What happened
Witnesses reported that as soon as the Piper J5A, registration N35826, became airborne, it entered a steeply banked left turn. The aircraft subsequently descended into a tree and struck the ground.
The investigation
An examination of the flight control system identified a broken right aileron bracket and a tear in the sheet metal located aft of this bracket. A metallurgical examination determined that this damage had occurred prior to the accident.
Two days before the accident, a private pilot observed the right aileron of N35826 flapping up and down during a wind and rain storm, while the left aileron remained streamlined. An expert report suggested that a nut became caught on the torn trailing edge, which jammed the aileron bellcrank and resulted in a loss of control.
Findings
- The aircraft's annual inspection was overdue by one month.
- The Piper service manual and bulletins recommended regular inspections of the bellcrank assembly.