Inadvertent early gear retraction on runway during touch and goes by student (private) pilot.

Attributes
ACN	297915
Time
Date	199503
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bct
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ttzp
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Cardinal 177/177RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 1250 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	297915
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure 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:

On second touch and go at bct, during a soft field landing for practice for student's commercial rating. On landing, the student had let nose wheel touch runway after flare. I told him to please keep the nose wheel light, and as he brought up nose he retracted gear. At this point there was no time to correct situation, speed was under 25 KTS. Nose gear retracted and propeller struck runway. Mains stayed because of overctr action. I had guarded the gear handle until mains touched down and then left it. 4 ways to which I think this could have been prevented are: guard gear handle at all times on ground until airborne. Move squat switch to main gear not nose or to pitot system like beech duchess. Install some type of lock to make retraction more difficult like done on bonanzas. For training aircraft a manual switch on instructor's side to electrically disable gear system. Never trust a student.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INADVERTENT EARLY GEAR RETRACTION ON RWY DURING TOUCH AND GOES BY STUDENT (PVT) PLT.

Narrative: ON SECOND TOUCH AND GO AT BCT, DURING A SOFT FIELD LNDG FOR PRACTICE FOR STUDENT'S COMMERCIAL RATING. ON LNDG, THE STUDENT HAD LET NOSE WHEEL TOUCH RWY AFTER FLARE. I TOLD HIM TO PLEASE KEEP THE NOSE WHEEL LIGHT, AND AS HE BROUGHT UP NOSE HE RETRACTED GEAR. AT THIS POINT THERE WAS NO TIME TO CORRECT SIT, SPD WAS UNDER 25 KTS. NOSE GEAR RETRACTED AND PROP STRUCK RWY. MAINS STAYED BECAUSE OF OVERCTR ACTION. I HAD GUARDED THE GEAR HANDLE UNTIL MAINS TOUCHED DOWN AND THEN LEFT IT. 4 WAYS TO WHICH I THINK THIS COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED ARE: GUARD GEAR HANDLE AT ALL TIMES ON GND UNTIL AIRBORNE. MOVE SQUAT SWITCH TO MAIN GEAR NOT NOSE OR TO PITOT SYS LIKE BEECH DUCHESS. INSTALL SOME TYPE OF LOCK TO MAKE RETRACTION MORE DIFFICULT LIKE DONE ON BONANZAS. FOR TRAINING ACFT A MANUAL SWITCH ON INSTRUCTOR'S SIDE TO ELECTRICALLY DISABLE GEAR SYS. NEVER TRUST A STUDENT.

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.