Soldotna, AK, USA
N9650S
Champion 7ECA
The solo private pilot was departing from a private gravel runway on a personal cross-country flight when he lost directional control. The pilot said the airplane drifted off the runway during takeoff/initial climb and impacted trees. The airplane then impacted terrain in a steep nose low attitude. The pilot said he had neglected to remove the rudder gust lock, and that once airborne, he was unable to control the airplane's direction of flight. The airplane received structural damage to both wings and the fuselage.
On May 5, 2008, about 1608 Alaska daylight time, a Champion 7ECA airplane, N9650S, received substantial damage when it collided with trees during takeoff-initial climb from a private airstrip in Soldotna, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal local flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The solo private certificated pilot received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on May 7, the pilot said he had forgotten to remove the rudder gust lock prior to takeoff, and that without rudder control during takeoff, the airplane drifted into the trees. He said the airplane received substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage.
The pilot's failure to remove the rudder gust lock prior to the flight.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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