If my 190 suddenly has a roll rate like a P-38, I look to see which wing or aileron is broken.
If pitch is sloppy, I'm betting it is the elevators. 
Yaw control crap?  Rudder
White/gray smoke?  Fuel or coolant.
Plane suddenly falls out of sky?  Tailfeathers
Plane tilts when dropping flaps?  hmmmmm....
Cartwheel on the runway?  gear...
Oil all over windscreen?  I think that one is obvious.
Mapping a button on the joystick makes it about as simple as it can get if you really need it on.