Incident Summary
The pilot of an aircraft stated that following a takeoff run, the flight controls became locked, preventing him from lifting the aircraft off the runway. Subsequently, the airplane collided with a dirt bank located beyond the runway end, came to rest inverted, and slid backwards.
Investigation Findings
An inspection of the aircraft's flight controls revealed proper control continuity. Two flight control locks were found inside the aircraft. One control lock was designed for a Cessna 182 and was stored in the side pocket near the left seat. The other control lock was designed for a Cessna 172 and was found on the windshield below the pilot's control column. It was noted that when the Cessna 172 control lock was installed in this aircraft, it did not cover the ignition and master switches. The control column locking hole in this aircraft was oriented horizontally, whereas locking holes in Cessna 172 aircraft are installed vertically.