<< >> NASA ASRS Report 259191, December 1993

Pilot of an small aircraft sel aircraft failed to remove the rudder gust lock prior to flight luckily resulting in an uneventful flight.

Attributes
ACN	259191
Time
Date	199312
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : crg
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time total : 800
ASRS Report	259191
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure 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:

Gust lock attached to vertical stabilizer. Departed cray field, jacksonville, fl, and landed at st. Augustine airport (approximately 35 NM). Discovered upon arrival. Did a complete preflight, checked rudder from stop to stop, did not notice gust lock. Thought it was part of the antenna system since it was taped with duct tape. It looked metallic and was attached to the top (improperly) of the vertical stabilizer. The plane flew without incident and I landed in a strong crosswind safely with no damage to aircraft or person. I had complete use of rudder movement. But I must close by saying that I felt really stupid, dumb and lower than low! It was my fault -- I did not fully inspect the aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA SEL ACFT FAILED TO REMOVE THE RUDDER GUST LOCK PRIOR TO FLT LUCKILY RESULTING IN AN UNEVENTFUL FLT.

Narrative: GUST LOCK ATTACHED TO VERT STABILIZER. DEPARTED CRAY FIELD, JACKSONVILLE, FL, AND LANDED AT ST. AUGUSTINE ARPT (APPROX 35 NM). DISCOVERED UPON ARR. DID A COMPLETE PREFLT, CHKED RUDDER FROM STOP TO STOP, DID NOT NOTICE GUST LOCK. THOUGHT IT WAS PART OF THE ANTENNA SYS SINCE IT WAS TAPED WITH DUCT TAPE. IT LOOKED METALLIC AND WAS ATTACHED TO THE TOP (IMPROPERLY) OF THE VERT STABILIZER. THE PLANE FLEW WITHOUT INCIDENT AND I LANDED IN A STRONG XWIND SAFELY WITH NO DAMAGE TO ACFT OR PERSON. I HAD COMPLETE USE OF RUDDER MOVEMENT. BUT I MUST CLOSE BY SAYING THAT I FELT REALLY STUPID, DUMB AND LOWER THAN LOW! IT WAS MY FAULT -- I DID NOT FULLY INSPECT THE ACFT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.