On 16-8-1996, during the take-off run on Runway 27 at Liverpool, the aircraft would not rotate and the crew elected to abort the take-off. However, the aircraft was not stopped before the end of the runway and, in order to avoid over running into the River Mersey, the pilot steered it off towards the right. The aircraft ran across the grass for some 200 metres before its right wing struck a small building. The aircraft then swung hard to the left and came to a stop. The take-off was being performed by the co-pilot. The accident happened at night (00:57 hours Local time). Runway 27 at Liverpool is 2,286 metres long and has an asphalt surface. Prior to departure, the crew had correctly disengaged the gust lock lever on the flight controls and had performed the ‘Full and Free’ control check satisfactorily. However, it would seem that the elevator gust lock had re-engaged itself as the ‘Full and Free’ check was completed. An inspection of the gust lock system discovered multiple rigging faults including the omission of a pivot bush and the overtightening of a bolt which tended to move the lock towards engagement when the control column was moved forwards. It was noted that the maintenance standard on the aircraft and that the specified procedures for maintaining and checking the flight controls gust lock were both ‘inadequate’. This was not detected by the CAA. Service experience had led to emphasis having been placed on the need to achieve effective locking performance for the gust lock system. The unlocking performance of the elevator gust lock was found to be ‘marginal’ even after substantial rectification work to correctly rig the system had been carried out. The AAIB found that the system was inherently susceptible to anomalies and external influences