Narrative:

In order to see the difference in performance of the aircraft during climbout with an earlier gear retraction, I placed the landing gear in 'override' during the run-up. This is an approved step in the pilot's operating handbook in the 'before takeoff' section. The gear selector switch was in the down position at this time. After I completed the run-up, I taxied to the threshold of runway 34. I applied full power and the engine responded normally. Slightly before the suggested rotation speed (65-75 KIAS), at about 50-60 KIAS, I placed the gear selector switch in 'up'. The landing gear did retract, the airplane sunk due to insufficient airspeed, hit the tail tie-down then settled back onto the runway. The airplane skidded approximately 250' then came to a stop on the runway centerline approximately mid-field. I was recently checked out in this complex aircraft. Although it is the only complex aircraft I have flown, I believed that I understood the airplane and its systems well. I did receive a thorough check-out and have read the operating handbook in entirety. I had a misconception which I believe could have been avoided with a more informative and detailed description in the operating handbook. I thought that the airplane would transition smoothly from takeoff to climb with the gear in override and selecting up just prior to roll-out. I understood that the 'squat-switch' on the left main landing gear was to prevent inadvertent gear-up with the airplane on the ground (when the oleo-strut is anything less than fully extended). I also understood the caution in the handbook when operating in override which says in effect 'ensure not to prematurely retract the landing gear as the airplane may settle back onto the runway'. This statement, in hindsight, brought to question 'what is 'pre-mature'?' I think that the handbook could be more definite (ie, state 'until a positive rate of climb is established'), and less vague. I thought that the oleo would be fully extended when the wings were supporting all of the weight of the aircraft at which time the gear would retract, resulting in a safe climb-out. I was wrong.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PREMATURE GEAR RETRACTION, ACFT SETTLED BACK ONTO RWY.

Narrative: IN ORDER TO SEE THE DIFFERENCE IN PERFORMANCE OF THE ACFT DURING CLIMBOUT WITH AN EARLIER GEAR RETRACTION, I PLACED THE LNDG GEAR IN 'OVERRIDE' DURING THE RUN-UP. THIS IS AN APPROVED STEP IN THE PLT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK IN THE 'BEFORE TKOF' SECTION. THE GEAR SELECTOR SWITCH WAS IN THE DOWN POSITION AT THIS TIME. AFTER I COMPLETED THE RUN-UP, I TAXIED TO THE THRESHOLD OF RWY 34. I APPLIED FULL POWER AND THE ENGINE RESPONDED NORMALLY. SLIGHTLY BEFORE THE SUGGESTED ROTATION SPEED (65-75 KIAS), AT ABOUT 50-60 KIAS, I PLACED THE GEAR SELECTOR SWITCH IN 'UP'. THE LNDG GEAR DID RETRACT, THE AIRPLANE SUNK DUE TO INSUFFICIENT AIRSPEED, HIT THE TAIL TIE-DOWN THEN SETTLED BACK ONTO THE RWY. THE AIRPLANE SKIDDED APPROX 250' THEN CAME TO A STOP ON THE RWY CENTERLINE APPROX MID-FIELD. I WAS RECENTLY CHECKED OUT IN THIS COMPLEX ACFT. ALTHOUGH IT IS THE ONLY COMPLEX ACFT I HAVE FLOWN, I BELIEVED THAT I UNDERSTOOD THE AIRPLANE AND ITS SYSTEMS WELL. I DID RECEIVE A THOROUGH CHECK-OUT AND HAVE READ THE OPERATING HANDBOOK IN ENTIRETY. I HAD A MISCONCEPTION WHICH I BELIEVE COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED WITH A MORE INFORMATIVE AND DETAILED DESCRIPTION IN THE OPERATING HANDBOOK. I THOUGHT THAT THE AIRPLANE WOULD TRANSITION SMOOTHLY FROM TKOF TO CLIMB WITH THE GEAR IN OVERRIDE AND SELECTING UP JUST PRIOR TO ROLL-OUT. I UNDERSTOOD THAT THE 'SQUAT-SWITCH' ON THE LEFT MAIN LNDG GEAR WAS TO PREVENT INADVERTENT GEAR-UP WITH THE AIRPLANE ON THE GND (WHEN THE OLEO-STRUT IS ANYTHING LESS THAN FULLY EXTENDED). I ALSO UNDERSTOOD THE CAUTION IN THE HANDBOOK WHEN OPERATING IN OVERRIDE WHICH SAYS IN EFFECT 'ENSURE NOT TO PREMATURELY RETRACT THE LNDG GEAR AS THE AIRPLANE MAY SETTLE BACK ONTO THE RWY'. THIS STATEMENT, IN HINDSIGHT, BROUGHT TO QUESTION 'WHAT IS 'PRE-MATURE'?' I THINK THAT THE HANDBOOK COULD BE MORE DEFINITE (IE, STATE 'UNTIL A POSITIVE RATE OF CLIMB IS ESTABLISHED'), AND LESS VAGUE. I THOUGHT THAT THE OLEO WOULD BE FULLY EXTENDED WHEN THE WINGS WERE SUPPORTING ALL OF THE WEIGHT OF THE ACFT AT WHICH TIME THE GEAR WOULD RETRACT, RESULTING IN A SAFE CLIMB-OUT. I WAS WRONG.

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.