<< >> NASA ASRS Report 276395, June 1994

Small aircraft trips gear extension lever. Descends below assigned to retract. Discovers oxygen system malfunction.

Attributes
ACN	276395
Time
Date	199406
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bam
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 14500 msl bound upper : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee Arrow IV
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : v6
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 482 flight time type : 201
ASRS Report	276395
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While cruising at an altitude of 15000 ft on V6 in the area of bam, I accidentally tripped my gear emergency extension lever. My aircraft was a piper arrow PA28-200R which has a minimum airspeed for gear retraction. At 15000 ft I needed to descend to gain airspeed. Regulations require me to advise ATC to request any change in assigned altitude when on an IFR flight plan, but I didn't. ATC asked me about the deviation. I explained about my landing gear and was requested to contact the center when I landed in rks. Soon after the incident I began to recognize some of the symptoms of hypoxia. I discovered that my oxygen system was not functioning. When attempts to fix the oxygen system failed, I requested a lower altitude from ATC.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA TRIPS GEAR EXTENSION LEVER. DSNDS BELOW ASSIGNED TO RETRACT. DISCOVERS OXYGEN SYS MALFUNCTION.

Narrative: WHILE CRUISING AT AN ALT OF 15000 FT ON V6 IN THE AREA OF BAM, I ACCIDENTALLY TRIPPED MY GEAR EMER EXTENSION LEVER. MY ACFT WAS A PIPER ARROW PA28-200R WHICH HAS A MINIMUM AIRSPD FOR GEAR RETRACTION. AT 15000 FT I NEEDED TO DSND TO GAIN AIRSPD. REGS REQUIRE ME TO ADVISE ATC TO REQUEST ANY CHANGE IN ASSIGNED ALT WHEN ON AN IFR FLT PLAN, BUT I DIDN'T. ATC ASKED ME ABOUT THE DEV. I EXPLAINED ABOUT MY LNDG GEAR AND WAS REQUESTED TO CONTACT THE CTR WHEN I LANDED IN RKS. SOON AFTER THE INCIDENT I BEGAN TO RECOGNIZE SOME OF THE SYMPTOMS OF HYPOXIA. I DISCOVERED THAT MY OXYGEN SYS WAS NOT FUNCTIONING. WHEN ATTEMPTS TO FIX THE OXYGEN SYS FAILED, I REQUESTED A LOWER ALT FROM ATC.

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.