No fatalities

8 Sep 2012: BEECH V35 — Private individual — Decatur, TX

Decatur, TX, United States

On 8 Sep 2012, a BEECH V35 operated by Private individual was involved in an aviation accident near Decatur, TX. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot accidentally raised the landing gear instead of retracting the flaps after landing. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 13 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

During flap retraction after landing, a pilot inadvertently raised the landing gear, causing the airplane to collapse onto the runway and sustain substantial left wing damage.

Incident Overview

After landing at the destination airport, the pilot attempted to retract the flaps but mistakenly raised the landing gear. As the airplane began to settle onto the runway, the pilot attempted to extend the landing gear but was unable to do so before the airplane collapsed onto its belly and slid along the runway.

Aircraft Damage

An examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the left wing. No other damage details were reported.

Pilot Experience and Technique

The pilot reported having less than an hour of flight time in the type of airplane involved. According to the pilot, he utilized a technique he had developed while flying a different airplane, in which the locations of the flap and gear levers were opposite to those in the accident airplane.

Probable cause

The pilot accidentally raised the landing gear instead of retracting the flaps after landing.

Contributing factors

PilotUnintentional use/operation