A DHC6-300 IN CRUISE AT 6500 FT RETURNED TO THE FIELD DUE TO DIFFICULT R AILERON CTL CAUSED BY A RIVET JAMMED IN A CABLE PULLEY.

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ON JUN/XA/98 IN ACFT XYZ WITH MYSELF AND FO (FO WAS PF); WE NOTICED THE ACFT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO ROLL TO THE R. ROLL TO THE L WAS NORMAL. AFTER AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG DUE TO GOOD PLANNING AND BOTH CREW HANDLING THE ACFT; A FAR PART 121 MECH DISCOVERED THAT A RENEGADE RIVET HAD BEEN KNOCKED INTO AN AREA OF THE AILERON CTLS BECOMING LODGED IN THE CABLE/PULLEY PART OF THE AILERON SYS. THE MECH (FROM A PART 121 CARRIER) SPOKE WITH OUR MAINT BASE. ALL MECHS AND FLC DECIDED THAT THE ACFT COULD SAFELY BE FLOWN HOME ON A SPECIAL FLT PERMIT. THE MECH REMOVED THE RIVET (WHICH CAUSED A VERY SLIGHT FRAY IN THE CABLE). HE THEN SIGNED OFF THE SQUAWK AND FILLED OUT AND SIGNED THE APPROPRIATE 'SPECIAL FLT PERMIT.' WE FERRIED THE ACFT BACK TO OUR BASE AT ZZZ UNEVENTFULLY. UPON LNDG; WE TURNED IN ALL THE APPROPRIATE PAPERWORK (INCLUDING THE SPECIAL FLT PERMIT) TO OUR MAINT STAFF. ON JUN/XB/98 I WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAA NEEDED TO SEE THE SPECIAL FLT PERMIT WHICH IS NOW 'MISSING.' I'M TOLD THAT THE FAA MAY ACCUSE ME AND MY FO OF FLYING WITHOUT THE APPROPRIATE PAPERWORK. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS; SINCE I DID MY JOB AND MY FO DID HIS. THE MAINT STAFF APPARENTLY LOST THIS PAPERWORK AFTER WE TURNED IT IN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE CAUSE OF THE STIFF R AILERON WAS A JAMMED RIVET IN THE AILERON PULLEY CABLE ASSEMBLY. THE RPTR SAID THE RIVET WAS NOT ACFT HARDWARE BUT A BOOK BINDER RIVET. THE RPTR SAID AN ACR MECH FOUND AND REMOVED THE RIVET AND THEN TALKED TO THEIR MAINT CTL AND AGREED TO PERFORM THE REQUIRED MAINT FERRY INSPECTION AND SIGN THE LOGBOOK. THE RPTR STATED THE APPROVAL FOR THE MAINT FERRY FLT CAME FROM THE ACR MAINT CTL. THE RPTR STATED THAT SEVERAL DAYS LATER THE FAA WANTED TO REVIEW THE FERRY PERMIT BUT IT WAS DISCOVERED MISSING.