Narrative:

I made a terrible mistake during the takeoff/departure. When commanded to raise the gear; I raised the flaps instead. It was the captain's leg; light weight (258900 pounds); flaps 15 degrees; ICAO climb out. Corrected V1/vr/V2 were 120 KTS/124 KTS/133 KTS. Ground operations and runway 19 takeoff roll were normal. I called V1/vr/V2 as appropriate. At V2; captain slowly rotated to about 17 degrees. When safely airborne and climbing; he called; 'positive climb; gear up; LNAV.' mistakenly; I raised the flap handle (which neither of us noticed at the time). About 1500 ft when captain called 'VNAV' was when I realized what I had done. (The captain had noticed a bit earlier and had lowered the nose to accelerate.) I then raised the gear; as captain sped up to clean maneuvering and normal climb profile. At no time did we experience any burble; stick shaker; or stall warning. Remainder of flight was uneventful. I'm still resolving why this happened. I believe fatigue and airport familiarity were contributing factors. I had slept well the previous night (8-9 hours); but my circadian rhythm was still in disarray from the 'all-nighter.' though I did not feel excessively tired; I also did not feel as sharp as usual which may have been due to effects of cumulative fatigue. It was also my first time into sumu. Hence; I wasn't familiar with the normal operating patterns (routings; taxiing; flaps 15 degree takeoff). The captain did educate me on the usual patterns; and we thoroughly discussed the flaps 15 degree takeoff (I was surprised flaps 5 degrees was not applicable given our light weight). So; I think (subconsciously) flaps were on my mind; and coupled with the fatigue and familiarity factors; I raised the flaps too soon. I realize the graveness of my error. I have never done anything like that before. But; I also have learned much from this experience. Though I am pretty much an SOP guy; I will become a total SOP guy. I will better educate myself on unfamiliar airfields and pay even closer attention to any/all details. I will also verify I am operating the proper item. By doing these things; I am sure I will never do something like this again; no matter how tired or distraction I am.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FATIGUED AND OPERATING FROM AN UNFAMILIAR ARPT; FO RAISES FLAPS INSTEAD OF GEAR AFTER LIFTOFF.

Narrative: I MADE A TERRIBLE MISTAKE DURING THE TKOF/DEP. WHEN COMMANDED TO RAISE THE GEAR; I RAISED THE FLAPS INSTEAD. IT WAS THE CAPT'S LEG; LIGHT WT (258900 LBS); FLAPS 15 DEGS; ICAO CLBOUT. CORRECTED V1/VR/V2 WERE 120 KTS/124 KTS/133 KTS. GND OPS AND RWY 19 TKOF ROLL WERE NORMAL. I CALLED V1/VR/V2 AS APPROPRIATE. AT V2; CAPT SLOWLY ROTATED TO ABOUT 17 DEGS. WHEN SAFELY AIRBORNE AND CLBING; HE CALLED; 'POSITIVE CLB; GEAR UP; LNAV.' MISTAKENLY; I RAISED THE FLAP HANDLE (WHICH NEITHER OF US NOTICED AT THE TIME). ABOUT 1500 FT WHEN CAPT CALLED 'VNAV' WAS WHEN I REALIZED WHAT I HAD DONE. (THE CAPT HAD NOTICED A BIT EARLIER AND HAD LOWERED THE NOSE TO ACCELERATE.) I THEN RAISED THE GEAR; AS CAPT SPED UP TO CLEAN MANEUVERING AND NORMAL CLB PROFILE. AT NO TIME DID WE EXPERIENCE ANY BURBLE; STICK SHAKER; OR STALL WARNING. REMAINDER OF FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. I'M STILL RESOLVING WHY THIS HAPPENED. I BELIEVE FATIGUE AND ARPT FAMILIARITY WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS. I HAD SLEPT WELL THE PREVIOUS NIGHT (8-9 HRS); BUT MY CIRCADIAN RHYTHM WAS STILL IN DISARRAY FROM THE 'ALL-NIGHTER.' THOUGH I DID NOT FEEL EXCESSIVELY TIRED; I ALSO DID NOT FEEL AS SHARP AS USUAL WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN DUE TO EFFECTS OF CUMULATIVE FATIGUE. IT WAS ALSO MY FIRST TIME INTO SUMU. HENCE; I WASN'T FAMILIAR WITH THE NORMAL OPERATING PATTERNS (ROUTINGS; TAXIING; FLAPS 15 DEG TKOF). THE CAPT DID EDUCATE ME ON THE USUAL PATTERNS; AND WE THOROUGHLY DISCUSSED THE FLAPS 15 DEG TKOF (I WAS SURPRISED FLAPS 5 DEGS WAS NOT APPLICABLE GIVEN OUR LIGHT WT). SO; I THINK (SUBCONSCIOUSLY) FLAPS WERE ON MY MIND; AND COUPLED WITH THE FATIGUE AND FAMILIARITY FACTORS; I RAISED THE FLAPS TOO SOON. I REALIZE THE GRAVENESS OF MY ERROR. I HAVE NEVER DONE ANYTHING LIKE THAT BEFORE. BUT; I ALSO HAVE LEARNED MUCH FROM THIS EXPERIENCE. THOUGH I AM PRETTY MUCH AN SOP GUY; I WILL BECOME A TOTAL SOP GUY. I WILL BETTER EDUCATE MYSELF ON UNFAMILIAR AIRFIELDS AND PAY EVEN CLOSER ATTN TO ANY/ALL DETAILS. I WILL ALSO VERIFY I AM OPERATING THE PROPER ITEM. BY DOING THESE THINGS; I AM SURE I WILL NEVER DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS AGAIN; NO MATTER HOW TIRED OR DISTR I AM.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.