Plastic grip separates from yoke as aircraft is on downwind.

Attributes
ACN	166634
Time
Date	199012
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ilg
State Reference	DE
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ilg tower : ord
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 400 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	166634
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Left molded grip on pilot's yoke separated from yoke in flight, resulting in temporary loss of control of small aircraft. Had this happened near ground, would have probably resulted in accident. Suggest airworthiness directive for small aircraft to positively secure yoke grips to yokes. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states he was turning from downwind to base when sep occurred. Suddenly there was no yoke in his hand. Very startling. He is an aeronautical engineer and has tried to come up with a solution. Feels positive security could be gained with a pin through the yoke and mode itself. Second thought was to remove and reglue the molded portion at a specific time--possibly the 100 hour or annual inspection.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLASTIC GRIP SEPARATES FROM YOKE AS ACFT IS ON DOWNWIND.

Narrative: LEFT MOLDED GRIP ON PLT'S YOKE SEPARATED FROM YOKE IN FLT, RESULTING IN TEMPORARY LOSS OF CTL OF SMA. HAD THIS HAPPENED NEAR GND, WOULD HAVE PROBABLY RESULTED IN ACCIDENT. SUGGEST AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE FOR SMA TO POSITIVELY SECURE YOKE GRIPS TO YOKES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES HE WAS TURNING FROM DOWNWIND TO BASE WHEN SEP OCCURRED. SUDDENLY THERE WAS NO YOKE IN HIS HAND. VERY STARTLING. HE IS AN AERONAUTICAL ENGINEER AND HAS TRIED TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION. FEELS POSITIVE SECURITY COULD BE GAINED WITH A PIN THROUGH THE YOKE AND MODE ITSELF. SECOND THOUGHT WAS TO REMOVE AND REGLUE THE MOLDED PORTION AT A SPECIFIC TIME--POSSIBLY THE 100 HR OR ANNUAL INSPECTION.

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.