"Wrong handle" accidents

This type of accident has a long history. I've had pilots pull the spoiler
instead of the release, retract the gear on downwind after flying all day
with it down and pull the rudder adjustment instead of the release. I've
known several to reach for the red knob on the panel expecting to release
and jettison the canopy instead when they pulled it - yet another 2-33 trap.

There's a cure for all of these - just identify the control you want by
looking at the little pictograms before you put your hand on it. If you
want the landing gear, look at it, identify which position it is in, then
put you hand on it. Once you hand is on the gear handle, look back outside
and actuate it by feel. Finally, re-check that it is positioned correctly.

When I owned a Lark IS28b2 I sometimes used it to transition pilots to
higher performance gliders. A trick that almost always worked was to lower
the gear without the pilot to noticing as we approached the airport. This
was easier with the Lark since there were no gear doors to change the sound.
Almost invariably, the pilot would retract the gear during the pre-landing
checklist.

I would then softly say, "Check gear". the reply was often, "It's down". I
would continue to repeat "Check gear." until the pilot actually looked at
the gear handle which usually brought a burst of profanity from the front
seat. They would accuse me of tricking them to which I would confess - but
added that they then tricked themselves by not actually looking at the gear
position before moving the handle. They got the point.

Another thing you can do is to just spend some time sitting in the cockpit
touching controls. This is manditory for a new glider and can be every
useful if you haven't flown the type in a while.

Bill Daniels