ATL96LA120

During takeoff, the airplane swerved abruptly to the left, collided with a runway light, then nosed over. During the postaccident examination, it was discovered that the tail steering arm would intermittently lock the rudder in a fully deflected position, with the trailing edge to the left, while allowing the tail wheel to remain aligned with the airplane centerline. Damage to the airplane, such as scuffing of the circumference of the right tire outboard side wall, and no flat spots on the left tire from a locked brake, was consistent with a fully deflected rudder at the time the tail was lifted for the takeoff. The deflected rudder would result in an abrupt swerve to the left when the tail wheel broke contact with the runway. Additionally, the airplane departed the runway about 350 feet from the point the takeoff was initiated, indicating that the swerve commenced about the point the tail would come up during takeoff roll.

On August 17, 1996, at 1517 central daylight time, a Great Lakes GL2T-1A-2, N47L was substantially damaged following an aborted takeoff and nose over at Montgomery, Alabama. The commercial pilot was not injured in the accident, and the airplane received substantial damage. The airplane was being operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions existed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight. The flight was departing at the time of the accident.

The pilot indicated he was on takeoff roll when the airplane began to veer left. He applied right brake and rudder with little affect. The airplane ran off the runway to the left, collided with a runway positioning light, damaged the left landing gear, and nosed over onto it's back. The airplane came to rest 350 feet down from the end of the runway, and 150 feet left of the runway centerline.

A mechanic examined the airplane following the accident. He reported that the left tire did not exhibit any flat spots or scuffing. The right tire exhibited severe scuffing on the outboard sidewall around its circumference. He discovered a skid mark on the runway that matched the scuffing on the right tire. There was continuity of the rudder control system. He also discovered that the tail steering arm could be locked, intermittently, into a full left position holding the rudder deflected fully, while the tail wheel remained aligned with the airplane centerline.