KPMD Pilot Initial Qualification Exercise Practice Test

When the stabilizer trim keeps moving after you’ve cut power or input, you’re facing a runaway trim condition. The immediate danger is a rapid, uncontrollable pitch change that can overwhelm your ability to fly the airplane. Grasping the manual trim wheel quickly and applying firm, steady pressure is the best first response because it gives you a direct, mechanical means to oppose the actuator’s movement. The wheel allows you to arrest the trim motion right away, preserving control of the aircraft while you stop the runaway and diagnose the cause. Maintaining a solid hold on the wheel until the motion is stopped buys you crucial time to follow the appropriate checklist steps (such as disengaging autopilot and identifying how to isolate the trim system) without losing pitch control. Why not rely on circuit breakers or waiting to see if the motion stops on its own? Pulling a circuit breaker can interrupt other systems and may not stop the trim promptly, and electing to do nothing allows the aircraft to continue pitching undesirably. Quick manual intervention provides the fastest, most reliable means to regain stability, after which you can execute the proper procedures to isolate the trim system and safely manage the rest of the flight.