Bill Howard:
NTSB Identification: NYC87LA029
Accident occurred Saturday, November 01, 1986 in SELKIRK, NY
Aircraft: BEECH 19, registration: N6552R
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.
PILOT ATTEMPTED A LANDING WITHOUT LEFT AILERON CONTROL. THE AIRCRAFT TURNED RIGHT THEN WENT INTO AN UNCONTROLLABLE SLOW SPIRAL TO THE GROUND. THE FAILED CONTROL ROD END BEARINGS SHOWED EVIDENCE DURING POST ACC INVEST THAT THEY HAD NOT BEEN LUBRICATED FOR A LONG TIME. ONE CONTROL ROD P.N 169-524035-3 WAS FOUND SEPARATED AT THE P/N 169-3880082-3.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
FLIGHT CONTROL,AILERON TAB..SEPARATION
FLIGHT CONTROL,AILERON ATTACHMENT..MOVEMENT RESTRICTED
MAINTENANCE,LUBRICATION..INADEQUATE.
What’s the story on lubrication of the aileron pushrod rod-ends?
If memory serves, there is an SB on aileron rod-end lubrication, as well as previous Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA. The core problem seems to be that people regularly lubricate the aft rod end, which is accessed by removal of the small squarish cover on the top surface, at the inboard end of the aileron. Unfortunately, many people fail to make the effort to access and lube the forward rod-end.
One handy tool is an inexpensive hand-pump oil can, that has had the nozzle internally tapped to a 6-32 or 8-32 thread. Then a suitable length of 1/8″ copper tubing can be threaded to the matching thread size, and screwed into the pump nozzle with a dab of red Loctite (while all is clean and dry). This setup can be bent as needed for a given location, but remains stiff enough to get oil where you need it. It gives you the ability to get 30-weight oil into bushings and rod-ends that are otherwise rather difficult to reach. This is one of the cases in which the heavier motor oil can be a better solution than a product like LPS-2, as long as the rod-end ball is still free-moving. It takes up clearance a bit better, and areas like that are usually somewhat protected from weathering (so the regular oil holds up better).
Don’t try to salvage bad rod-ends. If they are corroded or stiff, or have noticeable play, just replace them all. There ia almost no labor difference in doing the aft end, if you have to do the forward end. They are not that expensive; and the ones you put in will probably last the life of the airframe if you lube them properly. These are standard Heim joints (standard aircraft hardware), and not the Magnafluxed joints (“M” part number suffix) sometimes called out for Bonanzas.
CAUTION! Make certain that the rigging winds up correct following this work!