A private small aircraft pilot inadvertently raises the gear instead of the flaps when distraction by his passenger on the landing roll at mkg, mi.

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Attributes
ACN	516764
Time
Date	200107
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mkg.airport
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : gsp.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 642.8 flight time type : 395
ASRS Report	516764
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	cabin event : passenger misconduct conflict : ground critical ground encounters : gear up landing non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : pax 2
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Passenger Human Performance Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We had a normal landing on runway 24 at mkg and we were rolling out, when the passenger wanted to open the door to get air into cabin. The nose gear collapsed and propeller struck the runway and we skidded about 15 ft on runway to a stop. We exited the airplane and realized the mains were up also and the gear switch was in the 'up' position. I have a bad habit of raising my flaps in rollout and the flaps were still down. I do not remember touching the flap switch or the gear switch. My only explanation is that I retract flaps subconsciously and the inability for the passenger to open the door was enough of a distraction to cause me to hit the gear switch instead of the flap switch. I use a checklist religiously before takeoff, and gumps prior to landing. I have never used an after landing checklist, but will start now. You should never do anything subconsciously if it can be avoided and that is what checklists are for. Also, I firmly believe that if the door opening hadn't distraction me, this never would have happened. Therefore, nothing should be done (ie, open doors, windows, retract flaps) until you are off the runway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PVT SMA PLT INADVERTENTLY RAISES THE GEAR INSTEAD OF THE FLAPS WHEN DISTR BY HIS PAX ON THE LNDG ROLL AT MKG, MI.

Narrative: WE HAD A NORMAL LNDG ON RWY 24 AT MKG AND WE WERE ROLLING OUT, WHEN THE PAX WANTED TO OPEN THE DOOR TO GET AIR INTO CABIN. THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND PROP STRUCK THE RWY AND WE SKIDDED ABOUT 15 FT ON RWY TO A STOP. WE EXITED THE AIRPLANE AND REALIZED THE MAINS WERE UP ALSO AND THE GEAR SWITCH WAS IN THE 'UP' POS. I HAVE A BAD HABIT OF RAISING MY FLAPS IN ROLLOUT AND THE FLAPS WERE STILL DOWN. I DO NOT REMEMBER TOUCHING THE FLAP SWITCH OR THE GEAR SWITCH. MY ONLY EXPLANATION IS THAT I RETRACT FLAPS SUBCONSCIOUSLY AND THE INABILITY FOR THE PAX TO OPEN THE DOOR WAS ENOUGH OF A DISTR TO CAUSE ME TO HIT THE GEAR SWITCH INSTEAD OF THE FLAP SWITCH. I USE A CHKLIST RELIGIOUSLY BEFORE TKOF, AND GUMPS PRIOR TO LNDG. I HAVE NEVER USED AN AFTER LNDG CHKLIST, BUT WILL START NOW. YOU SHOULD NEVER DO ANYTHING SUBCONSCIOUSLY IF IT CAN BE AVOIDED AND THAT IS WHAT CHKLISTS ARE FOR. ALSO, I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT IF THE DOOR OPENING HADN'T DISTR ME, THIS NEVER WOULD HAVE HAPPENED. THEREFORE, NOTHING SHOULD BE DONE (IE, OPEN DOORS, WINDOWS, RETRACT FLAPS) UNTIL YOU ARE OFF THE RWY.

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.