Narrative:

I replaced all the aileron cables per cessna sb for mandatory replacement and due to cable showing wear. The work was done in accordance with cessna service manual. I do not specifically remember checking the controls for correct deflection in relation to stick movement. I do remember the degrees of travel and cable tension were appropriate as per cessna manual. 2 other mechanics went over the work in addition to an FAA inspection of the aircraft. At the time of the incident the controls were reversed resulting in a ground loop during the takeoff roll. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that he, his boss and the pilot all received letters of reprimand and were required to write articles for a mechanics newsletter and an FAA publication. In addition the mechanic reporter wrote a detailed program to cessna on how this happened and how to avoid it in the future. Part of the reason it happened is that money was tight, people were laid off and the remaining people were overworked. Reporter was jumping to 3 or 4 jobs at a time. This is not his usual way of operating and he was pulled off of this job several times while it was in progress. No one was injured but there was extensive damage to the aircraft. If the pilot had not been very capable in handling the aircraft it would have been disastrous. What surprised him the most is that 5 people inspected the job including an FAA inspector and pilot and all missed the aileron reversal. Supplemental information from acn 332051: this was a post inspection flight. After preflight and run-up, I attempted to depart runway 24. Just as I departed the ground, the right wing came up. Control correction made the situation worse, so I cut power and tried to keep control. I know I checked controls for freedom of movement on both preflight and run-up but would have to say I did not realize the cables were connected backwards until it was too late. Aircraft was just inspected by FAA for part 137 certificate.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MECH RPT REGARDING MAINT WORK IN WHICH AILERON CABLES WERE REVERSED. PLT RPT OF ACFT CTL LOST ON TKOF ON TEST FLT RESULTING IN GND LOOP.

Narrative: I REPLACED ALL THE AILERON CABLES PER CESSNA SB FOR MANDATORY REPLACEMENT AND DUE TO CABLE SHOWING WEAR. THE WORK WAS DONE IN ACCORDANCE WITH CESSNA SVC MANUAL. I DO NOT SPECIFICALLY REMEMBER CHKING THE CTLS FOR CORRECT DEFLECTION IN RELATION TO STICK MOVEMENT. I DO REMEMBER THE DEGS OF TRAVEL AND CABLE TENSION WERE APPROPRIATE AS PER CESSNA MANUAL. 2 OTHER MECHS WENT OVER THE WORK IN ADDITION TO AN FAA INSPECTION OF THE ACFT. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT THE CTLS WERE REVERSED RESULTING IN A GND LOOP DURING THE TKOF ROLL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT HE, HIS BOSS AND THE PLT ALL RECEIVED LETTERS OF REPRIMAND AND WERE REQUIRED TO WRITE ARTICLES FOR A MECHS NEWSLETTER AND AN FAA PUBLICATION. IN ADDITION THE MECH RPTR WROTE A DETAILED PROGRAM TO CESSNA ON HOW THIS HAPPENED AND HOW TO AVOID IT IN THE FUTURE. PART OF THE REASON IT HAPPENED IS THAT MONEY WAS TIGHT, PEOPLE WERE LAID OFF AND THE REMAINING PEOPLE WERE OVERWORKED. RPTR WAS JUMPING TO 3 OR 4 JOBS AT A TIME. THIS IS NOT HIS USUAL WAY OF OPERATING AND HE WAS PULLED OFF OF THIS JOB SEVERAL TIMES WHILE IT WAS IN PROGRESS. NO ONE WAS INJURED BUT THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. IF THE PLT HAD NOT BEEN VERY CAPABLE IN HANDLING THE ACFT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS. WHAT SURPRISED HIM THE MOST IS THAT 5 PEOPLE INSPECTED THE JOB INCLUDING AN FAA INSPECTOR AND PLT AND ALL MISSED THE AILERON REVERSAL. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 332051: THIS WAS A POST INSPECTION FLT. AFTER PREFLT AND RUN-UP, I ATTEMPTED TO DEPART RWY 24. JUST AS I DEPARTED THE GND, THE R WING CAME UP. CTL CORRECTION MADE THE SIT WORSE, SO I CUT PWR AND TRIED TO KEEP CTL. I KNOW I CHKED CTLS FOR FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT ON BOTH PREFLT AND RUN-UP BUT WOULD HAVE TO SAY I DID NOT REALIZE THE CABLES WERE CONNECTED BACKWARDS UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE. ACFT WAS JUST INSPECTED BY FAA FOR PART 137 CERTIFICATE.

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.