NTSB CAROL · Event
Event LAX92LA225
Registry · N8KS
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
RANS S-6S
Engine
BOMBARDIER ROTAX (ALL)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19941209
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S AADE1D
Registrant of record
LAVERGNE MATTHEW
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
THE INFLIGHT DISCONNECTION OF THE RIGHT AILERON 'OTELLIER COUPLER FITTING DUE TO LUBRICANTS ON THE COUPLER SLIDE LOCK PLATE, AND THE FAILURE OF THE GLIDER MANUFACTURER TO INCLUDE APPROPRIATE PRECAUTIONARY INFORMATION IN THE MAINTENANCE AND/OR FLIGHT MANUAL. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE FAILURE OF THE GLIDER AND FITTING MANUFACTURERS TO MANDATE FAIL/SAFE DEVICES FOR THE COUPLER FITTING, AND THE DESIGN OF THE GLIDER REGARDING THE FACILITATION OF THE COUPLER CONNECTIONS DURING THE GLIDER ASSEMBLY PROCESS.
Factual narrative
AFTER 4.2 HOURS OF FLIGHT WHILE CRUISING AT 8,000 FT, THE RIGHT AILERON CONTROL SYSTEM 'OTELLIER FITTING DISCONNECTED. THE PILOT SAID THAT THE AILERON TRAIL POSITION IN THE AIRSTREAM CAUSED THE GLIDER TO ENTER A SPIRAL DIVE TO THE RIGHT WHICH COULD NOT BE STOPPED BY LEFT AILERON OR RUDDER. THE PILOT BAILED OUT ABOUT 1,000 FT AGL. THE GLIDER WAS ASSEMBLED ON 5/30/92 IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FLT & MAINT MANUAL. THE GLIDER WAS THEN FLOWN FOR 4.6 HRS & PARKED OVERNIGHT. THE PILOT SAID HE LUBED THE MALE BALL FITTING PRIOR TO ASSEMBLY AS INSTRUCTED IN THE MANUAL & CLEANED & LUBED THE SLIDE LOCK PLATE WITH WD-40. THE FITTING MANUFACTURERS SAFETY MAINT INFO (NOT AVAILABLE TO PILOTS) REQUIRES THE BALL & SOCKET FITTINGS TO BE LUBED AT EACH ASSEMLBY, BUT CAUTION AGAINST ALLOWING LUBRICANTS ON THE SLIDE LOCK PLATE BECAUSE THE SLIDE 'MAY LOOSE ITS NONREVERSIBILITY' & CAUSE THE FITTING TO DISCONNECT. THE GLIDER MAINT AND FLT MANUAL DOES NOT CAUTION AGAINST LUBRICANTS ON THE SLIDE LOCK PLATE. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1992_LAX92LA225.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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Related research
What the literature says.
Academic papers and agency reports matching this event's aircraft type or causal vocabulary (maintenance). Sourced from NASA NTRS, NTSB Safety Studies, FAA CAMI, AOPA Air Safety Institute, Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons, arXiv, and the Semantic Scholar academic graph.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2026 · Journal article (IJAAA)
From Reactive to Predictive: A hybrid Trust-Mediated Adoption Framework for Data-Driven Maintenance in Distributed-Authority Aviation Environments
Modern aviation maintenance operates within increasingly data-intensive technological environments, yet the operational integration of predictive maintenance into routine decision-making remains incon…
- Semantic Scholar 2025 · Article (Applied Sciences)
Decision-Making Framework for Aviation Safety in Predictive Maintenance Strategies
The implementation of predictive maintenance (PM) in aviation presents unique challenges due to strict safety requirements, complex operational environments, and regulatory constraints.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (JAAER)
Low-Resource Automatic Speech Recognition Domain Adaptation – A Case-Study in Aviation Maintenance
With timeliness and efficiency being critical in the aviation maintenance industry, the need has been growing for smart technological solutions that optimize and streamline the different underlying ta…
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (JAAER)
A New Trajectory in UAV Safety: Leveraging Reinforcement Learning for Distance Maintenance Under Wind Variations
In the field of aviation, safety is a critical cornerstone, and the operation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) systems is deeply connected with this principle.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (IJAAA)
Just Culture in Aviation: A Metaphorical Study on Aircraft Maintenance Students
Just Culture, a sub-dimension of safety culture, has been a prominent and debated topic in aviation safety in recent years.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (IJAAA)
Performance PRISM: A Comprehensive Framework For Performance Measurement In Aircraft Maintenance
Aircraft maintenance is governed by rigorous safety requirements and high operational complexity, demanding robust performance measurement frameworks to ensure optimal maintenance practices.
Browse the full corpus — academia portal ↗