Pilot of C172RG believes nose gear collapse during practice soft field takeoff may have been self in...

Attributes
ACN	785219
Time
Date	200804
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 2250 flight time type : 10
ASRS Report	785219
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Training in the rg; about 6 takeoffs and lndgs had been completed without incidence. Prior to another takeoff a pretkof checklist was completed and everything was in order. I was going to practice a soft field takeoff so full elevator deflection was applied. I had advanced the throttle forward traveling approximately 20 KTS when the nose gear collapsed. The propeller struck the ground and the plane slid about 25 meters. Upon inspection; I noticed the gear lever was in the up position; even though that had been checked. Somewhere between the pretkof check and the ground roll the lever must have been pushed up. I'm not exactly sure how; but my best guess is that the lever itself was fully pushed into the lever lock position even though the lever was down and the green light shown. My legs are fairly long and I'm guessing that as I worked the rudder my knee pushed it up; causing the nosewheel to retract. In the future; I most certainly will be checking and rechking the gear lever to make sure that it is fully locked in its place. The appearance of the lever being down and the green light is not enough. Another step I will be taking is to slide my seat back an extra notch to make sure my knee cannot be that close to the control panel.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF C172RG BELIEVES NOSE GEAR COLLAPSE DURING PRACTICE SOFT FIELD TKOF MAY HAVE BEEN SELF INDUCED BY KNEE STRIKING GEAR LEVER.

Narrative: TRAINING IN THE RG; ABOUT 6 TKOFS AND LNDGS HAD BEEN COMPLETED WITHOUT INCIDENCE. PRIOR TO ANOTHER TKOF A PRETKOF CHKLIST WAS COMPLETED AND EVERYTHING WAS IN ORDER. I WAS GOING TO PRACTICE A SOFT FIELD TKOF SO FULL ELEVATOR DEFLECTION WAS APPLIED. I HAD ADVANCED THE THROTTLE FORWARD TRAVELING APPROX 20 KTS WHEN THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. THE PROP STRUCK THE GND AND THE PLANE SLID ABOUT 25 METERS. UPON INSPECTION; I NOTICED THE GEAR LEVER WAS IN THE UP POS; EVEN THOUGH THAT HAD BEEN CHKED. SOMEWHERE BTWN THE PRETKOF CHK AND THE GND ROLL THE LEVER MUST HAVE BEEN PUSHED UP. I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE HOW; BUT MY BEST GUESS IS THAT THE LEVER ITSELF WAS FULLY PUSHED INTO THE LEVER LOCK POS EVEN THOUGH THE LEVER WAS DOWN AND THE GREEN LIGHT SHOWN. MY LEGS ARE FAIRLY LONG AND I'M GUESSING THAT AS I WORKED THE RUDDER MY KNEE PUSHED IT UP; CAUSING THE NOSEWHEEL TO RETRACT. IN THE FUTURE; I MOST CERTAINLY WILL BE CHKING AND RECHKING THE GEAR LEVER TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS FULLY LOCKED IN ITS PLACE. THE APPEARANCE OF THE LEVER BEING DOWN AND THE GREEN LIGHT IS NOT ENOUGH. ANOTHER STEP I WILL BE TAKING IS TO SLIDE MY SEAT BACK AN EXTRA NOTCH TO MAKE SURE MY KNEE CANNOT BE THAT CLOSE TO THE CTL PANEL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.

Pilot of C172RG believes nose gear collapse during practice soft field takeoff may have been self induced by knee striking gear lever.