GEAR RETRACTS UPON LNDG.
Synopsis
GEAR RETRACTS UPON LNDG.
Narrative
I; AS AN INSTRUCTOR; WAS GIVING RECURRENT TRAINING TO THE PLT OWNER (PVT SEL INSTRUCTION). WE HAD COMPLETED A VOR DME APCH TO TAYLOR; WHICH ENDED WITH A CIRCLE TO LAND PROC. WE LANDED AND TAXIED BACK TO PRACTICE A SHORT FIELD TKOF AND REMAINED IN THE PATTERN. WE HAD COMPLETED A COUPLE OF TKOFS AND LNDGS WHEN ON DOWNWIND ABEAM THE NUMBERS THE PLT SELECTED GEAR DOWN AND REDUCED PWR TO 13- 14 HG. WE BOTH SEEM TO REMEMBER THE NOISE AND DRAG OF THE GEAR EXTENSION. THE PLT STATED THAT HE REMEMBERS THE GREEN GEAR LIGHT AND THE RED FLAP LIGHT BEING ON AT THAT TIME. HE TRIMMED THE PLANE FOR 80 KTS THEN TURNED BASE LEG. WHILE ON BASE WE DECIDED THAT THE APCH LOOKED GOOD. WE TURNED FINAL AND NOTICED THAT WE NOW SEEMED A LITTLE HIGH ON THE APCH SO WE ADDED FULL FLAPS. A FEW SECONDS LATER HE REDUCED PWR TO 11-12 HG. WITH A STEEP ANGLE OF DSCNT AND POINTED TO AND COMMENTED THAT OUR APCH SPD WAS STILL ONLY 80 KTS. HE EXPRESSED SOME DELIGHT THAT THE SPD COULD STAY UNDER CTL AT THAT ANGLE. WE WERE HOLDING THE RWY NUMBERS STEADY IN FRONT OF US. AT APPROX 100 FT AGL I TOLD THE PLT WE HAD THE FIELD MADE AND THAT HE COULD REDUCE PWR TO IDLE WHICH HE DID. HE THEN FLARED THE PLANE. I TOLD HIM TO STRAIGHTEN THE NOSE WITH THE RUDDER (SLIGHT L XWIND) WHICH HE DID. THEN TO LOWER THE L WING INTO THE WIND SLIGHTLY. AT THIS TIME THE PLT STATED THAT HE FELT THE L MAIN GEAR TOUCH THE RWY. HE FEELS THAT WE MAY HAVE BOUNCED LIGHTLY OFF THE L MAIN GEAR AND THAT THE GEAR RETRACTED AT THAT TIME. WE CONTINUED TO FLOAT; THEN AFTER SEVERAL SECONDS I FIRST NOTICED THE ROTATION OF THE PROP SLOWING AND BENT TIPS. I EXCLAIMED; OH NO; AT WHICH TIME BOTH I AND THE PLT LOOKED AT THE GEAR SWITCH TO CONFIRM DOWN POS. I HUNCHED OVER IN MY SEAT (THE SUBPANEL IS PARTIALLY OBSCURED BY THE UPPER PANEL) TO GET A BETTER LOOK AT THE GEAR SWITCH. I PUT MY FINGER ON THE SWITCH TO MAKE SURE IT WAS IN THE DOWN POS. THE PLANE MADE GND CONTACT AND SLID TO A STOP SLIGHTLY L OF CTRLINE APPROX 1/3 DOWN THE RWY. WHEN THE PLANE CAME TO A STOP WE NOTICED HOW QUIET IT SEEMED. AS WE SAT IN THE PLANE WE SMELLED SOME BURNING. WE LOOKED AROUND AND SAW A SMALL CURL OF SMOKE COME FROM THE L LOWER CORNER OF THE INST PANEL. THE PLT TURNED OFF THE MASTER SWITCH AND WE EXITED THE PLANE. LATER AS WE TALKED THE PLT AND I REMEMBER NOT HEARING THE GEAR WARNING HORN AT ANY TIME; NOT EVEN AS WE SAT STILL AND QUIET ON THE RWY.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.