On June 19, 1999, a Cessna A188B (registration N53198) operated by Michael Lewis was involved in an aviation accident near Glen Allan, MS. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The left aileron control bolt separated; the bolt was too short and did not protrude through the nylon lock nut, and the rod-end bearing was seized. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During a field survey flight, the pilot experienced loss of control and executed a forced landing. Examination revealed a separated aileron control bolt that was too short, and a seized rod-end bearing.
Incident Summary
The pilot of an airplane conducting a field survey for future work reported that the aircraft became uncontrollable. The pilot selected an emergency landing area and performed a forced landing in a field. During the landing, the left wing collided with the ground, causing the airplane to cartwheel and sustain structural damage.
Examination Findings
Following the incident, the pilot reported that the left aileron control bolt had separated from the control surface. When the left aileron was removed from the airframe, the missing bolt was recovered from the inter-structure of the wing area. The bolt was reinstalled through the aileron assembly, and appeared to provide enough thread material to secure the assembly. Further examination of the bolt assembly revealed that the bolt connecting the forward end of the control rod to the bell crank was too short and did not protrude through the nylon lock on the nut. Additionally, the rod-end bearing was seized and would not move.
Probable cause
The left aileron control bolt separated; the bolt was too short and did not protrude through the nylon lock nut, and the rod-end bearing was seized.
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