Narrative:

Upon starting engine all 3 landing gear retracted while parked in front of hangar. Landing gear handle was in the up position. During cockpit preparation and preflight I checked and tested all annunciator lights, noted fuel quantity, circuit breaker positions etc. I noted 3 green indicator lights indicating gear down and locked but I did not note that the landing gear selector handle was in the gear up position. This is the fourth item to be checked on our approved before starting checklist. It is also the first thing I have looked at before turning on the battery switch in any retractable gear aircraft for the last 8 yrs. Unfortunately perhaps, I have never found one in the up position. I obviously did not make that check today. Instead I noted that all the lights indicated green after I turned on the battery. Proper use of checklist would have prevented this incident. A squat switch to prevent gear retraction on the ground would help. Not having the gear selector in the up position while the aircraft is on the ground would also be a real good idea. An aural warning horn activated independent of the engine/throttle condition would also work.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CORP ACFT HAS GEAR RETRACT WHILE ON RAMP AT ENG START.

Narrative: UPON STARTING ENG ALL 3 LNDG GEAR RETRACTED WHILE PARKED IN FRONT OF HANGAR. LNDG GEAR HANDLE WAS IN THE UP POS. DURING COCKPIT PREPARATION AND PREFLT I CHKED AND TESTED ALL ANNUNCIATOR LIGHTS, NOTED FUEL QUANTITY, CIRCUIT BREAKER POSITIONS ETC. I NOTED 3 GREEN INDICATOR LIGHTS INDICATING GEAR DOWN AND LOCKED BUT I DID NOT NOTE THAT THE LNDG GEAR SELECTOR HANDLE WAS IN THE GEAR UP POS. THIS IS THE FOURTH ITEM TO BE CHKED ON OUR APPROVED BEFORE STARTING CHKLIST. IT IS ALSO THE FIRST THING I HAVE LOOKED AT BEFORE TURNING ON THE BATTERY SWITCH IN ANY RETRACTABLE GEAR ACFT FOR THE LAST 8 YRS. UNFORTUNATELY PERHAPS, I HAVE NEVER FOUND ONE IN THE UP POS. I OBVIOUSLY DID NOT MAKE THAT CHK TODAY. INSTEAD I NOTED THAT ALL THE LIGHTS INDICATED GREEN AFTER I TURNED ON THE BATTERY. PROPER USE OF CHKLIST WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS INCIDENT. A SQUAT SWITCH TO PREVENT GEAR RETRACTION ON THE GND WOULD HELP. NOT HAVING THE GEAR SELECTOR IN THE UP POS WHILE THE ACFT IS ON THE GND WOULD ALSO BE A REAL GOOD IDEA. AN AURAL WARNING HORN ACTIVATED INDEPENDENT OF THE ENG/THROTTLE CONDITION WOULD ALSO WORK.

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.