Multi-engine student practicing short field lndgs. Retracted gear instead of flaps.

Attributes
ACN	113034
Time
Date	198906
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ocf
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 1500
ASRS Report	113034
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was training a commercial pilot in multi-engine procedures preparing him for his multi-engine checkride/ticket of commercial and instrument privileges. He had already received about 10 hours of instruction from mr X using another small aircraft. Mr X has the reputation of being one of the finest instructors in this area. I changed our focus from single engine procedures to short field lndgs. On rollout I told him we would taxi off and return for takeoff. As I was saying this he reached for the flap lever to retract the flaps but instead reached the gear lever just inches away. I realized what he had done when the right side of the plane started dropping and yelling 'you put the gear up!' I slammed the lever back down. The left main and nose gears remained fully extended and the right main only partially collapsed dragging the right wing tip and aileron and tail skid and only slightly damaging the propeller tips in the sandy soil. Retracting the flaps after landing is the normal recommended procedure for short field lndgs. I could have avoided this incident by having been more aware of what my student was reaching for. I was mostly occupied in assuring a directionally straight rollout. This small aircraft tends to 'crab' because of the short wheelbase and wide track. I believe that on some airplanes and with some students this procedure is neither safe nor necessary because it involves diverting attention from the after landing rollout (maintaining centerline) to move hands from the throttle to the flap lever.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MULTI-ENGINE STUDENT PRACTICING SHORT FIELD LNDGS. RETRACTED GEAR INSTEAD OF FLAPS.

Narrative: I WAS TRAINING A COMMERCIAL PLT IN MULTI-ENGINE PROCS PREPARING HIM FOR HIS MULTI-ENGINE CHECKRIDE/TICKET OF COMMERCIAL AND INSTRUMENT PRIVILEGES. HE HAD ALREADY RECEIVED ABOUT 10 HRS OF INSTRUCTION FROM MR X USING ANOTHER SMA. MR X HAS THE REPUTATION OF BEING ONE OF THE FINEST INSTRUCTORS IN THIS AREA. I CHANGED OUR FOCUS FROM SINGLE ENGINE PROCS TO SHORT FIELD LNDGS. ON ROLLOUT I TOLD HIM WE WOULD TAXI OFF AND RETURN FOR TKOF. AS I WAS SAYING THIS HE REACHED FOR THE FLAP LEVER TO RETRACT THE FLAPS BUT INSTEAD REACHED THE GEAR LEVER JUST INCHES AWAY. I REALIZED WHAT HE HAD DONE WHEN THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PLANE STARTED DROPPING AND YELLING 'YOU PUT THE GEAR UP!' I SLAMMED THE LEVER BACK DOWN. THE LEFT MAIN AND NOSE GEARS REMAINED FULLY EXTENDED AND THE RIGHT MAIN ONLY PARTIALLY COLLAPSED DRAGGING THE RIGHT WING TIP AND AILERON AND TAIL SKID AND ONLY SLIGHTLY DAMAGING THE PROP TIPS IN THE SANDY SOIL. RETRACTING THE FLAPS AFTER LNDG IS THE NORMAL RECOMMENDED PROC FOR SHORT FIELD LNDGS. I COULD HAVE AVOIDED THIS INCIDENT BY HAVING BEEN MORE AWARE OF WHAT MY STUDENT WAS REACHING FOR. I WAS MOSTLY OCCUPIED IN ASSURING A DIRECTIONALLY STRAIGHT ROLLOUT. THIS SMA TENDS TO 'CRAB' BECAUSE OF THE SHORT WHEELBASE AND WIDE TRACK. I BELIEVE THAT ON SOME AIRPLANES AND WITH SOME STUDENTS THIS PROC IS NEITHER SAFE NOR NECESSARY BECAUSE IT INVOLVES DIVERTING ATTN FROM THE AFTER LNDG ROLLOUT (MAINTAINING CENTERLINE) TO MOVE HANDS FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE FLAP LEVER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.