GA small aircraft detected restricted rudder travel on takeoff, made immediate return land.

Attributes
ACN	86007
Time
Date	198804
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lgb
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lg tracon : bfl
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff landing other
Route In Use	approach : circling
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 1200 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	86007
Person 2
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I taxied my aircraft from the tie down. This was the first flight after annual. The annual took 2 months due to working overtime at work. While taxiing the radio wasn't receiving properly, so I wiggled it for awhile and was able to communicate. I taxied to the run up area and did a preflight run up and was cleared to takeoff behind a jet takeoff from runway 20 (a crossing runway to 21R). The wind was from the so at 10 KTS and I banked with the wind on takeoff and while moving the rudder to right with the wind I noticed a restriction in the rudder travel (I wasn't getting full travel in both directions). So, I told the tower 'I have a problem, I have a stuck control or stuck rudder,' or something to that effect. The tower said I could have any runway. I asked for the wind direction and they told me at 10 KTS at 180 degrees. I turned to the north (right) and the place that looked best for a straight landing was the junction of runways 25R, 16R and 12, so I landed there and taxied off the runway and changed to ground frequency. I gave ground my tail number and asked if I could taxi direct to the flight line across the grass. They said ok. After shutting down I found my flashlight on the cabin floor near the rudder pedal on the passenger side. I usually keep it in the passenger seat before taxiing. It must have fallen to the floor on takeoff and gotten behind the rudder pedal. I guess taxiing across the rough ground to the tie down jarred it our of behind the rudder pedal.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA DETECTED RESTRICTED RUDDER TRAVEL ON TKOF, MADE IMMEDIATE RETURN LAND.

Narrative: I TAXIED MY ACFT FROM THE TIE DOWN. THIS WAS THE FIRST FLT AFTER ANNUAL. THE ANNUAL TOOK 2 MONTHS DUE TO WORKING OVERTIME AT WORK. WHILE TAXIING THE RADIO WASN'T RECEIVING PROPERLY, SO I WIGGLED IT FOR AWHILE AND WAS ABLE TO COMMUNICATE. I TAXIED TO THE RUN UP AREA AND DID A PREFLT RUN UP AND WAS CLRED TO TKOF BEHIND A JET TKOF FROM RWY 20 (A XING RWY TO 21R). THE WIND WAS FROM THE SO AT 10 KTS AND I BANKED WITH THE WIND ON TKOF AND WHILE MOVING THE RUDDER TO RIGHT WITH THE WIND I NOTICED A RESTRICTION IN THE RUDDER TRAVEL (I WASN'T GETTING FULL TRAVEL IN BOTH DIRECTIONS). SO, I TOLD THE TWR 'I HAVE A PROB, I HAVE A STUCK CTL OR STUCK RUDDER,' OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT. THE TWR SAID I COULD HAVE ANY RWY. I ASKED FOR THE WIND DIRECTION AND THEY TOLD ME AT 10 KTS AT 180 DEGS. I TURNED TO THE N (RIGHT) AND THE PLACE THAT LOOKED BEST FOR A STRAIGHT LNDG WAS THE JUNCTION OF RWYS 25R, 16R AND 12, SO I LANDED THERE AND TAXIED OFF THE RWY AND CHANGED TO GND FREQ. I GAVE GND MY TAIL NUMBER AND ASKED IF I COULD TAXI DIRECT TO THE FLT LINE ACROSS THE GRASS. THEY SAID OK. AFTER SHUTTING DOWN I FOUND MY FLASHLIGHT ON THE CABIN FLOOR NEAR THE RUDDER PEDAL ON THE PAX SIDE. I USUALLY KEEP IT IN THE PAX SEAT BEFORE TAXIING. IT MUST HAVE FALLEN TO THE FLOOR ON TKOF AND GOTTEN BEHIND THE RUDDER PEDAL. I GUESS TAXIING ACROSS THE ROUGH GND TO THE TIE DOWN JARRED IT OUR OF BEHIND THE RUDDER PEDAL.

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.