TRAINEE OF AN SMA TWIN ENG ACFT INADVERTENTLY RETRACTED THE LNDG GEAR DURING A PRACTICE TOUCH AND GO LNDG TKOF.

Narrative

MY STUDENT AND I WERE ON A TRAINING FLT FROM BEAVER COUNTY ARPT (BVI). WE WERE GOING TO DO SOME TOUCH-AND- GOES ON RWY 28. WE TOOK OFF AND MADE L TFC. WE TURNED THE DOWNWIND AND THEN WE TURNED FINAL AND WENT THROUGH A FINAL GUMPS CHK; CHKED OUR ALT; LOWERED THE FLAPS; AND PROCEEDED FOR A TOUCH-AND-GO. MY STUDENT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE MAINS THEN ON THE NOSEWHEEL. I SAID 'OK; LET'S GO.' I TURNED MY HEAD FOR A MOMENT AND THEN BROUGHT IT BACK INSIDE. I SAW MY STUDENT'S HAND MOVE TOWARD THE PWR LEVERS WHEN I NOTICED THE GEAR-IN-TRANSIT LIGHT FLASHING. I SAID 'NO!' AND MY STUDENT CAUGHT WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO THE GEAR LEVER HANDLE AND HE MOVED IT TO THE DOWN POS. I THEN NOTICED THAT THE NOSE STARTED TO GO DOWN AND I KNEW THAT WE WOULD BE UNABLE TO ADD PWR AND GAR. I THEN PROCEEDED TO CLOSE THE MIXTURE AND I BELIEVE THAT IS WHEN THE PROPS STRUCK THE SURFACE AND THE NOSE BEGAN TO SCRAPE THE RWY. THE AIRPLANE SKIDDED FOR ABOUT 1000 FT AND THEN CAME TO A REST NEAR TURNOFF CHARLIE. I TURNED EVERYTHING OFF AND MY STUDENT AND I EXITED THE AIRPLANE. AFTER THE FLT; I ASKED MY STUDENT WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND HE SAID THE SLEEVE ON HIS COAT CAUGHT THE GEAR HANDLE. HE REALIZED WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND PUT THE GEAR HANDLE DOWN BUT IT WAS TOO LATE AND THE NOSE GEAR CAME UP. WHAT MAY CORRECT THIS EVENT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN IS NOT TO WEAR A WINTER COAT THAT DOES NOT HAVE ELASTIC ON THE SLEEVES. THAT WAS THE TYPE OF COAT MY STUDENT HAD ON THAT DAY. ALSO; THE GEAR HANDLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN DESIGNED BETTER. IT SHOULD HAVE A KNOB ON THE END THAT RESEMBLES A WHEEL AND IT SHOULD BE LOCATED IN A BETTER POS. THE LEVER SHOULD BE PLACED SOMEWHERE ON THE INST PANEL SUCH AS ON THE MOONEY 2015E. THIS WOULD PREVENT THE GEAR COMING UP PREMATURELY BECAUSE NOTHING WOULD INTERFERE WITH IT; SUCH AS A SLEEVE OR A KNEE BUMPING IT. ANOTHER SOLUTION IS TO HAVE A SQUAWK SWITCH ON ONE OF THE MAIN LNDG GEAR INSTEAD OF ON THE AIRSPD INDICATOR. THE BE-76 HAS A SYS SUCH AS THIS AND WITH A SQUAWK SWITCH ON THE GEAR (MAIN); THE EVENT I DESCRIBED ABOVE MAY HAVE BEEN AVOIDED.