Pilot of a C337 became distraction during initial climb out after takeoff due to a landing gear retr...

Attributes
ACN	459293
Time
Date	200001
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sna.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 400 msl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sna.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Super Skymaster
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure : vfr
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : sna.tower
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 300 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	459293
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

During the climb out after takeoff, I cycled the gear up, as is the usual practice. I continued the cleanup (power settings, flaps up, etc) when I noticed that the gear down light was still lit and the gear lever had returned to neutral. I reset the gear lever to gear down and tried to bring it up again. During this time, I did not continue a climb out, and stayed at about 400-500 ft. The area I was over is considerably dense and I should have continued my climb. I saw that I was on an intersecting course with a sheriff's helicopter and I turned right to go around/behind it. They called to see if I needed assistance, and I told them that I had gear problems. Orange county tower asked my intentions and I said I was going out over the beach to try and sort things out, which I did -- continuing a climb to about 1500 ft. I got the gear into a safe condition and told orange county tower I was heading back. On downwind, they told me the gear appeared to be down and asked if I needed further assistance. I declined, stating that everything was fine. I made a normal approach and landed. The gear was down and locked. Orange county had called out the fire trucks in case of need. I taxied to an on-field mechanic where I have my maintenance done. The reportable problem was my not continuing the climb out and allowing myself to be distraction by a non emergency occurrence. This led to my flying over a densely populated area at an unacceptably low altitude -- under control but low. I learned several things: first, flying the airplane is the best policy. Second, if you have gear problems, but it goes down and locks, go get it repaired before you put it up again. And last, but not least, remaining calm and working with the professionals in the air and on the ground proves the value of the training and system in place.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A C337 BECAME DISTR DURING INITIAL CLBOUT AFTER TKOF DUE TO A LNDG GEAR RETRACTION PROB RESULTING IN LEVELING OFF AT A LOW ALT OVER THE CONGESTED AREA NEAR THE ARPT.

Narrative: DURING THE CLBOUT AFTER TKOF, I CYCLED THE GEAR UP, AS IS THE USUAL PRACTICE. I CONTINUED THE CLEANUP (PWR SETTINGS, FLAPS UP, ETC) WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE GEAR DOWN LIGHT WAS STILL LIT AND THE GEAR LEVER HAD RETURNED TO NEUTRAL. I RESET THE GEAR LEVER TO GEAR DOWN AND TRIED TO BRING IT UP AGAIN. DURING THIS TIME, I DID NOT CONTINUE A CLBOUT, AND STAYED AT ABOUT 400-500 FT. THE AREA I WAS OVER IS CONSIDERABLY DENSE AND I SHOULD HAVE CONTINUED MY CLB. I SAW THAT I WAS ON AN INTERSECTING COURSE WITH A SHERIFF'S HELI AND I TURNED R TO GO AROUND/BEHIND IT. THEY CALLED TO SEE IF I NEEDED ASSISTANCE, AND I TOLD THEM THAT I HAD GEAR PROBS. ORANGE COUNTY TWR ASKED MY INTENTIONS AND I SAID I WAS GOING OUT OVER THE BEACH TO TRY AND SORT THINGS OUT, WHICH I DID -- CONTINUING A CLB TO ABOUT 1500 FT. I GOT THE GEAR INTO A SAFE CONDITION AND TOLD ORANGE COUNTY TWR I WAS HDG BACK. ON DOWNWIND, THEY TOLD ME THE GEAR APPEARED TO BE DOWN AND ASKED IF I NEEDED FURTHER ASSISTANCE. I DECLINED, STATING THAT EVERYTHING WAS FINE. I MADE A NORMAL APCH AND LANDED. THE GEAR WAS DOWN AND LOCKED. ORANGE COUNTY HAD CALLED OUT THE FIRE TRUCKS IN CASE OF NEED. I TAXIED TO AN ON-FIELD MECH WHERE I HAVE MY MAINT DONE. THE REPORTABLE PROB WAS MY NOT CONTINUING THE CLBOUT AND ALLOWING MYSELF TO BE DISTR BY A NON EMER OCCURRENCE. THIS LED TO MY FLYING OVER A DENSELY POPULATED AREA AT AN UNACCEPTABLY LOW ALT -- UNDER CTL BUT LOW. I LEARNED SEVERAL THINGS: FIRST, FLYING THE AIRPLANE IS THE BEST POLICY. SECOND, IF YOU HAVE GEAR PROBS, BUT IT GOES DOWN AND LOCKS, GO GET IT REPAIRED BEFORE YOU PUT IT UP AGAIN. AND LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, REMAINING CALM AND WORKING WITH THE PROFESSIONALS IN THE AIR AND ON THE GND PROVES THE VALUE OF THE TRAINING AND SYS IN PLACE.

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.

Pilot of a C337 became distraction during initial climb out after takeoff due to a landing gear retraction problem resulting in leveling off at a low altitude over the congested area near the airport.