Pilot deviation - pilot prematurely raises the gear on takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	299526
Time
Date	199503
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fkn
State Reference	VA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Mentor (T-34)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 1670 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	299526
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical conflict : ground critical other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While receiving dual recurrency training in a beechcraft T-34B, a fellow flight instructor and myself elected to complete some landing practice at franklin municipal airport. The traffic pattern for runway 27 was already in use by a military helicopter. As such we announced intentions and fell in trail on downwind for landing. First landing was a full stop without incident. The second takeoff and landing were likewise uneventful. We then decided to complete a third landing and depart for home base (ngu). Pattern and landing were without incident. However, as we begin the final takeoff to depart, as the aircraft accelerated past 55 KTS indicated, I felt the aircraft shudder and then the nose gear gave way. As the aircraft slid to a stop my fellow instructor and myself unbuckled and departed the aircraft. After we determined there was no risk of fire we returned to the aircraft. On inspection we found the landing gear handle in the up position. Though I do not recall doing so I concluded that after landing I had unintentionally placed the gear handle up after retracting the flaps. I have a substantial amount of experience in various retractable aircraft. I can only determine that this was only the second flight in which I had performed landing from the rear cockpit in this make and model as a factor. Also the fact that the flight was going so routinely and smoothly, as to lull me in to a momentary lapse of attention post landing. I may have done the one thing which I have admonished dozens of students not to do. Let my hands move faster than my intentions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT DEV - PLT PREMATURELY RAISES THE GEAR ON TKOF.

Narrative: WHILE RECEIVING DUAL RECURRENCY TRAINING IN A BEECHCRAFT T-34B, A FELLOW FLT INSTRUCTOR AND MYSELF ELECTED TO COMPLETE SOME LNDG PRACTICE AT FRANKLIN MUNICIPAL ARPT. THE TFC PATTERN FOR RWY 27 WAS ALREADY IN USE BY A MIL HELI. AS SUCH WE ANNOUNCED INTENTIONS AND FELL IN TRAIL ON DOWNWIND FOR LNDG. FIRST LNDG WAS A FULL STOP WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE SECOND TKOF AND LNDG WERE LIKEWISE UNEVENTFUL. WE THEN DECIDED TO COMPLETE A THIRD LNDG AND DEPART FOR HOME BASE (NGU). PATTERN AND LNDG WERE WITHOUT INCIDENT. HOWEVER, AS WE BEGIN THE FINAL TKOF TO DEPART, AS THE ACFT ACCELERATED PAST 55 KTS INDICATED, I FELT THE ACFT SHUDDER AND THEN THE NOSE GEAR GAVE WAY. AS THE ACFT SLID TO A STOP MY FELLOW INSTRUCTOR AND MYSELF UNBUCKLED AND DEPARTED THE ACFT. AFTER WE DETERMINED THERE WAS NO RISK OF FIRE WE RETURNED TO THE ACFT. ON INSPECTION WE FOUND THE LNDG GEAR HANDLE IN THE UP POS. THOUGH I DO NOT RECALL DOING SO I CONCLUDED THAT AFTER LNDG I HAD UNINTENTIONALLY PLACED THE GEAR HANDLE UP AFTER RETRACTING THE FLAPS. I HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF EXPERIENCE IN VARIOUS RETRACTABLE ACFT. I CAN ONLY DETERMINE THAT THIS WAS ONLY THE SECOND FLT IN WHICH I HAD PERFORMED LNDG FROM THE REAR COCKPIT IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL AS A FACTOR. ALSO THE FACT THAT THE FLT WAS GOING SO ROUTINELY AND SMOOTHLY, AS TO LULL ME IN TO A MOMENTARY LAPSE OF ATTN POST LNDG. I MAY HAVE DONE THE ONE THING WHICH I HAVE ADMONISHED DOZENS OF STUDENTS NOT TO DO. LET MY HANDS MOVE FASTER THAN MY INTENTIONS.

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.