Son of the pilot of a beech 36 inadvertently retracted the landing gear when he hit the gear switch ...

Attributes
ACN	483331
Time
Date	200008
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : trk.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Bonanza 36
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 46 flight time total : 1102 flight time type : 1003
ASRS Report	483331
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters other non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

During the rollout from landing at truckee airport, my 15 yr old son repositioned himself in the right front seat and, accidentally, hit the gear switch with his knee, causing the gear to partially retract. There were no injuries and this incident did not result in 'substantial damage' as defined by NTSB. The gear switch on my 1981 A36TC bonanza is located on the lower right passenger side of the panel. This location is vulnerable to being accidentally hit by a passenger's knee if repositioning themselves, and passenger don't usually advise the pilot before doing so. Although my son has flown with me many times and is aware of the gear switch location, additional briefing by me prior to landing may have prevented this incident. In addition, location of the gear switch on the pilot side -- where beechcraft moved the switch to in 1984 -- would have prevented this incident. Since this switch can't be moved, pilots of these aircraft should carefully brief their passenger of the location of the gear switch and the dangers of getting too close or hitting it inadvertently.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SON OF THE PLT OF A BEECH 36 INADVERTENTLY RETRACTED THE LNDG GEAR WHEN HE HIT THE GEAR SWITCH WITH HIS KNEE.

Narrative: DURING THE ROLLOUT FROM LNDG AT TRUCKEE ARPT, MY 15 YR OLD SON REPOSITIONED HIMSELF IN THE R FRONT SEAT AND, ACCIDENTALLY, HIT THE GEAR SWITCH WITH HIS KNEE, CAUSING THE GEAR TO PARTIALLY RETRACT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND THIS INCIDENT DID NOT RESULT IN 'SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE' AS DEFINED BY NTSB. THE GEAR SWITCH ON MY 1981 A36TC BONANZA IS LOCATED ON THE LOWER R PAX SIDE OF THE PANEL. THIS LOCATION IS VULNERABLE TO BEING ACCIDENTALLY HIT BY A PAX'S KNEE IF REPOSITIONING THEMSELVES, AND PAX DON'T USUALLY ADVISE THE PLT BEFORE DOING SO. ALTHOUGH MY SON HAS FLOWN WITH ME MANY TIMES AND IS AWARE OF THE GEAR SWITCH LOCATION, ADDITIONAL BRIEFING BY ME PRIOR TO LNDG MAY HAVE PREVENTED THIS INCIDENT. IN ADDITION, LOCATION OF THE GEAR SWITCH ON THE PLT SIDE -- WHERE BEECHCRAFT MOVED THE SWITCH TO IN 1984 -- WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS INCIDENT. SINCE THIS SWITCH CAN'T BE MOVED, PLTS OF THESE ACFT SHOULD CAREFULLY BRIEF THEIR PAX OF THE LOCATION OF THE GEAR SWITCH AND THE DANGERS OF GETTING TOO CLOSE OR HITTING IT INADVERTENTLY.

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.

Son of the pilot of a beech 36 inadvertently retracted the landing gear when he hit the gear switch with his knee.