Citation V/Ultra/Encore (C560)
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Troubleshooting
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General Maintenance Action
Procedure; Human Factors; Aircraft
The intent of this report to question why a NRFO (Non Routine Flight Operations) Operational Check flight was not performed after performing maintenance to address an inflight airframe vibration problem.The previous crew had written up the aircraft as having an inflight vibration at 240-250 knots. The maintenance corrective action was to replace the elevator trim rod bearings. The aircraft was then released for service on the line. I questioned [Maintenance] why an OCF (Operational Check Flight) was not being done since the maintenance performed involved flight controls and there was nothing conclusive that replacing trim rod bearings fixed the vibration issue. I was told by Maintenance that an OCF was not required because none of the flight controls had been removed.The next morning; during the preflight inspection I observed that the Horizontal Stabilizer position black line was in the wrong full down position; not full up as it should be. Maintenance said to send it in as an AOG (Aircraft on Ground). The corrective action for the [Horizontal Stabilizer] miscompare was to start an engine and cycle the flaps up and down until it appeared to sync the stab with the flap setting. Aircraft was again released from Maintenance.Later that day; after we were in duty rest; we received a general message request asking if we would come on duty three hours earlier than briefed the next morning to do a 'high profile' passenger trip in the morning. Although concerned that the aircraft had not undergone an OCF to determine if the flight vibration issue was resolved; we did agree to come on early and do the passenger trip in the morning. However; as things often change; another crew was put on the aircraft the night prior to our morning passenger trip. They were to ferry somewhere for a passenger recovery flight. They reported that after takeoff; both the electric and manual elevator trims jammed. They had to burn off about 45 minutes of fuel to reach maximum landing weight; at night in mountainous terrain. If they had not done what essentially turned out to be an unplanned OCF; the jammed trims would have happened with us the next morning with high profile passengers aboard.Had an NRFO OCF been performed; it would have been with an experienced NRFO crew; in day VMC; no passengers and a lighter fuel load that would allow for an immediate return to the departure airport.
CE560 Captain reported that after maintenance was performed on the aircraft a flight check was not accomplished.