What happened
Shortly after departing, while maintaining an altitude between 200 and 300 feet above the ground, a section of fabric detached from the right aileron of the unspecified aircraft type. During subsequent maneuvers to manage the flight, the pilot experienced a loss of resistance in the control wheel. In response to this loss of control feel, the pilot decided to perform an emergency ditching, utilizing differential engine power and full rudder input to guide the aircraft down.
The aircraft was carrying two occupants: the pilot and a mechanic employed by the operator, who also held private pilot ratings for both single and multi-engine aircraft. During the event, the passenger noted that the controls appeared to be functioning normally, though the pilot proceeded with the ditching maneuver regardless.
Findings
Post-accident investigations determined that the aileron control chain had failed due to an overload condition. This failure was triggered by excessive force applied to the control wheel during the flight. While the fabric separation on the right aileron was a primary contributing factor, the investigation concluded that the pilot's decision to ditch the aircraft was improper, as the aircraft remained controllable via the right-side control yoke, which still exhibited correct aileron movement.