BE35 pilot inadvertently actuated gear up switch during landing rollout and landing gear collapsed.

Attributes
ACN	781068
Time
Date	200803
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lga.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Bonanza 35
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 2.5 flight time total : 1110 flight time type : 615
ASRS Report	781068
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

This was a VFR pleasure flight with pilot the sole occupant of the aircraft. I departed VFR to a flight practice area. Once there; did some air work including 30- and 45-degree banked turns and power-off stalls. On my return to airport; I followed the ILS GS and localizer. I made a full flap landing and while taxiing on the runway; just prior to the turnoff from the runway; while thinking that I was reaching for the flap retraction switch; I inadvertently momentarily activated the landing gear switch. I immediately set the switch to down; but by then the landing gear had started to cycle and the nose gear and left main gear had retracted/collapsed; the right main gear remained partially extended. The aircraft veered to the left and stopped. I immediately turned off all power and exited the aircraft. In retrospect; I displayed poor judgement in attempting to raise the flaps just prior to exiting the runway. It is unfortunate that the design of the flap and gear switches on the be-35 model G; while spatially separated are almost identical in feel and operation. While not the primary reason for the incident; I believe that this similarity is a significant contributing factor. Additional training and strict adherence to limiting pilot activity to aircraft control and communication while on rollout and taxiing should minimize the possibility of a recurrence.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE35 PLT INADVERTENTLY ACTUATED GEAR UP SWITCH DURING LNDG ROLLOUT AND LNDG GEAR COLLAPSED.

Narrative: THIS WAS A VFR PLEASURE FLT WITH PLT THE SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE ACFT. I DEPARTED VFR TO A FLT PRACTICE AREA. ONCE THERE; DID SOME AIR WORK INCLUDING 30- AND 45-DEG BANKED TURNS AND PWR-OFF STALLS. ON MY RETURN TO ARPT; I FOLLOWED THE ILS GS AND LOC. I MADE A FULL FLAP LNDG AND WHILE TAXIING ON THE RWY; JUST PRIOR TO THE TURNOFF FROM THE RWY; WHILE THINKING THAT I WAS REACHING FOR THE FLAP RETRACTION SWITCH; I INADVERTENTLY MOMENTARILY ACTIVATED THE LNDG GEAR SWITCH. I IMMEDIATELY SET THE SWITCH TO DOWN; BUT BY THEN THE LNDG GEAR HAD STARTED TO CYCLE AND THE NOSE GEAR AND L MAIN GEAR HAD RETRACTED/COLLAPSED; THE R MAIN GEAR REMAINED PARTIALLY EXTENDED. THE ACFT VEERED TO THE L AND STOPPED. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF ALL PWR AND EXITED THE ACFT. IN RETROSPECT; I DISPLAYED POOR JUDGEMENT IN ATTEMPTING TO RAISE THE FLAPS JUST PRIOR TO EXITING THE RWY. IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT THE DESIGN OF THE FLAP AND GEAR SWITCHES ON THE BE-35 MODEL G; WHILE SPATIALLY SEPARATED ARE ALMOST IDENTICAL IN FEEL AND OP. WHILE NOT THE PRIMARY REASON FOR THE INCIDENT; I BELIEVE THAT THIS SIMILARITY IS A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. ADDITIONAL TRAINING AND STRICT ADHERENCE TO LIMITING PLT ACTIVITY TO ACFT CTL AND COM WHILE ON ROLLOUT AND TAXIING SHOULD MINIMIZE THE POSSIBILITY OF A RECURRENCE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.