Citationjet (C525/C526) - CJ I / II / III / IV
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 250; Flight Crew Total 9700; Flight Crew Type 300
Training / Qualification; Fatigue; Confusion
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control
Flight Crew Regained Aircraft Control; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; General Declared Emergency
Human Factors
Over 1;000 hours in Citation 525; yet only 150 hours in Citation M2. Ferrying a Citation M2.  Upon starting the initial descent I noticed the throttles were too loose and that the Throttle Friction Lock needed tightening.  I looked down and spotted the Throttle Friction knob at the rear of the center pedestal. I slowly turned it to the right and the knob had TONS of play in it.  This confirmed for me that the throttle friction lock had an issue.  I slowly began to tighten the knob when the plane went into ALT mode (Altitude Hold) at FL240.  I powered up to maintain speed. As I leveled off at FL240 I got the Master Caution and received a CAS message for the CABIN DOOR.  I donned my O2 mask.  Familiar with the plane I figured this was related to condensation freezing near the door sensor and thus triggering the sensor.  As I cross checked my instruments I noticed that my aircraft was slowly deviating from the LNAV/FMS course.  I immediately notified Center that I had some issue with Lateral Nav and asked for latitude which was granted.  Oxygen mask now off and stowed; I began to slowly investigate the problem.  Why was the plane turning to the right and the autopilot (A/P) not able to maintain the LNAV/FMS course? I wondered if the trim was out of whack so I disconnected the A/P and immediately found myself banked over 30 degrees.  I declared an emergency with the Center due to a flight control problem and continued to investigate.  I then looked down and the light went off in my head that the knob I had been turning was not the Throttle Friction Lock but the AILERON TRIM!!  I retrimmed the aircraft back to neutral.  Made sure it could fly straight and level with no problem and then reengaged the A/P.  I then cancelled emergency status with ATC. Contributing Factor to my error:  Garmin G3000 on the M2 does not display an electronic trim indicator like the Citation Mustang that has the Garmin G1000.  If the M2 had an electronic trim indication I'm certain I wouldn't have made this error. Additionally; because of a late flight arriving at 3 am and having to meet the owner at 8 am; I only got 4 hours of sleep plus a 1 hour nap at the Delivery Center prior to departure upon finding a squawk that needed fixing.
Citation M2 pilot learns that the friction lock is not in the same location as in the CE525. Inadvertent aileron trim is introduced causing a momentary loss of control. Fatigue and the lack of a trim indicator in the G3000 equipped M2 were cited as factors.