Katz, the co-owner of The Philadelphia Inquirer and several major sports teams, had chartered the twinjet for a day trip from Atlantic City, New Jersey, to Concord, Massachusetts.

As it began its takeoff roll, the pilots realized that they had limited steering control and that the engine throttle levers could not be advanced to full power.

[3] The gust lock handle also included an interlock mechanism intended to limit the throttle levers to just enough power for taxiing and idle while engaged.

However, post-accident testing on other Gulfstream-IV airplanes found that, with the gust lock handle in the ON position, the forward throttle lever movement that could be achieved was three to four times greater than intended.

The NTSB also cited as contributing factors the flight crew's habitual noncompliance with checklists,[7] Gulfstream's failure to ensure that the Gulfstream-IV gust lock / throttle lever interlock system would prevent an attempted takeoff with the gust lock engaged, and the Federal Aviation Administration's failure to detect this defect during the Gulfstream IV's airworthiness certification.