What happened
Prior to the flight, the Embraer EMB-145 was parked overnight with its tail facing into the wind. During this period, winds were reported at speeds between 30 and 40 knots. During the takeoff phase, the flightcrew initiated an emergency high-speed aborted takeoff after the captain experienced a control anomaly during rotation.
The investigation
An inspection of the elevator control system components was conducted following the event. The investigation revealed that both the left and right elevator control rods had fractured completely, which rendered the elevator system inoperable. It was determined that these rods fractured because the elevator surfaces repeatedly moved off the rear elevator stops due to wind gusts.
Findings
At the time of the incident, an existing FAA airworthiness directive (AD 2005-26-15) was in effect. This directive required the replacement of the mechanical gust lock system with an electromechanical version and mandated specific repetitive inspections. However, the investigation found that the interim inspections required by the previous directive were not adequate to detect the structural discrepancies that occurred during this event.