# Incident 20111030026429I: Grumman American Avn. Corp. AA-5B, Santa Paula, CA, October 30, 2011

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 30, 2011, 16:45 local time
- Place: Santa Paula, CA
- Airport: Santa Paula
- Damage: No damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.3470° N, 119.0616° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at SANTA PAULA (SZP), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.3470&lon=-119.0616&mi=10
- Aircraft: N28618, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N28618) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Grumman American Avn. AA-5B (registry code 3960105, https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-american-avn-aa-5b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: GRUMMAN AMERICAN AVN. CORP. AA-5B
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20111030026429I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

AFTER DEPARTURE FROM SZP, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED A FLIGHT CONTROL MALFUNCTION WHEN THE RIGHT AILERON DISCONNECTED FROM THE CONTROL SYSTEM (THE LEFT AILERON WAS STILL FUNCTIONAL). THE AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT AND LANDED SAFELY. UPON INVESTIGATION BY THE FAA INSPECTOR, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE RIGHT AILERON CONTROL TORQUE TUBE HAD BECOME DISCONNECTED FROM THE RIGHT AILERON CONTROL HORN. THE BOLT/NUT ASSEMBLY THAT CONNECTS THIS AILERON TORQUE TUBE TO THE CONTROL HORN HAD WORKED ITS WAY OUT AND WAS LYING LOOSE ON THE CABIN FLOOR. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AILERON TORQUE TUBE, CONTROL HORN, NUT AND BOLT REVEALED NO DEFECTS. THE NUT (LOCKING TYPE) HAD PLENTY OF RUN-ON TORQURE. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT RECORDS INDICATED THAT BOTH AILERON ASSEMBLIES, INCLUDING TORQUE TUBES, HAD RECENTLY BEEN REMOVED FROM THE WINGS TO COMPLY WITH THE REPETITIVE INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS (EVERY 100 HOURS) OF AD 79-22-004, PARAGRAPHS (A) AND (B). NOTE: THE TORQUE TUBE/CONTROL HORNS ARE CONNECTED IN AN AREA THAT IS LOCATED BENEATH THE REAR SEAT AND NOT VISIBLE DURING A PREFLIGHT. IT IS DETERMINED THAT THE CAUSE OF THIS FLIGHT CONTROL MALFUNCTION IS MAINTENANCE RELATED.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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