Pilot pulls mixture control intending to extend flaps.

Attributes
ACN	158431
Time
Date	199009
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hpn
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : hpn artcc : zdc
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 4 flight time total : 350
ASRS Report	158431
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Haven't flown in 2 1/2 yrs. Transitioning to new type of aircraft (aircraft type). On second training flight (toward biennial) doing touch and go's, workload was high due to tower instructions to keep speed up, multiple departures and arrs on different runways, etc. On short final, I reached up to deploy landing flaps and closed mixture lever instead. Opened mixture immediately. No problems, however most of my time is in (aircraft type) in particular, which have a lock on the mixture so it can't be closed accidentally. Electric flap switch and mixture are directly over one another. Leading to this situation. In general, the throttle quadrant, trim and flaps seem well-grouped, but the mixture should get some kind of detent. (Flap 'switch' has a large plastic knob on it to add to the confusion.)

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT PULLS MIXTURE CTL INTENDING TO EXTEND FLAPS.

Narrative: HAVEN'T FLOWN IN 2 1/2 YRS. TRANSITIONING TO NEW TYPE OF ACFT (ACFT TYPE). ON SECOND TRNING FLT (TOWARD BIENNIAL) DOING TOUCH AND GO'S, WORKLOAD WAS HIGH DUE TO TWR INSTRUCTIONS TO KEEP SPD UP, MULTIPLE DEPS AND ARRS ON DIFFERENT RWYS, ETC. ON SHORT FINAL, I REACHED UP TO DEPLOY LNDG FLAPS AND CLOSED MIXTURE LEVER INSTEAD. OPENED MIXTURE IMMEDIATELY. NO PROBS, HOWEVER MOST OF MY TIME IS IN (ACFT TYPE) IN PARTICULAR, WHICH HAVE A LOCK ON THE MIXTURE SO IT CAN'T BE CLOSED ACCIDENTALLY. ELECTRIC FLAP SWITCH AND MIXTURE ARE DIRECTLY OVER ONE ANOTHER. LEADING TO THIS SITUATION. IN GENERAL, THE THROTTLE QUADRANT, TRIM AND FLAPS SEEM WELL-GROUPED, BUT THE MIXTURE SHOULD GET SOME KIND OF DETENT. (FLAP 'SWITCH' HAS A LARGE PLASTIC KNOB ON IT TO ADD TO THE CONFUSION.)

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.