A PA31 atx pilot retracts his gear while taxiing at sju. Cites gear lever design as a factor.

Attributes
ACN	396571
Time
Date	199803
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sju
State Reference	PR
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	PA-31P Navajo P
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 2730 flight time type : 750
ASRS Report	396571
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : non radar
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	other

Narrative:

The situation arose because of checking some items during taxiing like lowering flaps and unintentionally and unnoticed moving the landing gear lever with the consequence of a retraction on the taxiway. At least, and fortunately, nobody got injured, only damage to the plane. As a corrective action, the manufacturer should put on another device so the gear cannot be retracted on the ground while taxiing the plane even if this happens intentionally. Other contributing factors can be the duty time and the fact that you are alone in the cockpit, so for these operations we should have at least 2 crew members, but that is only required in other types of planes or operation under other FARS.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA31 ATX PLT RETRACTS HIS GEAR WHILE TAXIING AT SJU. CITES GEAR LEVER DESIGN AS A FACTOR.

Narrative: THE SIT AROSE BECAUSE OF CHKING SOME ITEMS DURING TAXIING LIKE LOWERING FLAPS AND UNINTENTIONALLY AND UNNOTICED MOVING THE LNDG GEAR LEVER WITH THE CONSEQUENCE OF A RETRACTION ON THE TXWY. AT LEAST, AND FORTUNATELY, NOBODY GOT INJURED, ONLY DAMAGE TO THE PLANE. AS A CORRECTIVE ACTION, THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD PUT ON ANOTHER DEVICE SO THE GEAR CANNOT BE RETRACTED ON THE GND WHILE TAXIING THE PLANE EVEN IF THIS HAPPENS INTENTIONALLY. OTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTORS CAN BE THE DUTY TIME AND THE FACT THAT YOU ARE ALONE IN THE COCKPIT, SO FOR THESE OPS WE SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST 2 CREW MEMBERS, BUT THAT IS ONLY REQUIRED IN OTHER TYPES OF PLANES OR OP UNDER OTHER FARS.

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.