Intermediate statement ‘Failed aileron flight control cable B737, Heraklion, Greece.’

This interim statement is an update of the process of an on-going investigation by the Dutch Safety Board to the failure of a cable of one of the aileron flight controls of a Boeing 737-800. Aileron flight control is part of the primary flight control system.

The event occurred on June 8^th 2022 within the air traffic control zone of Heraklion International Airport Nikos Kazantzakis on the island of Crete, Greece. The aircraft had just taken off for the return flight to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. The update of the process is given because the investigation takes longer than a year. 

Immediately after lift-off from the runway, abnormal flight control corrections were needed to keep the aircraft wings level and it was unclear what caused the flight control problems. The flight crew decided to divert to Athens, Greece, and the approach and landing were without considerable problems. An initial post-flight inspection indicated that an aileron flight control cable had failed.