On October 7, 1990, a Beech B55B (registration N56AF) was involved in an aviation accident near Eielson Afb, AK. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The student pilot's inadvertent retraction of the landing gear during the touch-and-go maneuver. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A dual student pilot practicing touch-and-go landings accidentally retracted the landing gear after applying power, causing the aircraft to slide on its belly.
What happened
The dual student and instructor pilots were conducting practice sessions for touch-and-go landings. During one specific maneuver, the student pilot completed the landing phase and applied power for the climb-out. Immediately following this action, the student selected the landing gear lever to the 'up' position.
The instructor observed the error and quickly attempted to correct it by placing the landing gear lever back in the down position. Despite this rapid intervention, the landing gear continued to retract fully before the aircraft could be stopped safely. The airplane subsequently slid to a stop on its belly.
Probable cause
The student pilot's inadvertent retraction of the landing gear during the touch-and-go maneuver.