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ATL91LA100

1991-05-27 · HUNTSVILLE, Alabama, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport HSV

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO REMOVE THE CONTROL LOCK PRIOR TO ATTEMPTING FLIGHT AND HIS FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE 'BEFORE TAKEOFF' CHECKLIST. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S DIVERTED ATTENTION.

Factual narrative

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER SHUTDOWN A BOLT WAS USED AS A FLIGHT CONTROL LOCK ON THE YOKE. IT WAS NOT FLAGGED. THE FLAGGED CONTROL LOCK PIN HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN MISPLACED. WHEN HE RETURNED TO THE AIRPLANE ON MONDAY HE FAILED TO REMOVE THE BOLT DURING THE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION. HE TAXIED TO THE RUNUP AREA & NOTED THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR HAD NOT ERECTED. HE SKIPPED TO THE ENGINE RUNUP ON THE CHECKLIST & FAILED TO CHECK THE FLIGHT CONTROLS. DURING THE TAKEOFF THE BOLT WAS REMEMBERED. HE TRIED TO REMOVE THE BOLT, THE ACFT LIFTED OFF, HE RETARDED THE THROTTLE. THE NOSE PITCHED DOWN & THE AIRPLANE HIT THE RWY NOSE GEAR FIRST. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1991_ATL91LA100.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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