Accident Details
A pilot reported that during the landing roll of a retractable landing gear airplane, he reached for the flap switch to retract the flaps. However, he inadvertently retracted the landing gear instead. The flap and landing gear switches are located on the left and right sides of the control column, respectively.
Pilot's Account
The pilot stated that he had been flying other airplanes previously and had become accustomed to the flap switch being on the right side of the control column. This habit led to the error during the landing roll. He further reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Damage
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing as a result of the inadvertent landing gear retraction.