Any insight on what may cause the Challenger to be unable to unstick?


The way the Challenger is built, you can pull a handle on the console
and split the elevators. That way each side has an elevator. Its use
is for an in-flight jam. Of course, on the takeoff roll there
wouldn't be time to split them and talk about it.

You have two twin actuators receiving pressure from two systems so
loss of a single system wouldn't change anything. With a loss of both
systems, you still have manual control if you pull hard enough. Any
hydraulic failure would be preceded by lots of cockpit warnings. All
that said, I don't think hydraulic failure comes in to play. I guess
there is an outside chance of a bad actuator locking things up.

My initial thought is moisture physically froze something and the
controls didn't get checked prior to takeoff. We always exercised the
controls after we had hydraulic pressure. It also weighs heavily on
my mind that even though both pilots had a lot of time, neither had
much time in type. The Challengers are great aircraft, but they are
certainly a different animal.

I'm sure the NTSB will get it all sorted out in the end.