Cessna Citation Sovereign (C680)
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 75; Flight Crew Total 22300; Flight Crew Type 700
Troubleshooting; Situational Awareness; Workload
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; General Maintenance Action; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed
Aircraft
Approaching rotation speed on takeoff; it felt like the rudder pedals locked up in neutral. I rotated the aircraft and became airborne. Shortly afterward I tried pushing alternately on the left and right rudder pedals and they were indeed immovable. I announced that to the Pilot Not Flying (PNF) and we continued a normal climbout and cockpit flow to reach a safe altitude where we could evaluate our status. We engaged the yaw damper; which engaged normally; and then the autopilot and continued our climbout. The 680 climbs quickly; so we were climbing in the teens as the PNF pulled out our QRH checklist for Jammed Rudder. We had just flown into ZZZ on a short flight from ZZZ1 at 10;000 feet; so we knew that cold soak was not a factor. We had not set the flight control gust lock because the winds were calm and we were doing a quick turn. When we started engines; we did a 'full throw' flight control check (including the rudder); per our checklist; so we knew the flight controls were free before taxi. Anyway; as the Jammed Rudder checklist was run with no relief; we [received priority] and diverted into ZZZ2 and used the longest runway; [Runway] XXL. On about a 3 mile final; the rudder became free; and a normal landing and rollout ensued. Our maintenance team drove over from our home airport (ZZZ1). Unfortunately the problem could not be duplicated. The aircraft flight control gust lock system was thoroughly inspected and it was determined that it was operating normally and could not have caused the jammed rudder. Maintenance examined the rudder control cables from the rudder pedals to the rudder and found no problems in the flight control system. In short they were unable to definitively identify what caused our jammed rudder condition. Since then the aircraft has flown 3 legs with no further problem. A verbal report was made to the NTSB and they said they would contact us if they wanted further information.
Corporate Jet Captain reported the rudder pedals jammed during climbout and became unjammed on short final to their divert airport. A maintenance examination found no problems with the flight control system.