The pilot reported that after landing at the airport in Glendale, Ariz., and during the turn onto a taxiway intersection, he inadvertently raised the landing gear lever by mistake, rather than the adjacent flap lever.
The left landing gear collapsed, which caused the left wing tip to strike the ground.
The impact resulted in substantial damage to the left wing of the Grumman TBM-3E.
The pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented had he waited until he was clear of the runway, stopped, and identified the flap switch.
The NTSB determined the probable cause as the pilot inadvertently raised the landing gear lever rather than the adjacent flap level while exiting the runway, which resulted in the retraction of the left main landing gear.
NTSB Identification: WPR14CA143
This March 2014 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
The TBF/TBM uses a simple locking lever which is mechanically activated by strut compression. It is non-electrical. A soft landing can leave the strut extended sufficiently to keep the locking lever from locking the gear handle. There is no way to preflight or test this mechanism. The gear and flap levers are wheel and airfoil-shaped knobs respectively, and are mounted adjacent to each other towards the bottom of the panel. You can’t trust any interlock to save you from making a simple mistake. Best advice when flying as single pilot, use just your pinky finger when raising the flaps! It makes a more conscious.act. TBM inadvertent gear retractions are also noted in the book “Sole Survivor” by Midway pilot Ensign George Gay.
Doesn’t that plane have a squat switch? If so, the NTSB’s report is a bit deficient.
If not, then the NTSB’s report is a bit deficient, in that it should have mentioned that because of the possibility of selecting the wrong switch, the aircraft should have a squat switch. — OH, sorry, my mistake. The NTSB only says things like that for Air-Taxi and above.
ever squat a TBM on a carrier deck ?