Date: 201701
Local time of day: 0601-1200
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Flight conditions: IMC
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: Regional Jet 200 ER/LR (CRJ200)
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Ferry / Re-Positioning
Flight phase: Final Approach; Takeoff / Launch
Airspace: Class B ZZZ
ATC / advisory: TRACON ZZZ
Aircraft component: Aileron Trim System
Component problem: Malfunctioning
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain; Pilot Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Troubleshooting
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Contributing factors: Aircraft
Primary problem: Aircraft

Narrative: Aircraft Ferry flight to deliver CRJ-200 to the Maintenance Hangar. Departing; [we] received EFIS Comp Mon at or around V1; continued takeoff. Rotated and on climbout; [the] aircraft turned to the left. Pilot Flying (PF) was hand flying aircraft; as 600 feet AGL had not been reached.  Aircraft was a small amount left of RNAV departure lateral course. Captain was pilot flying; crosschecked MFDs and heading; they were approximately 15-20 degrees off. Standby magnetic compass crosschecked but aircraft was climbing and accelerating so standby-compass was not reliable. Conditions were broken to overcast so no visual reference. Referenced PFD and MFD for RNAV course line. Aircraft needed a great deal of right control wheel input to maintain straight flight. This is why aircraft was left of course line. The control wheel input to stay straight in [this aircraft] would have commanded a banked turn in any other CRJ I have flown so aircraft had drifted left. Workload increased trying to keep aircraft straight and figure out which heading indicator was correct. After gear and flaps retracted aircraft stayed straight without much control wheel input. It appeared once the aircraft gear and flaps were retracted aileron trim was centered and plane stayed straight. Re-engaged autopilot. Checked in with approach and approach asked us if we were back on the departure. We advised we had previously had an avionics issue but we were back on the departure. At this time we were back on the departure with autopilot engaged normal trim indications (just a small amount of rudder trim needed to center brick); EFIS COMP MON QRH procedures completed; and the associated caution message extinguished. In cruise aircraft performed with no issues. I wondered if any of the turning had been pilot induced due to the EFIS COMP MON and IMC broken layer. However on approach into [to destination]; on final segment of approach; once gear and flaps deployed; autopilot commanded right control wheel input and the aileron trim indicator was moving rapidly to the full right wing down position. Disconnected the autopilot in fear of a PCU runaway (that's how fast and how much trim was commanded by autopilot) and maintained manual control. With extreme amount of right wing down aileron trim airplane flew straight on approach. Completed approach and landing without incident. Advised the Maintenance personnel of aircraft discrepancy.




Synopsis: CRJ-200 was being ferried to a maintenance base and experienced rolling flight control forces shortly after liftoff. Flight crew was able to maintain control and continued to their destination.