Aileron Stop Inflight

[RocketGnome]

Looking to get as much ideas about what could cause this as possible so I didn't put on my theories both of which are slim, and sorry for posting this on multiple forms or pages but I'd really love to get as many thoughts as possible.

 

Background: I have a 66E that came out of a 100hr in which I changed out the gear for the landing gear to the 40:1 gears and had Lasar fix the steering horn. I had the 100hr done because since the annual in February I put on about 250 hrs and just wanted a good looking at everything after a few across the country cross countries. Post 100hr I put on around 20hrs to include some pattern work at KMUO and ran her through all kinds of maneuvers to include steep turns and every thing was feeling fine with nothing abnormal detected.

 

Conditions: Two weeks ago I flew from Boise ID to Kelso WA to pick up my kids. The flight to Kelso was uneventful until the last 15 min which was IFR mostly in the rain below the freezing level and at no point was icing seen on the wing or windscreen. Broke out around 2K and landed with no incident. Refueled and parked and filed my flight plan for the way home while I waited. Once my self made aircrew arrived we loaded up I sumped the tanks due to the refuel and rain then started up. Taxi, run up and flight control check were all uneventful. Taking off to the east we stayed in clear air with the rain ending a few miles out as I passed 3K. Picked up SEA Center and continued my climb. 

 

Issue: As I was climbing to 11K and upon passing around 9K with the sun setting behind us I input a small roll correction to the right, as I did so it felt like the yoke hit a stop just shy of vertical, so at the stop it felt like I was still slightly left wing down. I immediately looked over at my 6yo daughter who was copilot to make sure she wasn't near the controls and she wasn't, nor did I see any other thing in the cockpit near the controls or the visible push rods. I then put in a small amount of left wing down followed by a quick jerking input back to the right to see if I could "break" the controls free which worked. I then went back to the left to see if the issue was gone or still there. Noticed nothing to the left but again going back to the right at the same spot or close to it had the same issue and resolved it the same way. My 10yo son in the back obviously noticed the jerking and asked if everything was alright and I gave him an Oscar worthy "yes" as I checked one more time with no issues noticed. this whole process took 38.9" at best and upon reaching 11K I leveled off and did some more small movements of the controls to make sure there was no more "binding" or "impediment" (not sure of the right descriptor, and not sure those words are the best either). 

 

Findings: After using as little control as possible and bringing her in for a visual straight in I landed with out incident. During taxi back I threw all the controls around to full stops multiple times and noticed nothing unusual. Being late and dark I chose to park the plane and investigate more latter. I went out the next day and visually inspected all the visible areas and linkages to the aileron, faps and wings in general. I also knocked on the bottom of both wings to listen for anything that may be trapped inside. Further I shook the plane by both wings to do the same while I and a lady friend listened for anything that may be trapped. A day or two later I taxied to the GA MX shop on the field and told them about what happened and that I would like an inspection of the control rods tip to tip. The pulled the outer underwing panels and the belly panel that houses the aileron rods. They found nothing and I look and saw nothing other than the rods and PC system servo cans. The PC system is non functional as I had the vacuum system removed with the install of AV-30s and an electric step. The A/P said there was no need to remove the other inspection panels under the wing as the rod runs though the lightning holes and there is nowhere for it to bind in there. Though I think next non rainy day I will go pull them myself just to check.

 

Help: What do all of you with more Mooney experience think could be the issue? Has anyone else have something like this happen? Is there anything else I should look at or check? I'll post my thoughts once I see what everyone else says, I just don't want to bias the discussion with my two fairly weak thoughts.

 

Thank you for any help or suggestions you may have!

Gnome

[David Lloyd]

Climbing to 11k, was the temperature below freezing?  I have had the experience of a wet airplane climbing into colder air have some moisture freeze on the aileron gap seals.  Just as you did, a little jerk on the controls and it was gone.  Barring that, I would look at every bit of the control mechanisms to make absolutely certain nothing could be binding.

[Mark942]

Any chance the "old" PC Servo cans or linkage to them could be catching or dragging or are the ailerons completely disconnected from the old PC?? Is any other Auto-Pilot connected or always hand flying??

[RocketGnome]

25 minutes ago, David Lloyd said:

Climbing to 11k, was the temperature below freezing?  I have had the experience of a wet airplane climbing into colder air have some moisture freeze on the aileron gap seals.  Just as you did, a little jerk on the controls and it was gone.  Barring that, I would look at every bit of the control mechanisms to make absolutely certain nothing could be binding.

Yes, freezing level was 6k-8k. I looked at the gap seals and on the ground (well above freezing) and wondered if there could be pressure there, with some kind of frost or ice that could make sense.

[RocketGnome]

8 minutes ago, Mark942 said:

Any chance the "old" PC Servo cans or linkage to them could be catching or dragging or are the ailerons completely disconnected from the old PC?? Is any other Auto-Pilot connected or always hand flying??

No other A/P and the link to the cans are still there, though the chain connecting them looks pretty free and in the open.

[A64Pilot]

See if there is a wire or something that could catch under the panel.

‘I wouldn’t fly it again until I found it, or was darn sure it’s not anything in the control system, especially with the kids.

Edited October 27, 2021 by A64Pilot

[Ragsf15e]

Read this one below.  Happy to hear there’s a Rocket gnome by the way.  When I was a WFFFFR, we had a Rocket Attack Midget.  Sounds similar.

 

[mike20papa]

I've heard the story of a Mooney taking off of a wet, slushy runway, climbing up into freezing temps, the gear icing up, locking up that pilot had no choice but to belly land.  

[Boilermonkey]

Sounds like ice.  It does not take much moisture in the gap seals to create the impacts you felt.    

[Prior owner]

Although I tend to agree with the above regarding icing, you may want to rule out there being an obstruction at the aileron center links- if you have a manual gear, what is the state of your Johnson bar boot? A pen or flashlight or tool that falls through a hole in the boot can cause aileron issues… there’s a very interesting NTSB report where a pilot had his ailerons locked in a bank, and also had some trouble getting his gear down because of this. [Edit] never mind- I just re-read and saw you have elec gear….next time I’ll wait for the morning coffee to kick in!

 

[TTaylor]

I haven't had it in the Mooney, but have had the controls on my glider get sticky in conditions above the freezing point.  Similar to what you experienced, if they have not been moved for a few minutes it can take force to break it free.

[WAFI]

Good read... I'm learning something everyday on this forum!