Citation Excel (C560XL)
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine
Workload; Human-Machine Interface; Distraction; Confusion
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe
Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Regained Aircraft Control
Aircraft
Prior to takeoff all checks had been completed; trim was in the middle of [the] Take Off window; flaps 7 were set and no caution lights were illuminated.  Immediately after liftoff and prior to flaps up the Pilot Flying complained of excessive pitch up forces and was using a great deal of force to keep the aircraft from over pitching.   When I checked it appeared to be between 15 to 20 degrees pitch up.  He rolled in a great deal of nose down pitch with the manual trim wheel; we raised flaps and continued the flight uneventfully.  Once we were able we referred to the QRH and did not find anything specific to this condition.  I emailed Flight Control and Maintenance Control to inform them of the situation and we continued on to our destination.  On the prior flight as pilot flying I had experienced some additional nose up force but not to the degree the pilot flying today experienced.  I was able to control the pitch up with yoke input and electric trim so I did not write it up as I did not think it was a maintenance issue with the airplane. The Pilot Flying contacted an experienced company pilot who informed him that he had this happen before and it was due to the trim rigging coming out of adjustment so that the trim position in the cockpit was not indicating correctly which makes sense.  I do not know if that is the issue with the aircraft in today's flight but if it is; we should be providing training of the possibility and how to react to it such as having both pilots apply pressure to the yoke.  While it is similar to a run away pitch trim that is a gradual change while this was immediate.  Awareness of this possibility would allow pilots who experience some extra pitch forces as I had the day before may consider that it is a precursor to something going wrong with the airplane.
A Citation pilot reported experiencing their aircraft unexpectedly pitched up on two different occasions and was informed by another pilot they had experienced the same issue.