Narrative:

During preflight; the control locks (yoke pin; power levers; and rudder pin) were removed. A check of all flight controls was conducted as part of the after engine start checklist; in which no abnormalities were observed. The aircraft was taxied from the concourse at den to runway 34L; with no steering abnormalities observed. Steering is accomplished through control inputs by the captain to the rudder pedals; which are connected to the nosewheel. We were cleared for takeoff on runway 34L. At 80 KIAS; the rudder pedals suddenly became completely stiff in the neutral control position. No amount of force could move the pedals. I aborted the takeoff; and after the aircraft had slowed sufficiently; I discovered that a component of the control lock system had lodged itself into the rudder lock. I removed the entire control lock assembly from the floor of the cockpit; and secured it behind my seat. Another check of the flight controls was conducted with no abnormalities; and nosewheel steering while taxiing returned to normal. We again departed runway 34L; and completed 4 legs in the aircraft uneventfully. The yoke pin; power lever lock; and rudder pin are all connected with a chain. Normal procedures at our airline are to remove these during the preflight; and place them on the floor of the cockpit under the captain's seat. Nothing secures this assembly while it sits on the floor; and it can be moved with a foot or by turbulence. I do not know which component (chain; pin; etc) had become lodged in the pin-hole for the rudder lock. The rudder is normally secured during parking with a pin placed into a hole in the floor of the cockpit under the captain's seat.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE1900 CAPT ABORTS TKOF WHEN A COMPONENT OF THE CTL LOCK SYS LODGED ITSELF IN THE RUDDER LOCK.

Narrative: DURING PREFLT; THE CTL LOCKS (YOKE PIN; PWR LEVERS; AND RUDDER PIN) WERE REMOVED. A CHK OF ALL FLT CTLS WAS CONDUCTED AS PART OF THE AFTER ENG START CHKLIST; IN WHICH NO ABNORMALITIES WERE OBSERVED. THE ACFT WAS TAXIED FROM THE CONCOURSE AT DEN TO RWY 34L; WITH NO STEERING ABNORMALITIES OBSERVED. STEERING IS ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH CTL INPUTS BY THE CAPT TO THE RUDDER PEDALS; WHICH ARE CONNECTED TO THE NOSEWHEEL. WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 34L. AT 80 KIAS; THE RUDDER PEDALS SUDDENLY BECAME COMPLETELY STIFF IN THE NEUTRAL CTL POS. NO AMOUNT OF FORCE COULD MOVE THE PEDALS. I ABORTED THE TKOF; AND AFTER THE ACFT HAD SLOWED SUFFICIENTLY; I DISCOVERED THAT A COMPONENT OF THE CTL LOCK SYS HAD LODGED ITSELF INTO THE RUDDER LOCK. I REMOVED THE ENTIRE CTL LOCK ASSEMBLY FROM THE FLOOR OF THE COCKPIT; AND SECURED IT BEHIND MY SEAT. ANOTHER CHK OF THE FLT CTLS WAS CONDUCTED WITH NO ABNORMALITIES; AND NOSEWHEEL STEERING WHILE TAXIING RETURNED TO NORMAL. WE AGAIN DEPARTED RWY 34L; AND COMPLETED 4 LEGS IN THE ACFT UNEVENTFULLY. THE YOKE PIN; PWR LEVER LOCK; AND RUDDER PIN ARE ALL CONNECTED WITH A CHAIN. NORMAL PROCS AT OUR AIRLINE ARE TO REMOVE THESE DURING THE PREFLT; AND PLACE THEM ON THE FLOOR OF THE COCKPIT UNDER THE CAPT'S SEAT. NOTHING SECURES THIS ASSEMBLY WHILE IT SITS ON THE FLOOR; AND IT CAN BE MOVED WITH A FOOT OR BY TURB. I DO NOT KNOW WHICH COMPONENT (CHAIN; PIN; ETC) HAD BECOME LODGED IN THE PIN-HOLE FOR THE RUDDER LOCK. THE RUDDER IS NORMALLY SECURED DURING PARKING WITH A PIN PLACED INTO A HOLE IN THE FLOOR OF THE COCKPIT UNDER THE CAPT'S SEAT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.