Glider pilot has loss of aircraft control due faulty aileron hookup.

Attributes
ACN	273623
Time
Date	199406
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ol7
State Reference	NV
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 50
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : toa
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Sail Plane
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 16 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 60
ASRS Report	273623
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I had reassembled the glider on return from hemet, ca. Since there were no others at the field when I finished, I gave the aileron control hookup a perfunctory check and went home. On jun/xx/94 I prepared to fly the glider for the first time after the return. I pushed it onto the runway and climbed in. After getting ready (seat belt, radio, tow line hookup), I gave the controls a final check for proper motion. They responded correctly. After takeoff, the glider drifted right, and I was unable to bank back to the left. I promptly released at about 50 ft, accepting the fact that I would land in the desert. The bank slowly increased to 10-15 degrees, and I turned about 90 degrees before impact. The right wing hit first, followed by the fuselage and left wing. The tail cone separated. I suffered scratches and bruises on my legs and forehead, plus 1 puncture wound in the ankle. The glider is totally destroyed. The immediate cause of the accident was the failure to properly connect the aileron controls, coupled with an inadequate preflight check of the control integrity. The glider was only disassembled and reassembled about only 2 yrs, and I failed to be more careful on the last one. As usual, I knew the other things I should have done, but didn't do them.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GLIDER PLT HAS LOSS OF ACFT CTL DUE FAULTY AILERON HOOKUP.

Narrative: I HAD REASSEMBLED THE GLIDER ON RETURN FROM HEMET, CA. SINCE THERE WERE NO OTHERS AT THE FIELD WHEN I FINISHED, I GAVE THE AILERON CTL HOOKUP A PERFUNCTORY CHK AND WENT HOME. ON JUN/XX/94 I PREPARED TO FLY THE GLIDER FOR THE FIRST TIME AFTER THE RETURN. I PUSHED IT ONTO THE RWY AND CLBED IN. AFTER GETTING READY (SEAT BELT, RADIO, TOW LINE HOOKUP), I GAVE THE CTLS A FINAL CHK FOR PROPER MOTION. THEY RESPONDED CORRECTLY. AFTER TKOF, THE GLIDER DRIFTED R, AND I WAS UNABLE TO BANK BACK TO THE L. I PROMPTLY RELEASED AT ABOUT 50 FT, ACCEPTING THE FACT THAT I WOULD LAND IN THE DESERT. THE BANK SLOWLY INCREASED TO 10-15 DEGS, AND I TURNED ABOUT 90 DEGS BEFORE IMPACT. THE R WING HIT FIRST, FOLLOWED BY THE FUSELAGE AND L WING. THE TAIL CONE SEPARATED. I SUFFERED SCRATCHES AND BRUISES ON MY LEGS AND FOREHEAD, PLUS 1 PUNCTURE WOUND IN THE ANKLE. THE GLIDER IS TOTALLY DESTROYED. THE IMMEDIATE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE TO PROPERLY CONNECT THE AILERON CTLS, COUPLED WITH AN INADEQUATE PREFLT CHK OF THE CTL INTEGRITY. THE GLIDER WAS ONLY DISASSEMBLED AND REASSEMBLED ABOUT ONLY 2 YRS, AND I FAILED TO BE MORE CAREFUL ON THE LAST ONE. AS USUAL, I KNEW THE OTHER THINGS I SHOULD HAVE DONE, BUT DIDN'T DO THEM.

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.