What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The aircraft begin to porpoise on takeoff causing a loss of control. After several bounces, the pilot reduced the engine power; however, the aircraft continued to porpoise. On the third bounce, the nose gear collapsed and the aircraft skidded off the runway. A post incident investigation revealed the gust lock was in place which caused the elevator to be in a fixed downward position.
As the FAA filed it
THE AIRCRAFT BEGIN TO PORPOISE ON TAKEOFF CAUSING A LOSS OF CONTROL. AFTER SEVERAL BOUNCES, THE PILOT REDUCED THE ENGINE POWER; HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO PORPOISE. ON THE THIRD BOUNCE, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED OFF THE RUNWAY. A POST INCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE GUST LOCK WAS IN PLACE WHICH CAUSED THE ELEVATOR TO BE IN A FIXED DOWNWARD POSITION.
Other reports on N738VJ · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.