PLT OF A TWIN ENG AMPHIBIOUS ACFT INADVERTENTLY UNLOCKED THE LNDG GEAR HANDLE DURING LNDG ROLL CAUSING THE TAIL WHEEL TO RETRACT. THERE WAS ONLY MINOR DAMAGE TO THE HULL AND GEAR.

Narrative

ON APCH TO RWY 5R AT RDU; VFR; TWR CLRED AN MD80 FOR TKOF AS I WAS LOWERING THE GEAR. WHILE CONCENTRATING ON MAKING A SHORT APCH RATHER THAN THE INTENDED LONG ONE; I CAUGHT MY THUMB IN THE TRACK FOR THE GEAR; MOVING IT ENOUGH TO LOWER THE GEAR BUT NOT ENOUGH TO PASS BY THE SPRING- LOADED DOWN-SAFETY LATCH IN THE COCKPIT. DURING ROLLOUT; AS WE APCHED THE HIGH-SPD TURNOFF; I RETRACTED THE TAIL GEAR LOCK HANDLE IN ORDER TO TURN OFF THE ACTIVE RWY. AS I MOVED MY HAND FROM THE OVERHEAD THROTTLES TO THE TAIL WHEEL LOCK HANDLE; MY HAND BRUSHED THE GEAR HANDLE; APPARENTLY JUST ENOUGH TO MOVE IT OUT OF THE DOWN POS; BECAUSE THE TAIL WHEEL RETRACTED. THE MAINS STAYED LOCKED DOWN BECAUSE THE WEIGHT OF THE ACFT WAS FULLY ON THEM IN OVER-CTR POS. I PULLED OFF ONTO THE GRASS; STOPPED ENGS; AND SURVEYED THE OVERHEAD PANEL: TAIL WHEEL LOCK FULL UP (UNLOCKED); GEAR HANDLE 1/3 OF THE WAY OUT OF THE DOWN POS; BUT DEFINITELY NOT LOCKED 'UP.' WITH THE HELP OF 3 OTHER PEOPLE; LIFTED THE TAIL; DROPPED THE TAIL GEAR; TAXIED INTO THE TIE-DOWN; AND SECURED THE DOWN LOCK FOR RETURN TO SOP; AND INSPECTED GEAR AND HULL FOR DAMAGE. NO DAMAGE OF ANY EXTENT TO EITHER ONE. THIS ACFT REQUIRES SLOW AND DELIBERATE ACTION; ESPECIALLY REF THE GEAR. THIS WAS A RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE REMINDER OF THIS FACT. ON CALLING THE TWR ON THE TELEPHONE AS REQUESTED; THEY REFERRED TO THIS AS AN 'INCIDENT' AS OPPOSED TO AN 'ACCIDENT.'