A mooney 20E on taxi for takeoff was observed with a rudder gust lock installed.

Attributes
ACN	373525
Time
Date	199707
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : enw
State Reference	WI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	M-20 E Super 21
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 1275 flight time type : 15
ASRS Report	373525
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Since my last flight in the airplane the mechanic added a small rudder gust lock because the airplane is parked outside. On my preflight walkaround, I didn't see the gust lock. We taxied out to the runway and one of the ground crew that was cutting the grass next to the airplane saw the gust lock and informed tower, tower informed us and we taxied back to the hangar and removed the gust lock. I hadn't performed my before takeoff checklist yet and am confident I would not have taken off with the gust lock on the aircraft. When we returned from the flight we installed a large remove before flight red flag on the gust lock so that it will not happen again.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A MOONEY 20E ON TAXI FOR TKOF WAS OBSERVED WITH A RUDDER GUST LOCK INSTALLED.

Narrative: SINCE MY LAST FLT IN THE AIRPLANE THE MECH ADDED A SMALL RUDDER GUST LOCK BECAUSE THE AIRPLANE IS PARKED OUTSIDE. ON MY PREFLT WALKAROUND, I DIDN'T SEE THE GUST LOCK. WE TAXIED OUT TO THE RWY AND ONE OF THE GND CREW THAT WAS CUTTING THE GRASS NEXT TO THE AIRPLANE SAW THE GUST LOCK AND INFORMED TWR, TWR INFORMED US AND WE TAXIED BACK TO THE HANGAR AND REMOVED THE GUST LOCK. I HADN'T PERFORMED MY BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST YET AND AM CONFIDENT I WOULD NOT HAVE TAKEN OFF WITH THE GUST LOCK ON THE ACFT. WHEN WE RETURNED FROM THE FLT WE INSTALLED A LARGE REMOVE BEFORE FLT RED FLAG ON THE GUST LOCK SO THAT IT WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN.

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.