Introduction
A post-takeoff accident occurred when the left aileron control cable failed shortly after departure. The cable, which had been in service since the aircraft's purchase in 1958, failed in the vicinity of a pulley near the right aft door post.
Sequence of Events
After takeoff, the pilot experienced a failure of the left aileron control cable. To counteract the resulting roll tendency, the pilot applied full right aileron, which kept the airplane from rolling excessively. The pilot then remained in the traffic pattern to return for landing.
During the base leg of the approach, the pilot selected full flaps. At that point, the airplane began to roll left, and the ailerons no longer responded to control inputs. The airplane subsequently impacted the ground with the left wing down and came to rest inverted.
Examination Findings
A metallurgical examination of the failed cable was conducted. The examination revealed that the cable was corroded in the area of the failure. The aircraft had last received a 100-hour annual inspection on October 3, 1992, and had flown approximately one hour since that inspection. The airplane had been tied down outdoors for most of its service life since its purchase in 1958. The failed aileron control cable was the original cable installed on the aircraft.