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Pilot of an small aircraft sel accidentally retracted the landing gear instead of flaps up during the landing rollout resulting in the nosewheel only collapsing and minor damage to the aircraft.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 334549 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199604 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : dwh |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | landing other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | observation : passenger |
| Qualification | other other : other pilot : commercial pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 750 flight time type : 40 |
| ASRS Report | 334549 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : ground critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : insufficient time other |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
On apr/xx/96 I was on board an aircraft (C172RG) as a passenger when after the landing rollout, the pilot retracted the gear. Only the nosewheel collapsed and minimal damage was sustained. However, being a CFI, I feel confident that performing any cleanup while still on the runway is a definite no-no! If he would have waited until he was stopped on the taxiway, he may have prevented this incident. The FAA investigated the aircraft the next day. Everything was normal (given the circumstances). However, one item I would like to mention is that even though we were breaking to slow down (even more pressure on the nose gear) the squat switch never worked. The problem (I believe) was due to overcharging the strut. If it would have been properly svced, maybe 1 pilot would be without an incident. Pilot error was definitely at fault, but be aware that even though the pilot's information manual states that squat switches prevent inadvertent gear retraction while on the ground (even with excess pressure) this is just more evidence to never rely on them!
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF AN SMA SEL ACCIDENTALLY RETRACTED THE LNDG GEAR INSTEAD OF FLAPS UP DURING THE LNDG ROLLOUT RESULTING IN THE NOSEWHEEL ONLY COLLAPSING AND MINOR DAMAGE TO THE ACFT.
Narrative: ON APR/XX/96 I WAS ON BOARD AN ACFT (C172RG) AS A PAX WHEN AFTER THE LNDG ROLLOUT, THE PLT RETRACTED THE GEAR. ONLY THE NOSEWHEEL COLLAPSED AND MINIMAL DAMAGE WAS SUSTAINED. HOWEVER, BEING A CFI, I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT PERFORMING ANY CLEANUP WHILE STILL ON THE RWY IS A DEFINITE NO-NO! IF HE WOULD HAVE WAITED UNTIL HE WAS STOPPED ON THE TXWY, HE MAY HAVE PREVENTED THIS INCIDENT. THE FAA INVESTIGATED THE ACFT THE NEXT DAY. EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL (GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES). HOWEVER, ONE ITEM I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION IS THAT EVEN THOUGH WE WERE BREAKING TO SLOW DOWN (EVEN MORE PRESSURE ON THE NOSE GEAR) THE SQUAT SWITCH NEVER WORKED. THE PROB (I BELIEVE) WAS DUE TO OVERCHARGING THE STRUT. IF IT WOULD HAVE BEEN PROPERLY SVCED, MAYBE 1 PLT WOULD BE WITHOUT AN INCIDENT. PLT ERROR WAS DEFINITELY AT FAULT, BUT BE AWARE THAT EVEN THOUGH THE PLT'S INFO MANUAL STATES THAT SQUAT SWITCHES PREVENT INADVERTENT GEAR RETRACTION WHILE ON THE GND (EVEN WITH EXCESS PRESSURE) THIS IS JUST MORE EVIDENCE TO NEVER RELY ON THEM!
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.