Pilot Loses Control When Worn Aileron Cable Snaps During Landing (PA-18-150)

[Neal]

I've thought about this scenario but have not practiced a rudder/elevator only control in the event of loss of aileron.

Pilot Loses Control When Worn Aileron Cable Snaps During Landing — General Aviation News

Probable Cause: Maintenance personnel’s failure to detect the worn aileron cable during the most recent inspections, which resulted in the separation of the aileron control cable and a subsequent loss of airplane control during landing.

generalaviationnews.com

 

[ve6yeq]

Ignoring the very poor quality of maintenance leading up to the breakage…

I have mainly practiced control holding ailerons neutral and with just rudder and elevator during slow flight and stall recovery and sometimes during cruise when trimmed out (flying hands free in smooth air) but never on final approach…

I was thinking that you could approach it by slowing down and doing the falling leaf to the ground with just a small amount of power to soften the landing. However, if just one of the cables broke, then would the remaining tension in the system not pull the aileron in one direction so you would need to use the other aileron to try and balance the drag in addition to using the rudder to keep the wings level?