Incident Summary
A pilot reported that during takeoff in a single-seat homebuilt airplane, the aircraft did not feel "stable," prompting a decision to abort the takeoff. As the airplane touched down, the nose landing gear struck the runway first. Following this impact, the rudder became jammed, and the airplane departed the paved surface of the runway. The aircraft then struck a runway light before coming to a stop.
Examination Findings
Post-incident examination of the airplane revealed that damage to the firewall had impacted and jammed both the nosewheel steering and rudder controls. Additionally, damage was noted to the left-wing leading edge, as well as substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilizer and elevator.