Nearly 20 years ago at New Castle. First contest after being out of
flying for a few years with my LS-3 that had been in the trailer
during that time. Finish the task on a cold day. Perfect landing right
in front of the finish line. Gear folds up neatly. Well-meaning finish
gate operator gets on the radio: "JB just landed gear up. We need some
help to get him off the runway!" I look over at the gear lever. I'm
flustered so I agree; must have forgotten to put the gear down.

Helpers arrive. John Murray directs crew to kneel under the wing roots
and push up. "Put the gear down!" he orders. I move the lever in the
other direction. "No, put it DOWN!" That's when I finally realized it
had been down all along. Try telling that to anyone who had heard the
radio broadcast, however.

Cold weather weakens the gas spring and also stiffens the damper strut
in the LS-1f/3/4/6. So if there's any dirt in the gear strut pivots,
the main "knee" strut may not quite go over center when it's cold. And
all it takes is a little bump and the weight of the glider and the
gear folds up neatly, leaving the actuating handle (which is connected
to the gear with the gas spring, not a solid link) in the down
position. Happened to me twice, both times on grass, fortunately.

Chip Bearden
ASW 24 "JB"
USA