Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Commercial
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 243; Flight Crew Total 5844; Flight Crew Type 2000
Troubleshooting
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; General Maintenance Action; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed
Human Factors; Aircraft; Procedure
On a training/currency flight with Private Pilot/student; airplane started pitching up slightly nose high. Pilot was adjusting trim; and at some point I told [pilot]that 'you are adjusting trim wrong direction'. Couple seconds later I noticed that pilot had trouble controlling airplane; and I took over. Pilot confirmed that 'trim is all the way nose down'; and I confirmed same after leveling airplane off; as well as status of Autopilot and electric trim. I asked tower to return to the field and landed on the active runway forcing controls down. After landing; we found out that trim was actually moving wrong direction (and in fact was all the way 'nose up'); due to mechanical issue/error. Neither of us were aware of recent repairs being performed on the plane; nor need for a test flight. I'm not sure about a chain of events leading to dispatching airplane as airworthy which must be grounded due to ongoing repairs.
C172 instructor reported electing to take control of aircraft and return to the airport after they had a trim malfunction.