After failing to place the gear lever in the off position after retraction; flight crew of B737-300 ...

Attributes
ACN	716216
Time
Date	200611
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : cwk.vortac
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 17 msl single value : 22000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 246
ASRS Report	716216
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We had reached cruise altitude (FL220) and 300 KTS on our last leg of a 6 leg day home. I; the PF; looked over and noticed that the landing gear was in the up position. This all may have ended here if I'd just asked the pm to place the handle in off. However; what I did was reach over and lower the gear handle. The handle was a little hard to move and went ever so slightly past off and the main gear released. I immediately moved the handle back to the up position. There was some noise and both main gear unsafe (red) lights were on. The aircraft started climbing (300 ft) so I disengaged the autoplt; reduced power and got back on altitude. A quick assessment of the situation said we needed to slow below gear up speed and cycle the landing gear. Not doing this every day at FL220; during the slow down/landing gear cycling we lost 600 ft. ATC asked us about both deviations. There was no conflict and we got right back on altitude. The landing gear cycling worked; the light went out and we went on to dal. I had a call from the 'a' flight attendant immediately after the landing gear cycling. A couple of our 7 passenger were concerned. I made a PA. In hindsight I should have done the PA before I cycled the gear. The aircraft was written up in dal. The deviations would not have happened without the landing gear incident. The landing gear incident would probably not have happened if the first officer; who is in a better position at such a critical time; had moved the landing gear handle. The passenger (and flight attendants) would not have been as uneasy if the captain had made a more timely PA.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER FAILING TO PLACE THE GEAR LEVER IN THE OFF POS AFTER RETRACTION; FLT CREW OF B737-300 DO SO AT FL220 AND INADVERTENTLY EXTEND THE GEAR. ALTDEVS ENSUE WHEN SPD ADJUSTMENTS ARE MADE TO ALLOW GEAR CYCLING.

Narrative: WE HAD REACHED CRUISE ALT (FL220) AND 300 KTS ON OUR LAST LEG OF A 6 LEG DAY HOME. I; THE PF; LOOKED OVER AND NOTICED THAT THE LNDG GEAR WAS IN THE UP POS. THIS ALL MAY HAVE ENDED HERE IF I'D JUST ASKED THE PM TO PLACE THE HANDLE IN OFF. HOWEVER; WHAT I DID WAS REACH OVER AND LOWER THE GEAR HANDLE. THE HANDLE WAS A LITTLE HARD TO MOVE AND WENT EVER SO SLIGHTLY PAST OFF AND THE MAIN GEAR RELEASED. I IMMEDIATELY MOVED THE HANDLE BACK TO THE UP POS. THERE WAS SOME NOISE AND BOTH MAIN GEAR UNSAFE (RED) LIGHTS WERE ON. THE ACFT STARTED CLBING (300 FT) SO I DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT; REDUCED PWR AND GOT BACK ON ALT. A QUICK ASSESSMENT OF THE SIT SAID WE NEEDED TO SLOW BELOW GEAR UP SPD AND CYCLE THE LNDG GEAR. NOT DOING THIS EVERY DAY AT FL220; DURING THE SLOW DOWN/LNDG GEAR CYCLING WE LOST 600 FT. ATC ASKED US ABOUT BOTH DEVS. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT AND WE GOT RIGHT BACK ON ALT. THE LNDG GEAR CYCLING WORKED; THE LIGHT WENT OUT AND WE WENT ON TO DAL. I HAD A CALL FROM THE 'A' FLT ATTENDANT IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE LNDG GEAR CYCLING. A COUPLE OF OUR 7 PAX WERE CONCERNED. I MADE A PA. IN HINDSIGHT I SHOULD HAVE DONE THE PA BEFORE I CYCLED THE GEAR. THE ACFT WAS WRITTEN UP IN DAL. THE DEVS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT THE LNDG GEAR INCIDENT. THE LNDG GEAR INCIDENT WOULD PROBABLY NOT HAVE HAPPENED IF THE FO; WHO IS IN A BETTER POS AT SUCH A CRITICAL TIME; HAD MOVED THE LNDG GEAR HANDLE. THE PAX (AND FLT ATTENDANTS) WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN AS UNEASY IF THE CAPT HAD MADE A MORE TIMELY PA.

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.

After failing to place the gear lever in the off position after retraction; flight crew of B737-300 do so at FL220 and inadvertently extend the gear. Altdevs ensue when speed adjustments are made to allow gear cycling.