Narrative:

Departing runway 31 at ind. At 70 KTS transferred heading control from nosewheel steering to flight controls. Between 70 KTS and 90 KTS an attempt was made to control aircraft track by aileron and rudder. No rudder effect at all. Rudder would not move. Aircraft continues to drift right of runway center line. No heading control was available and the takeoff was aborted. Aircraft drifted completely off runway 31 onto grass area just past taxiway B4 coming to a stop with all gear off runway. When aircraft stopped it was noted that #2 (right hand engine) was windmilling and had stopped. Left engine was feathered. A further attempt was made to move the rudder. Rudder still would not move. After several attempts rudder came loose and appeared to operate normal. A control check was accomplished prior to departure and aircraft was de-iced. Principle FAA investigator confirmed that there was ice build up on the rudder mechanism. Manufacturer is aware of moisture leaking into the tail cone and freezing the rudder mechanism. They do see the need for a better seal around the tail cone.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LTT RWY EXCURSION WHEN UNABLE TO MOVE RUDDER ON TKOF ROLL. TKOF ABORTED.

Narrative: DEPARTING RWY 31 AT IND. AT 70 KTS TRANSFERRED HDG CTL FROM NOSEWHEEL STEERING TO FLT CONTROLS. BTWN 70 KTS AND 90 KTS AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO CONTROL ACFT TRACK BY AILERON AND RUDDER. NO RUDDER EFFECT AT ALL. RUDDER WOULD NOT MOVE. ACFT CONTINUES TO DRIFT RIGHT OF RWY CENTER LINE. NO HDG CONTROL WAS AVAILABLE AND THE TKOF WAS ABORTED. ACFT DRIFTED COMPLETELY OFF RWY 31 ONTO GRASS AREA JUST PAST TXWY B4 COMING TO A STOP WITH ALL GEAR OFF RWY. WHEN ACFT STOPPED IT WAS NOTED THAT #2 (RIGHT HAND ENG) WAS WINDMILLING AND HAD STOPPED. LEFT ENG WAS FEATHERED. A FURTHER ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO MOVE THE RUDDER. RUDDER STILL WOULD NOT MOVE. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS RUDDER CAME LOOSE AND APPEARED TO OPERATE NORMAL. A CONTROL CHK WAS ACCOMPLISHED PRIOR TO DEP AND ACFT WAS DE-ICED. PRINCIPLE FAA INVESTIGATOR CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS ICE BUILD UP ON THE RUDDER MECHANISM. MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF MOISTURE LEAKING INTO THE TAIL CONE AND FREEZING THE RUDDER MECHANISM. THEY DO SEE THE NEED FOR A BETTER SEAL AROUND THE TAIL CONE.

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.