"Peter R." wrote in message

As someone who has just started flying a retractable gear aircraft, I
admit
that I thought that, too, since grabbing the correct handle is always on
my
mind. But, since my speculation tends to be incorrect, I quickly thought
of something else.

I strongly doubt that's what happened, but the LG switch on a B-17 leaves
room for that possibility. Used to volunteer with the bird that's at
Evergreen in McMinnville now and out at the hangar we'd turn on the master
switch to open the bomb bay when veterans were coming through, and the chief
mechanic warned us repeatedly not to hit the landing gear switch because it
was live.

-c