Synopsis
On 16 July 2018, a DHC-8-402 (registration G-JEDU) operated a commercial passenger flight from Düsseldorf Airport, Germany. During the initial climb, the co-pilot (pilot monitoring) raised the flaps instead of the landing gear after the commander called for gear retraction. The commander did not immediately notice the error because sunlight shining into the cockpit made the primary flight display difficult to read, and the aircraft's performance, using normal takeoff power, masked the effects of the early flap retraction. The takeoff sequence was otherwise completed normally without incident. There were no injuries to the four crew or 77 passengers, and no damage was reported.
History of the Flight
After takeoff from Runway 05R, the commander called for landing gear retraction. The co-pilot moved the flap lever instead. The commander reported that he may have heard the co-pilot mention "flaps" but, because it occurred immediately after another standard call about flight guidance mode selection, he thought he had misheard. The commander characterized the event as a "skill based error" and noted that such an error could lead to a stall. The operator's standard operating procedures for gear and flap retraction involve a one-stage lever selection by the pilot monitoring following a call from the pilot flying.
Operator's Response
The operator stated that it categorized this type of event as low risk on the DHC-8-402. It had experienced several similar occurrences and determined that distraction was often a factor, but believed the frequency was now tolerable. The operator indicated reluctance to address the matter further, fearing that highlighting inadvertent flap selection could lead to other similar events. No additional safety actions were taken following this occurrence. The operator did not provide details of any previous internal actions, but the report notes that other operators have taken steps such as modifying standard operating procedures to include a pause before lever selection and enhanced monitoring training.
Conclusion
The pilot monitoring retracted the flaps instead of the landing gear after takeoff. This may have occurred because both actions are expected during this phase of flight. Takeoff into the sun may have caused the pilot flying some difficulty in noticing the slip. The operator had previously found distraction to be a factor in such occurrences.