Flight instrument had aileron control malfunction.

Attributes
ACN	292245
Time
Date	199412
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ptk
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ptk
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 8 flight time total : 348 flight time type : 190
ASRS Report	292245
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : regained aircraft control
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

The aircraft experienced an aileron control malfunction during a slow flight demonstration. The tower was notified of the situation, followed by an uneventful landing. I immediately notified the chief mechanic (ia) of the aileron control problem and he determined that it was the tail of a 'zip tie' that secured a wire bundle, that seized the control wheel linkage behind the instrument panel. The problem was immediately corrected. NTSB 830.5 (a)(1) states that the operator shall immediately, and by the most expeditious means available, notify the NTSB of any flight control system malfunction or failure. I did not notify the NTSB immediately because I had interpreted the regulation to mean a 'malfunction or failure' of a component of the flight control system. This was not the case in this incident because the aileron control system worked fine after the foreign object was removed from the linkage. Far 1.1 does not define 'malfunction' while NTSB 830.5 (a)(1) only describes a 'system malfunction' to be reported. I interpret 'system' as to be a component. I believe this regulation would be better served if it were clearly defined or perhaps explained in an FAA advisory circular.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT INSTR HAD AILERON CTL MALFUNCTION.

Narrative: THE ACFT EXPERIENCED AN AILERON CTL MALFUNCTION DURING A SLOW FLT DEMONSTRATION. THE TWR WAS NOTIFIED OF THE SIT, FOLLOWED BY AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. I IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED THE CHIEF MECH (IA) OF THE AILERON CTL PROB AND HE DETERMINED THAT IT WAS THE TAIL OF A 'ZIP TIE' THAT SECURED A WIRE BUNDLE, THAT SEIZED THE CTL WHEEL LINKAGE BEHIND THE INST PANEL. THE PROB WAS IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED. NTSB 830.5 (A)(1) STATES THAT THE OPERATOR SHALL IMMEDIATELY, AND BY THE MOST EXPEDITIOUS MEANS AVAILABLE, NOTIFY THE NTSB OF ANY FLT CTL SYS MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. I DID NOT NOTIFY THE NTSB IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE I HAD INTERPRETED THE REG TO MEAN A 'MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE' OF A COMPONENT OF THE FLT CTL SYS. THIS WAS NOT THE CASE IN THIS INCIDENT BECAUSE THE AILERON CTL SYS WORKED FINE AFTER THE FOREIGN OBJECT WAS REMOVED FROM THE LINKAGE. FAR 1.1 DOES NOT DEFINE 'MALFUNCTION' WHILE NTSB 830.5 (A)(1) ONLY DESCRIBES A 'SYS MALFUNCTION' TO BE RPTED. I INTERPRET 'SYS' AS TO BE A COMPONENT. I BELIEVE THIS REG WOULD BE BETTER SERVED IF IT WERE CLRLY DEFINED OR PERHAPS EXPLAINED IN AN FAA ADVISORY CIRCULAR.

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.