Accident Overview
During a cruise flight, the left aileron separated from one of its attach points. The pilot subsequently performed a forced landing to a field. Prior to the accident flight, the airplane had undergone maintenance to address two outstanding service bulletins. Compliance with one of the service bulletins involved the removal and reinstallation of the left aileron.
Flight and Emergency Response
The pilot confirmed with service center personnel that the maintenance was completed and then conducted a preflight inspection. After departure, the airplane leveled at 2,000 feet mean sea level (msl) for approximately one minute. At that time, the pilot noticed the airplane began "pulling" to the left, and the left aileron had separated at one hinge attach point. The pilot steered the airplane toward an unpopulated area, shut down the engine, and deployed the aircraft's ballistic parachute system. The airplane descended under the parachute canopy and came to rest upright in a field of mesquite trees.
Examination and Findings
Examination of the left aileron and the airframe aileron hinges revealed that the outboard aileron hinge bolt was missing, and no evidence of safety wire was noted. According to maintenance manual procedures, the bolt and washer hardware were to be torqued to a measured 20-25 inch-pounds and then safety wired to an actuation fitting. After installation, the manual required verification of proper hinge bolt installation and torque on the outboard hinge.