Narrative:

During the preflight of the aircraft I noticed the left aileron 'felt heavy.' upon run-up the aileron still felt heavy but seemed to be operating correctly. Upon takeoff the left wing dipped slightly, however control of the aircraft was regained promptly. In the traffic pattern excessive right aileron had to be held to maintain level flight. After landing, the aircraft controls again appeared to be reacting properly and during the second traffic pattern the same control inputs were necessary to hold level flight, however positive control of the aircraft was maintained at all times. The aircraft was brought to a full stop, whereupon further inspection the left aileron was completely unresponsive. Some factors which contributed to the situation were I was flying from the right seat at night and I had not flown that particular model in 6 months, and I have very low time in that aircraft. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the failure of the left aileron was the aileron control rod ball joint fitting found broken due to lack of grease. The reporter said the type of check and frequency of the check that requires lubrication of this component is unknown.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CESSNA 206 DURING RUN UP FOR TAKEOFF THE LEFT AILERON APPEARED HEAVY BUT OPERABLE. AFTER TAKEOFF EXPERIENCED LOSS OF L AILERON CONTROL.

Narrative: DURING THE PREFLT OF THE ACFT I NOTICED THE LEFT AILERON 'FELT HEAVY.' UPON RUN-UP THE AILERON STILL FELT HEAVY BUT SEEMED TO BE OPERATING CORRECTLY. UPON TKOF THE LEFT WING DIPPED SLIGHTLY, HOWEVER CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS REGAINED PROMPTLY. IN THE TFC PATTERN EXCESSIVE R AILERON HAD TO BE HELD TO MAINTAIN LEVEL FLIGHT. AFTER LNDG, THE ACFT CONTROLS AGAIN APPEARED TO BE REACTING PROPERLY AND DURING THE SECOND TFC PATTERN THE SAME CONTROL INPUTS WERE NECESSARY TO HOLD LEVEL FLT, HOWEVER POSITIVE CTL OF THE ACFT WAS MAINTAINED AT ALL TIMES. THE ACFT WAS BROUGHT TO A FULL STOP, WHEREUPON FURTHER INSPECTION THE L AILERON WAS COMPLETELY UNRESPONSIVE. SOME FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE SIT WERE I WAS FLYING FROM THE R SEAT AT NIGHT AND I HAD NOT FLOWN THAT PARTICULAR MODEL IN 6 MONTHS, AND I HAVE VERY LOW TIME IN THAT ACFT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE FAILURE OF THE L AILERON WAS THE AILERON CONTROL ROD BALL JOINT FITTING FOUND BROKEN DUE TO LACK OF GREASE. THE RPTR SAID THE TYPE OF CHK AND FREQUENCY OF THE CHK THAT REQUIRES LUBRICATION OF THIS COMPONENT IS UNKNOWN.

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.