Loss of aircraft control when pilot places gust lock into controls while in-flight.

Attributes
ACN	270619
Time
Date	199405
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bet
State Reference	AK
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1000 agl bound upper : 1300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 2200 flight time type : 144
ASRS Report	270619
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : regained aircraft control
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Last flight of a long but unprofitable day. Flying back home in an empty airplane in excellent WX. I got a little bored and wanted to see what would happen if I stuck the gust lock into the controls in flight. The airplane went into a 300 FPM descent and this descent rate was increasing. The ground was coming up to meet me and the controls were completely locked. The increase in airspeed caused a higher airflow over the horizontal stabilizer. This forced the yoke back and locked the gust lock (control lock) into place and it could not be pulled out. All this time the airplane is in a straight descent for the ground with the engine running at full cruise power. I could not pull up, turn, or even increase descent. But by pushing forward on the yoke and holding the control lock I was able to line up the 2 control lock holes to where I could pull out the control lock. In all, I lost 300 ft. I was lucky. When I did this, I did not think of what might have happened. I do not recommend trying this maneuver.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOSS OF ACFT CTL WHEN PLT PLACES GUST LOCK INTO CTLS WHILE INFLT.

Narrative: LAST FLT OF A LONG BUT UNPROFITABLE DAY. FLYING BACK HOME IN AN EMPTY AIRPLANE IN EXCELLENT WX. I GOT A LITTLE BORED AND WANTED TO SEE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF I STUCK THE GUST LOCK INTO THE CTLS IN FLT. THE AIRPLANE WENT INTO A 300 FPM DSCNT AND THIS DSCNT RATE WAS INCREASING. THE GND WAS COMING UP TO MEET ME AND THE CTLS WERE COMPLETELY LOCKED. THE INCREASE IN AIRSPD CAUSED A HIGHER AIRFLOW OVER THE HORIZ STABILIZER. THIS FORCED THE YOKE BACK AND LOCKED THE GUST LOCK (CTL LOCK) INTO PLACE AND IT COULD NOT BE PULLED OUT. ALL THIS TIME THE AIRPLANE IS IN A STRAIGHT DSCNT FOR THE GND WITH THE ENG RUNNING AT FULL CRUISE PWR. I COULD NOT PULL UP, TURN, OR EVEN INCREASE DSCNT. BUT BY PUSHING FORWARD ON THE YOKE AND HOLDING THE CTL LOCK I WAS ABLE TO LINE UP THE 2 CTL LOCK HOLES TO WHERE I COULD PULL OUT THE CTL LOCK. IN ALL, I LOST 300 FT. I WAS LUCKY. WHEN I DID THIS, I DID NOT THINK OF WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED. I DO NOT RECOMMEND TRYING THIS MANEUVER.

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.