RV-8 accident - Mandan, ND

[bobnoffs]

i still remember the words on a piper preflight checklist at the flight school in the early 80's ''controls free and correct''

[Dave12]

Definitely not the first or last time control locks are neglected. The control lock that Allan Nimmo developed let?s you know it?s in place. You can?t do much of anything while it?s in place. Actually, you can barely get in the seat until it?s removed. A sad tale indeed.

[Mark Dickens]

Originally Posted by Dave12

Definitely not the first or last time control locks are neglected. The control lock that Allan Nimmo developed let?s you know it?s in place. You can?t do much of anything while it?s in place. Actually, you can barely get in the seat until it?s removed. A sad tale indeed.

I have Allan's RV-8 control lock. It may take me 15 minutes to get it installed, but I know I won't forget it!

[seward747]

During my last BFR:
CFI observed my walk-around, moving/verifying the flight control surfaces.
Later, during after start checks, I again verify flight control movement - free and correct. His method to get me to talk about it was to ask "you checked all that during the walk around; why are you doing it again?" Of course the answer is, with 2 big guys climbing aboard and strapping in, who knows if a bag or kneeboard obstructs the stick, he's got his foot on a rudder cable, a pencil got dropped on the floorboards, seat belt loose end dangling in the wrong place, headset cord wrapped around, etc., etc.
If you haven't seen it before, search youtube for: deHavilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou crash. Said to be attempted take off with gust lock still engaged.
Or check out the CH-701 demo flight videos, where the pilot has a "habit" of frequently "wiping out the cabin" with the stick while taxiing. Overkill, maybe, but I bet he never takes off with the controls locked.

Doug
Seattle area

[airguy]

My PPL instructor (uncontrolled field) taught his students, just before crossing the hold-short line, to check the final approach "Final clear" and then the runway "Runway clear" and then controls "controls free and clear" and then roll onto the runway. It's a handy mnenomic and I still use it today because it's useful and it works.

[thinkn9a]

For those not aware, the acceptance flight for the B-17 design ended in a fatal crash just after takeoff.

The reason,... the control lock was not removed,.... result.... checklists......

If you care to read more on all kinds of checklists,....read Atul Gawande book “checklist”

[SPX]

The most recent corporate jet crash to be attributed to the control check not being accomplished before takeoff:
http://aerossurance.com/safety-manag...f-accident-hf/

[swjohnsey]

And the Ford Trimotor.

[Capt]

With the Vans machines having such well balanced flight controls it's difficult to imagine taxiing without moving the stick a little bit even unintentionally especially if there is any wind about! Control locks are meant to be in full view of the pilot and generally fitted so as not to be able to either start the engine or operate it above idle, securing a control column/stick with a seat belt is a no no anyway!

[RV3bpilot]

I used to read the NTSB accident reports often and every year there was one or two crashes because of control locks being in place. Most would over run the end of the runway never even getting into the air.