RE: Preflight saved my bacon.
I have lost a plane on maiden from reversed ailerons, felt very silly but that was a 4*40 from a kit. I know a turbine pilot that took off with the same problem and almost got it all the way around only to loose it on final.
My favorite is one of our local pilots who is known for his myriad of excuses for his many crashes. He didn't check for control movement and took off with his ailerons not plugged in. Of course he only flies with his right hand so bringing his latest 33% aerobat around with rudder wasn't going to happen and it was totaled. The excuse dejour was that there were two guys arguing next to him as he set up the plane and that's why he forgot. The actual problem is not checking for control movement prior to takeoff but that would imply that it was his fault and that ain't gonna happen.