Flashlight left in wing causes aileron cable to bind.

Attributes
ACN	181701
Time
Date	199106
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : jfk airport : kjf
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	181701
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On departure from jfk passing through about 1000' MSL, aileron controls felt stiff and sluggish. Aircraft was ctlable, but the situation certainly wasn't normal. We advised ATC we were having minor control problems and wished to return to jfk. After landing, we found control yoke could be moved full left but only about 1/2 to the right. Ailerons felt extremely stiff. Upon inspection, maintenance found a flashlight (2 D cell, yellow plastic) inside the right wing, causing the aileron cable to bind. Initial speculation says it was probably left there during a recent wing box mod.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLASHLIGHT LEFT IN WING CAUSES AILERON CABLE TO BIND.

Narrative: ON DEP FROM JFK PASSING THROUGH ABOUT 1000' MSL, AILERON CTLS FELT STIFF AND SLUGGISH. ACFT WAS CTLABLE, BUT THE SITUATION CERTAINLY WASN'T NORMAL. WE ADVISED ATC WE WERE HAVING MINOR CTL PROBS AND WISHED TO RETURN TO JFK. AFTER LNDG, WE FOUND CTL YOKE COULD BE MOVED FULL LEFT BUT ONLY ABOUT 1/2 TO THE RIGHT. AILERONS FELT EXTREMELY STIFF. UPON INSPECTION, MAINT FOUND A FLASHLIGHT (2 D CELL, YELLOW PLASTIC) INSIDE THE RIGHT WING, CAUSING THE AILERON CABLE TO BIND. INITIAL SPECULATION SAYS IT WAS PROBABLY LEFT THERE DURING A RECENT WING BOX MOD.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.