What happened
On November 21, 2017, a Saab-3arm-340, registration SP-KPZ, operated by SprintAir S.A., was taxiing for takeoff at Edinburgh Airport (EGPH) for a non-scheduled commercial flight. As the crew approached runway 22, they disengaged the gust lock mechanism. Shortly after the lock was released, an audible bang was heard within the cockpit, followed by a complete lack of response from the rudder pedals.
Following the loss of rudder control, the crew immediately aborted the takeoff attempt and taxied the aircraft back to the parking stand.
The investigation
Technical personnel were dispatched from Warsaw to inspect the aircraft. The investigation established that a clevis pin located in the rear fuselage, which tensioned the right-hand rudder control cable, had fractured. This failure also caused damage to the bulkhead through which the control cable passed.
Following consultation with the aircraft manufacturer, the damaged clevis pin was replaced, and a thorough inspection of the rear fuselage area was conducted. The aircraft was subsequently ferried to Warsaw under a Permit to Fly (PTF) to facilitate repairs to the damaged bulkhead.