MAYVILLE, NY, USA
N17EW
ROLLADEN-SCHNEIDER LSIF SAILPLANE
THE PILOT HAD BEEN AIRBORNE FOR OVER TWO HOURS AND WAS MANEUVERED IN A LEFT TURN, IN A THERMAL WITH SOME TURBULENCE WHEN THE CONTROL STICK WENT FULL LEFT AND HE WAS UNABLE TO PULL THE STICK FREE AND REGAIN CONTROL OF THE GLIDER. HE JETTISONED THE CANOPY, EXITED THE GLIDER, AND DEPLOYED HIS PARACHUTE. THE GLIDER COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING ITS UNCONTROLLED DESCENT TO THE GROUND. POST CRASH EXAMINATION BY THE FAA DISCLOSED THE AILERON PUSH ROD ON THE LEFT WING WAS BENT IN AN UPWARD DIRECTION. THIS OCCURRED DURING DISASSEMBLY WHEN THE WINGS WERE REMOVED FOR STORAGE ON A TRAILER. THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE LEFT WING WAS ALLOWED TO DROP, WHICH BENT THE PUSH ROD UPWARD. WHEN THE CONTROL STICK WAS MOVED TO FULL LEFT, THE RIVET ON TOP OF THE AILERON PUSH ROD MADE CONTACT WITH THE COLLAR AROUND THE AILERON PUSH ROD AND THE AILERON CONTROL JAMMED.
JAMMED FLIGHT CONTROLS IN FLIGHT DUE TO A BENT AILERON PUSH-ROD.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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