EMB ERJ 145 ER/LR
Flight Crew Commercial
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; General Declared Emergency
Aircraft
While cruising at 31;000 FT the autopilot started oscillating above and below the altitude by a couple hundred feet. Then the autopilot failed. The Captain took control and flew the airplane and noticed that the elevator was not very effective. We descended out of RVSM airspace to comply with the regulations. We decided that it was a jammed elevator and did the memory item and QRH procedures for the event. Upon pulling the elevator disconnect we found that the Captain's side was still jammed but the First Officer side was free. We were at this point descending; so we determined it would be best to declare an emergency with Approach Control and land as scheduled.
EMB-145LR flight crew reported a jammed elevator in cruise flight at FL310. They declared an emergency and per the procedure pulled the elevator disconnect and freed the First Officer's elevator; allowing them to continue to a normal landing.