Narrative:

After preflight and pretkof checklist completion I departed on runway 14. At approximately 200 ft AGL the aircraft rolled left and when I attempted to correct the pilot side control stick had no aileron control. I was able to control the aircraft using the copilot side control stick. I remained in the traffic pattern and immediately returned to land on runway 14. After parking the aircraft I removed the left side interior panel and found the pushrod from the pilot sidestick torque tube to the left side aileron bellcrank was disconnected at the upper end. The pushrod had 22 turns on the lower end. The jam nuts were in place both top and bottom; but not tight. The obvious cause of the problem was I had not adequately tightened the jam nuts when I did the final adjustment of the control stick position. The pushrod was rethreaded on to the upper heim fitting; and the jam nuts tightened. Security was tested by attempting to turn the pushrod; and was found to be secure. All other flight control fittings were inspected and found to be tight; and the aircraft was returned to service. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the last time he had made any control stick adjustments was prior to this new aircraft receiving certification. After returning to the field and opening up the pilot's side panel; he was amazed at how many turns the control rod had made prior to disconnecting from the left side aileron bellcrank.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LANCAIR-ES PILOT LOST ALL AILERON CONTROL INPUT FROM HIS PILOT'S SIDE STICK. CAPTAIN USED CO-PILOT'S SIDE STICK TO RETURN ACFT TO FIELD.

Narrative: AFTER PREFLT AND PRETKOF CHKLIST COMPLETION I DEPARTED ON RWY 14. AT APPROX 200 FT AGL THE ACFT ROLLED L AND WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THE PLT SIDE CTL STICK HAD NO AILERON CTL. I WAS ABLE TO CTL THE ACFT USING THE COPLT SIDE CTL STICK. I REMAINED IN THE TFC PATTERN AND IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO LAND ON RWY 14. AFTER PARKING THE ACFT I REMOVED THE L SIDE INTERIOR PANEL AND FOUND THE PUSHROD FROM THE PLT SIDESTICK TORQUE TUBE TO THE L SIDE AILERON BELLCRANK WAS DISCONNECTED AT THE UPPER END. THE PUSHROD HAD 22 TURNS ON THE LOWER END. THE JAM NUTS WERE IN PLACE BOTH TOP AND BOTTOM; BUT NOT TIGHT. THE OBVIOUS CAUSE OF THE PROB WAS I HAD NOT ADEQUATELY TIGHTENED THE JAM NUTS WHEN I DID THE FINAL ADJUSTMENT OF THE CTL STICK POS. THE PUSHROD WAS RETHREADED ON TO THE UPPER HEIM FITTING; AND THE JAM NUTS TIGHTENED. SECURITY WAS TESTED BY ATTEMPTING TO TURN THE PUSHROD; AND WAS FOUND TO BE SECURE. ALL OTHER FLT CTL FITTINGS WERE INSPECTED AND FOUND TO BE TIGHT; AND THE ACFT WAS RETURNED TO SVC. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED THE LAST TIME HE HAD MADE ANY CONTROL STICK ADJUSTMENTS WAS PRIOR TO THIS NEW ACFT RECEIVING CERTIFICATION. AFTER RETURNING TO THE FIELD AND OPENING UP THE PILOT'S SIDE PANEL; HE WAS AMAZED AT HOW MANY TURNS THE CONTROL ROD HAD MADE PRIOR TO DISCONNECTING FROM THE LEFT SIDE AILERON BELLCRANK.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.