Narrative:

C172 aileron stiffness was discovered approximately 4 flts (part 91) after firewall repairs were made at another maintenance facility (jra). The pilot indicated that stiffness worsened with higher airspds; but landed normally. The NTSB was contacted of the flight control malfunction. I inspected the flight controls but could not duplicate the problem on the ground. Along with a certified flight instructor; I conducted a flight test and found that with increased power the ailerons became somewhat stiff. After landing; I; therefore; began further inspection but the flying club manager indicated that he believed the problem to be related to jra's firewall repair and would rather jra to perform an inspection and any needed maintenance. I stopped my work and closed what panels I had opened. 7 days later; jra arrived; performed an inspection and concluded that the aircraft needed to be re-rigged. Later that week; jra returned to perform the rigging and also inspect further into the problem. Upon completion of the field investigation; jra reported that the door post aileron pulleys were dirty; corroded and dry of lubricant. In addition; jra reported the upper 3 xover aileron pulleys were not moveable and needed replacement. Jra contacted the owner with this list of 2 items and the owner then contacted the FAA to report the findings. I have realized that during the past several 100 hour inspections and annual inspection; I did not properly lubricate the door post pulleys and the aileron xover pulleys. I also did not recognize the increased stiffness and possible corrosion. I have taken steps to ensure the entire fleet at the flying club is properly lubricated by immediately removing the C172's from service and performing comprehensive inspections. All other aircraft have shown to be in satisfactory condition at this time. A large factor that affected the quality of my performance of the previous 100 hour and annual inspections are due to time pressure. In order to have the aircraft back on the line flying quickly; I made a bad decision to not fully inspect and lubricate the flight controls in the difficult access areas. It takes more time to remove headliners and doors post covers to get to these particular pulleys and I was saving time to complete the job for the next flight. I felt an unspoken pressure from the club manager to get the jobs done quickly to uphold the flight schedule.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLTS RPTED STIFF AILERONS IN 4 FLTS. INSPECTION FOUND AILERON DOOR PULLEYS DIRTY AND CORRODED AND 3 XOVER PULLEYS WERE FROZEN.

Narrative: C172 AILERON STIFFNESS WAS DISCOVERED APPROX 4 FLTS (PART 91) AFTER FIREWALL REPAIRS WERE MADE AT ANOTHER MAINT FACILITY (JRA). THE PLT INDICATED THAT STIFFNESS WORSENED WITH HIGHER AIRSPDS; BUT LANDED NORMALLY. THE NTSB WAS CONTACTED OF THE FLT CTL MALFUNCTION. I INSPECTED THE FLT CTLS BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROB ON THE GND. ALONG WITH A CERTIFIED FLT INSTRUCTOR; I CONDUCTED A FLT TEST AND FOUND THAT WITH INCREASED PWR THE AILERONS BECAME SOMEWHAT STIFF. AFTER LNDG; I; THEREFORE; BEGAN FURTHER INSPECTION BUT THE FLYING CLUB MGR INDICATED THAT HE BELIEVED THE PROB TO BE RELATED TO JRA'S FIREWALL REPAIR AND WOULD RATHER JRA TO PERFORM AN INSPECTION AND ANY NEEDED MAINT. I STOPPED MY WORK AND CLOSED WHAT PANELS I HAD OPENED. 7 DAYS LATER; JRA ARRIVED; PERFORMED AN INSPECTION AND CONCLUDED THAT THE ACFT NEEDED TO BE RE-RIGGED. LATER THAT WK; JRA RETURNED TO PERFORM THE RIGGING AND ALSO INSPECT FURTHER INTO THE PROB. UPON COMPLETION OF THE FIELD INVESTIGATION; JRA RPTED THAT THE DOOR POST AILERON PULLEYS WERE DIRTY; CORRODED AND DRY OF LUBRICANT. IN ADDITION; JRA RPTED THE UPPER 3 XOVER AILERON PULLEYS WERE NOT MOVEABLE AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. JRA CONTACTED THE OWNER WITH THIS LIST OF 2 ITEMS AND THE OWNER THEN CONTACTED THE FAA TO RPT THE FINDINGS. I HAVE REALIZED THAT DURING THE PAST SEVERAL 100 HR INSPECTIONS AND ANNUAL INSPECTION; I DID NOT PROPERLY LUBRICATE THE DOOR POST PULLEYS AND THE AILERON XOVER PULLEYS. I ALSO DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE INCREASED STIFFNESS AND POSSIBLE CORROSION. I HAVE TAKEN STEPS TO ENSURE THE ENTIRE FLEET AT THE FLYING CLUB IS PROPERLY LUBRICATED BY IMMEDIATELY REMOVING THE C172'S FROM SVC AND PERFORMING COMPREHENSIVE INSPECTIONS. ALL OTHER ACFT HAVE SHOWN TO BE IN SATISFACTORY CONDITION AT THIS TIME. A LARGE FACTOR THAT AFFECTED THE QUALITY OF MY PERFORMANCE OF THE PREVIOUS 100 HR AND ANNUAL INSPECTIONS ARE DUE TO TIME PRESSURE. IN ORDER TO HAVE THE ACFT BACK ON THE LINE FLYING QUICKLY; I MADE A BAD DECISION TO NOT FULLY INSPECT AND LUBRICATE THE FLT CTLS IN THE DIFFICULT ACCESS AREAS. IT TAKES MORE TIME TO REMOVE HEADLINERS AND DOORS POST COVERS TO GET TO THESE PARTICULAR PULLEYS AND I WAS SAVING TIME TO COMPLETE THE JOB FOR THE NEXT FLT. I FELT AN UNSPOKEN PRESSURE FROM THE CLUB MGR TO GET THE JOBS DONE QUICKLY TO UPHOLD THE FLT SCHEDULE.

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.