What happened
A certificated commercial pilot and three passengers were departing from a remote private airstrip. The airstrip featured a width of 12 feet, while the landing gear of the aircraft spanned 10 feet. During the takeoff roll, as the pilot rotated the airplane, a loud bang was heard.
Following lift-off, the pilot identified that the elevator had become jammed in the up position. To manage the flight, the pilot lowered the flaps and reduced engine power. The pilot maintained control of the aircraft's pitch attitude by applying full nose down trim and holding full forward pressure on the control yoke. The flight proceeded to the destination airport, where the aircraft landed with no injuries to the occupants.
The investigation
An inspection of the airplane conducted after landing revealed damage to the control surfaces. Specifically, a dent was found on the leading edge of the elevator and on the underside of the aft edge of the left stabilizer. This dent was located in-line with the left landing gear tire.