On January 31, 1954, a Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3) (registration F-BGXD) operated by Aigle Azur was involved in an aviation accident near Điện Biên Phủ, Vietnam during takeoff. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot accidentally raised the landing gear while the aircraft was still on the runway during its takeoff run. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
An aircraft sustained heavy damage after the pilot prematurely retracted the landing gear during the takeoff sequence.
What happened
During the initial takeoff roll, an incident occurred involving the premature retraction of the undercarriage. While the aircraft was still on the ground and gaining speed, the landing gear was raised before the plane had achieved sufficient lift to depart the runway.
As a result of this error, the fuselage made direct contact with the runway surface. The aircraft type (unspecified) slid across the pavement for several dozen yards before finally coming to a stop.
Findings
There were zero injuries reported among the occupants during the event.
The aircraft sustained significant structural damage and was subsequently declared a total loss.
The primary factor in the accident was the inadvertent retraction of the undercarriage before the completion of the takeoff roll.
Probable cause
The pilot accidentally raised the landing gear while the aircraft was still on the runway during its takeoff run.