Flight Crew reported severe controllability issues during initial take off. The flight Crew rejected the take off and returned to the Gate for an aircraft swap to continue the flight.
Synopsis
Flight Crew reported severe controllability issues during initial take off. The flight Crew rejected the take off and returned to the Gate for an aircraft swap to continue the flight.
Narrative
I taxied onto Runway XXR for takeoff in ZZZ. It was the First Officer's (FO) leg and I gave him the aircraft after cleared for takeoff and on the center line. As he pushed the thrust levers up the plane started turning to the right. This is not unusual and he added left rudder to correct this. The aircraft was still slightly right of center line as we reached 20-25 kts. At that point the aircraft started turning hard to the right. As this happened the FO said he had full left rudder in. I then used the tiller to turn the aircraft left and back towards the center line. I used the tiller because the FO already had full left rudder in and the aircraft was not responding and still turning in the wrong direction (there was no or very little asymmetrical thrust).As the nose wheel centered there was a pop and then the Aircraft turned hard to the left and was going to go left of center line. At this point I took the control of the aircraft and rejected the takeoff. The First Officer had already taken the thrust out and I completed the rejected takeoff maneuver. We cleared the Runway and I was able to steer the aircraft slowly. Once in a location out of the way of other aircraft we ran the rejected takeoff checklist. I called Maintenance; Operations and wrote Dispatch and we returned to the Gate.On the taxi back to the Gate I tried using both rudder pedals and the tiller to steer. It was steering properly but when the rudder pedals would center before going the other direction there would be a small click or sound you could hear and I could feel it in my feet. I asked the FO to steer with his rudder pedals and he felt the same thing. We returned to the Gate; de boarded the aircraft; I wrote the aircraft up and then talked to maintenance. We then went to the new aircraft to get the people on their way to ZZZ1.
Second reporter narrative
Flight from ZZZ to ZZZ1. All preflight; before push; and after start procedures accomplished per SOP without incident. Cleared for; and taxied to Runway XXR without incident. Captain (CA) positioned aircraft on XXR and transferred the controls to me as we were being cleared for takeoff. As I introduced thrust; the aircraft began to turn to the right. I added left pedal in an attempt to maintain center line; to the point that my left foot was at the floor. Simultaneously; I stated that I had full left rudder applied and the CA came on the tiller in an attempt to prevent us from leaving the Runway. We then immediately began going left of center line at which point the CA announced reject; and took control of the aircraft. The reject occurred under 30 kts. We were able to safely taxi the aircraft off of the Runway; and execute the rejected take off checklist. After consulting with Maintenance; Operations; and Dispatch we returned to the Gate and conducted an aircraft swap. While taxiing to the Gate; a noticeable bind was present in the pedals on both the CA and First Officer side.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.