We departed Runway XX in ZZZ, at approximately 2,000 ft and 210 kts,
we received EICAS message ""Yaw Damper Fail"" and moments later
followed by ""Rudder System 1-2 INOP.""
Asked the First Officer (FO)
who was pilot flying, ´how does the aircraft feel? If you need the rudders
they will feel stiff and require more pressure.´FO was pilot flying (PF and I
transferred radios to him, and I began to run the QRH for ´Rudder
System 1-2 INOP.´ Completed the QRH and pushed out the Rudder
Shutoff 2. This then only showed Rudder System 2 INOP.We elected to
continue to ZZZ1 since there are longer runways, larger emergency
vehicle presence, and we needed time to complete the QRH. ZZZ had
Runway XY/XZ closed.After we had completed the QRH for the Rudder
System INOP, we then completed the QRH for ´Yaw Damper Fail.´ We
were then able to regain the Yaw Damper and Autopilot.We [requested
priority handling] with ZZZ Approach, requested Runway XAC, and asked
for emergency vehicles to standby as a precautionary measure. ZZZ
Approach gave us priority handing and had us go direct to ZZZZZ and
descend and maintain 8,000 from 12,000 and expect the Visual XAC. I
(pilot monitoring (PM)) set up the Flight Instruments, Radios, and FMS for
Runway XAC and briefed the approach while the FO was pilot flying (PF).
Advised the Flight Attendant (FA) what was occurring and that it was a
precautionary landing and we did not plan to evacuate. I then made an
announcement to the passengers advising them of the precautionary anding, and to remain seated with seatbelts fastened. The message to
Dispatch did not send advising of our problem. We later saw it never sent
once we were safely on the ground taxing to the gate.With this priority
handling we were given direct ZZZZZ and then once closer we were
given a heading of 030 to join the LOC and cleared for the visual
approach Runway XAC. ZZZ Approach advised that we were in trail of a
heavy. Thankfully we were high and stayed away from the heavy´s wake.
With the priority handling and short cut from the arrival onto the
approach, ZZZ Approach still had us high and having us descent at
1,500 FPM or greater to get on glide slope. Once established on the final
approach course and descent checklist complete, we had a possible
transfer of controls where I became PF and FO became PM.Autopilot
was disengaged at approximately 4,000 ft, as a way to better feel the
plane´s handling characteristics and to more easily get on glide slope
and on speed for the visual approach XAC by the FAF. By 3000 ft we
captured glide slope. The flight controls were feeling as normal and the
redundancy in the rudder system was working correctly. We safely
landed on Runway XAC. Once at a safe speed I used the tiler to slightly
maneuver the nose wheel to the right to make sure we had nose wheel
steer. We did have nose wheel steering and cleared the runway at
Taxiway 1 and pulled into the ramp at [spot] XX and set the parking
brake. We then cancelled the [priority handling] since we had operable
steering and then completed the after landing checklist. I advised the FA
and passengers that we safely landed in ZZZ and to remain seated with
seatbelts fastened and that we were going to shortly start moving again
on the ramp on our way to our assigned gate.Upon taxing to the gate we
messaged Dispatch about the priority handling and system failure, and
then called ZZZ Operations to advise them to have extra staff on hand at
the gate to answer any passenger questions and concerns after the
event. This way it provided the FA some help with assisting passengers.
FO completed a post flight inspection of the hydraulic systems and the
aircraft and everything looked normal. Reported the incident with
Maintenance Control and Dispatch and answered all questions asked.
Completed logbook entries for the Rudder System Failure. Aircraft had
recently come out of a heavy check and had been in long term
storage.The training department has done a great job with training us
pilots and flight attendants. The procedures and training in place helped
maintain positive control of the aircraft and successfully determine the
priority of which EICAS indications to tackle first. FA stayed calm, cool,
and collected. This assured passengers everything would be okay. FO
was a rockstar.! He handled radios and flying the aircraft by hand while I
completed the QRH to try and regain at least one of the rudder systems
and then once safe we engaged the autopilot to test it integrity and
reduce his work load while I was doing procedures.
Report Summary: Shortly after departure, the crew received EICAS messages for a 'Yaw Damper Fail' and 'Rudder System 1-2 INOP'. The crew ran the appropriate checklists, regained some system functionality, and requested priority handling for a precautionary landing at an airport with longer runways and larger emergency vehicle presence. The aircraft landed safely on Runway XAC after the crew flew a visual approach to assess the aircraft's handling characteristics. Contributing Factors: - Aircraft had recently come out of a heavy check; - Aircraft had been in long term storage; Events: - Yaw Damper Fail; - Rudder System Failure; Flight Phases - Climb; - Landing; Outcomes (Severity) - Precautionary landing Aircraft Components: - Yaw Damper; - Rudder Shutoff 2; - Rudder System 1-2; - Nose wheel; Immediate Action Taken: - Ran the QRH for 'Rudder System 1-2 INOP'; - Shutoff 2; - Completed the QRH for 'Yaw Damper Fail'; - Requested priority handling; - Asked for emergency vehicles to standby; - Made an announcement to the passengers; - Disengaged Autopilot to feel the plane's handling characteristics; - Reported the incident with Maintenance Control and Dispatch; - Completed logbook entries; ATC Instructions: - Gave us priority handing; - Go direct to ZZZZZ; - Descend and maintain 8,000; - Expect the Visual XAC; - Given a heading of 030 to join the LOC; - Cleared for the visual approach Runway XAC; Altitude Flight Levels: - 2,000 ft; - 12,000 ft; - 8,000 ft; - 4,000 ft; - 3000 ft;