Small aircraft pilot has gear retract during taxi.

Attributes
ACN	222421
Time
Date	199209
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 1c5
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 6 flight time total : 1030 flight time type : 131
ASRS Report	222421
Events
Anomaly	non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Since no mechanical problems with the nose gear have been found to date, it is believed that instead of opening the cowl flaps, I inadvertently placed the gear handle in the up position. Please note that the motion is similar but not identical when opening the cowl flaps or placing the gear handle in the 'up' position. The cowl flaps are suspect since I do not recall reaching for and moving the gear handle after landing rollout or during taxi. Also, the cowl flaps were noted to be in the closed position after the incident. Corrective actions -- make sure that all checklist items are visually idented before execution of operation is performed. I possibly was mentally distracted during the after landing checklist and failed to visually identify the cowl flap lever before opening. A review of the landing gear system reveals that when the gear is down and locked, and the squat switch detecting weight on the nose gear, an 'up' gear handle will not provide any audible or visual gear unsafe warning. Instead, a green gear down and locked indication is provided. So it is possible to taxi in this condition as long as the squat switch detects weight on the nosewheel, and not detect the gear up condition.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT HAS GEAR RETRACT DURING TAXI.

Narrative: SINCE NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE NOSE GEAR HAVE BEEN FOUND TO DATE, IT IS BELIEVED THAT INSTEAD OF OPENING THE COWL FLAPS, I INADVERTENTLY PLACED THE GEAR HANDLE IN THE UP POS. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE MOTION IS SIMILAR BUT NOT IDENTICAL WHEN OPENING THE COWL FLAPS OR PLACING THE GEAR HANDLE IN THE 'UP' POS. THE COWL FLAPS ARE SUSPECT SINCE I DO NOT RECALL REACHING FOR AND MOVING THE GEAR HANDLE AFTER LNDG ROLLOUT OR DURING TAXI. ALSO, THE COWL FLAPS WERE NOTED TO BE IN THE CLOSED POS AFTER THE INCIDENT. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS -- MAKE SURE THAT ALL CHKLIST ITEMS ARE VISUALLY IDENTED BEFORE EXECUTION OF OP IS PERFORMED. I POSSIBLY WAS MENTALLY DISTRACTED DURING THE AFTER LNDG CHKLIST AND FAILED TO VISUALLY IDENT THE COWL FLAP LEVER BEFORE OPENING. A REVIEW OF THE LNDG GEAR SYS REVEALS THAT WHEN THE GEAR IS DOWN AND LOCKED, AND THE SQUAT SWITCH DETECTING WT ON THE NOSE GEAR, AN 'UP' GEAR HANDLE WILL NOT PROVIDE ANY AUDIBLE OR VISUAL GEAR UNSAFE WARNING. INSTEAD, A GREEN GEAR DOWN AND LOCKED INDICATION IS PROVIDED. SO IT IS POSSIBLE TO TAXI IN THIS CONDITION AS LONG AS THE SQUAT SWITCH DETECTS WT ON THE NOSEWHEEL, AND NOT DETECT THE GEAR UP CONDITION.

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.