Narrative:

Aircraft X was due to leave ZZZ to reposition to storage. Aircraft X had issues so it was decided that aircraft Y had to be released to take its place. I was tasked to release aircraft Y to make that happen as soon as possible. I went through all paperwork and verified it was all present as well as complete. After releasing the aircraft; aircraft Y was forced to abort its takeoff because the pilot was unable to rotate. Later mechanics found that speed tape that was applied to the elevator spring tabs per a storage workcard X had been removed from the lower surface of the elevator but not the top causing the aborted takeoff. After the aborted takeoff aircraft Y returned to the ramp area and by this time aircraft X was fixed and it repositioned as originally planned. For several days there was no word what happened to aircraft Y. [3 days later] I was again asked to release aircraft X. That was when I saw the corrective action that stated speed tape had been removed and the removal from storage workcard had been issued.as I audited the paperwork all steps were stamped as completed. Workcard X final step for repetitive storage inspections is to reapply the speed tape to all flight controls. I have been back from workman's comp for a couple weeks and this being the first aircraft I have released from storage I should have read every step of the workcard. Which I did not; I only verified steps were stamped as complete. What this workcard does not ever mention is a follow up workcard Y which has the steps to remove aircraft from storage. So workcard X final step has a mechanic cause a discrepancy by applying the tape to flight controls but does not give any guidance to create a discrepancy or issue the removal from storage workcard before flight. Had there been such a step it would ensure the discrepancy caused by adding the speed tape would have been addressed. This gives the impression that work is complete when in reality by completing workcard X you are making the plane unairworthy. Further; speed tape had been removed from all other flight controls and the bottom side of the elevator. So someone had been instructed to remove all tape applied to the aircraft for storage and for whatever reason did not remove the tape from the upper surface of the spring tabs. I went back to read the work cards in question to try to find out how the tape could have been missed when I had released the aircraft the first time.a step on the repetitive storage inspection workcard X and the initial storage workcard Z stating to ensure the removal from storage workcard has been issued to the aircraft would have made it impossible for this situation to occur. Also due to the fact that we rarely have planes in storage making the workcards mandatory would give a further level of protection.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DHC-8 Maintenance Technician reported an aircraft aborted takeoff due to lack of elevator control. Speed tape was discovered on the topside of the elevator spring tabs.

Narrative: Aircraft X was due to leave ZZZ to reposition to storage. Aircraft X had issues so it was decided that Aircraft Y had to be released to take its place. I was tasked to release Aircraft Y to make that happen as soon as possible. I went through all paperwork and verified it was all present as well as complete. After releasing the aircraft; Aircraft Y was forced to abort its takeoff because the pilot was unable to rotate. Later mechanics found that speed tape that was applied to the elevator spring tabs per a storage Workcard X had been removed from the lower surface of the elevator but not the top causing the aborted takeoff. After the aborted takeoff Aircraft Y returned to the ramp area and by this time Aircraft X was fixed and it repositioned as originally planned. For several days there was no word what happened to Aircraft Y. [3 days later] I was again asked to release Aircraft X. That was when I saw the corrective action that stated speed tape had been removed and the removal from storage workcard had been issued.As I audited the paperwork all steps were stamped as completed. Workcard X final step for repetitive storage inspections is to reapply the speed tape to all flight controls. I have been back from workman's comp for a couple weeks and this being the first aircraft I have released from storage I should have read every step of the workcard. Which I did not; I only verified steps were stamped as complete. What this workcard does not ever mention is a follow up Workcard Y which has the steps to remove aircraft from storage. So Workcard X final step has a mechanic cause a discrepancy by applying the tape to flight controls but does not give any guidance to create a discrepancy or issue the removal from storage workcard before flight. Had there been such a step it would ensure the discrepancy caused by adding the speed tape would have been addressed. This gives the impression that work is complete when in reality by completing Workcard X you are making the plane unairworthy. Further; speed tape had been removed from all other flight controls and the bottom side of the elevator. So someone had been instructed to remove all tape applied to the aircraft for storage and for whatever reason did not remove the tape from the upper surface of the spring tabs. I went back to read the work cards in question to try to find out how the tape could have been missed when I had released the aircraft the first time.A step on the repetitive storage inspection Workcard X and the initial storage Workcard Z stating to ensure the removal from storage workcard has been issued to the aircraft would have made it impossible for this situation to occur. Also due to the fact that we rarely have planes in storage making the workcards mandatory would give a further level of protection.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.