Aircraft rudder gust lock not removed during aircraft preflight.

Attributes
ACN	114542
Time
Date	198906
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sba
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 43 flight time total : 660 flight time type : 31
ASRS Report	114542
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Did thorough preflight while aircraft was still tied down, passenger was late so I replaced rudder gust lock to find passenger. When passenger arrived, I untied aircraft, we buckled up and took off. I inadvertently neglected to remove gust lock. Upon attempting landing on 15R sba, aircraft began to yaw left. Action with right rudder did not align aircraft so I added power for go around when tail wheel lifted, aircraft yaw to left became more severe in spite of attempted right rudder. Had to keep tower up to prevent ground looping. Right brake was ineffective in tall grass. Kept power up to maintain what control I had. Reached runway 15L, got aircraft headed in alignment with runway and did go around. Made low pass by tower so they could inspect the aircraft, landed and reported to tower, fire house, and rescue. Was still unaware of why I had lost control. I discovered gust lock was still on when I preflted for departure. I have since attached a cord to rudder gust lock to tie to yolk after each flight. Also, will do complete preflight when delayed for departure in the future.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT RUDDER GUST LOCK NOT REMOVED DURING ACFT PREFLT.

Narrative: DID THOROUGH PREFLT WHILE ACFT WAS STILL TIED DOWN, PASSENGER WAS LATE SO I REPLACED RUDDER GUST LOCK TO FIND PAX. WHEN PAX ARRIVED, I UNTIED ACFT, WE BUCKLED UP AND TOOK OFF. I INADVERTENTLY NEGLECTED TO REMOVE GUST LOCK. UPON ATTEMPTING LNDG ON 15R SBA, ACFT BEGAN TO YAW LEFT. ACTION WITH RIGHT RUDDER DID NOT ALIGN ACFT SO I ADDED POWER FOR GO AROUND WHEN TAIL WHEEL LIFTED, ACFT YAW TO LEFT BECAME MORE SEVERE IN SPITE OF ATTEMPTED RIGHT RUDDER. HAD TO KEEP TWR UP TO PREVENT GND LOOPING. RIGHT BRAKE WAS INEFFECTIVE IN TALL GRASS. KEPT POWER UP TO MAINTAIN WHAT CONTROL I HAD. REACHED RWY 15L, GOT ACFT HEADED IN ALIGNMENT WITH RWY AND DID GO AROUND. MADE LOW PASS BY TWR SO THEY COULD INSPECT THE ACFT, LANDED AND REPORTED TO TWR, FIRE HOUSE, AND RESCUE. WAS STILL UNAWARE OF WHY I HAD LOST CONTROL. I DISCOVERED GUST LOCK WAS STILL ON WHEN I PREFLTED FOR DEP. I HAVE SINCE ATTACHED A CORD TO RUDDER GUST LOCK TO TIE TO YOLK AFTER EACH FLT. ALSO, WILL DO COMPLETE PREFLT WHEN DELAYED FOR DEP IN THE FUTURE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.