What happened
During the beginning of a cross-country flight, an aircraft experienced an unexpected descent immediately after leaving the runway. After the aircraft achieved liftoff, the pilot initiated the process of raising the landing gear. Following this action, the aircraft lost sufficient altitude and settled back onto the ground just beyond the runway threshold.
Prior to the impact with the ground, the pilot successfully lowered the landing gear. Investigations conducted by the pilot and an FAA inspector revealed that both engines were operating at normal power levels and the aircraft was within its prescribed weight and balance limits.
Findings
Analysis of the aircraft's configuration indicated that the elevator trim was set to 12 degrees nose up, which significantly exceeded the required setting of 3 to 6 degrees. Additionally, data from the aircraft manufacturer suggests that the movement of the landing gear doors into the airstream during the retraction cycle creates increased induced drag. This excessive nose-up trim and the drag produced during the gear cycle were key factors in the aircraft's inability to maintain flight.