Incident Details
A private pilot was conducting a takeoff roll on a 4,208-foot-long paved runway. When the airplane reached rotation speed, the yoke became unresponsive, and the pilot could not pull it back to lift off. The pilot immediately looked down and confirmed that the gust lock was not installed. He then aborted the takeoff.
Pilot Actions
The airplane exited the runway at the departure end. To avoid crashing through the airport boundary fence, the pilot performed an intentional ground loop. The maneuver caused substantial damage to the airplane, but the pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured.
Investigation Findings
Two FAA inspectors responded to the accident scene. They confirmed continuity of the flight controls and did not find any pre-impact anomalies that would have prevented normal operations.