safely to Chicago
The E170 subsequently descended back towards O’Hare, where it landed safely on Runway 10C approximately 25 minutes after departing.
Flight tracking information from Flightradar24 records AA3551 on September 10 as departing Chicago O’Hare before being diverted back to the same airport.
The aircraft’s history identifies the flight as an American Airlines service operated by Envoy Air.
There were no reports of injuries among the 52 occupants as a result of the incident.
The aircraft involved was registered N781EJ, an Embraer E170SU operated by Envoy Air for American Eagle. Flightradar24 identifies the aircraft as an E170 operated by Envoy, carrying the American Airlines flight code.
A 20-year-old Embraer E170
As per Planespotters.net, N781EJ, the aircraft impacted by the Chicago incident, carries manufacturer serial number 17000148 and was built at Embraer’s production facility in São José dos Campos, Brazil.
The aircraft is approximately 20 years old and is configured as an ERJ-170SU, based on the ERJ-170-100 SE variant.
Its operator history shows that the aircraft has previously been operated by several regional carriers before entering Envoy’s fleet.
The aircraft’s history also shows previous operation with Republic Airlines and American Eagle, reflecting the E170’s long career within the US regional airline market.
Investigation expected following Chicago incident…
The precise cause of the loose control yoke had not been established in the information available at the time of writing.
Maintenance personnel will be expected to inspect the aircraft’s flight-control system to determine why the captain’s yoke developed the reported abnormal movement.
For the crew, returning to Chicago represented a cautious response to an unusual flight-control indication.
The successful landing brought the 52 passengers and crew back to the airport without further incident, while the aircraft could be removed from service for inspection.
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