What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Enroute from tampa executive airport (kvdf), to Bartow airport(bow) going through 1,000 MSL, the cabin door popped open, creating a lot of noise & wind.
At ten (10) NM from Bartow the pilot contacted the tower, gave them the ATIS and intention to land. Pilot was told to report a two (2) mile final for runway 9L. He rogered them.
As PIC started to slow down, he discovered & felt a vibration going through the aircraft.
At two (2) DME PIC radioed the tower. They cleared PIC to land on runway 9L. He acknowledged the landing clearance.
& Extended both the gear & flaps and completed the landing checklist.
By this time he was higher & faster and was uncomfortable with the situation.
He adjusted accordingly only to start porpoising during the flare. To stop the porpoising he added power & retracted the flaps.
The only problem was that the flap handle was the gear handle.
The aircraft settled onto the runway.
Back story.
Earlier in the day I was flying my Beech debonair. The deb had just come out of an annual., and I was test flying it. I took it over to lakeland (klal) airport and did a series of touch & goes along with several balked landings.
"The gear & flap handles on the debonair are opposite to those on the baron".
During the test flight on the debonair I became accostumed to reaching for flaps after adding power.
During the landing with the baron this is exactly what I did. Power then flaps, which allowed a gear up landing.
Case handled through compliance philosophy and inspector administered counseling to the pilot.
As the FAA filed it
ENROUTE FROM TAMPA EXECUTIVE AIRPORT (KVDF), TO BARTOW AIRPORT(BOW) GOING THROUGH 1,000 MSL, THE CABIN DOOR POPPED OPEN, CREATING A LOT OF NOISE & WIND.
AT TEN (10) NM FROM BARTOW THE PILOT CONTACTED THE TOWER, GAVE THEM THE ATIS AND INTENTION TO LAND. PILOT WAS TOLD TO REPORT A TWO (2) MILE FINAL FOR RUNWAY 9L. HE ROGERED THEM.
AS PIC STARTED TO SLOW DOWN, HE DISCOVERED & FELT A VIBRATION GOING THROUGH THE AIRCRAFT.
AT TWO (2) DME PIC RADIOED THE TOWER. THEY CLEARED PIC TO LAND ON RUNWAY 9L. HE ACKNOWLEDGED THE LANDING CLEARANCE.
& EXTENDED BOTH THE GEAR & FLAPS AND COMPLETED THE LANDING CHECKLIST.
BY THIS TIME HE WAS HIGHER & FASTER AND WAS UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE SITUATION.
HE ADJUSTED ACCORDINGLY ONLY TO START PORPOISING DURING THE FLARE. TO STOP THE PORPOISING HE ADDED POWER & RETRACTED THE FLAPS.
THE ONLY PROBLEM WAS THAT THE FLAP HANDLE WAS THE GEAR HANDLE.
THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED ONTO THE RUNWAY.
BACK STORY.
EARLIER IN THE DAY I WAS FLYING MY BEECH DEBONAIR. THE DEB HAD JUST COME OUT OF AN ANNUAL., AND I WAS TEST FLYING IT. I TOOK IT OVER TO LAKELAND (KLAL) AIRPORT AND DID A SERIES OF TOUCH & GOES ALONG WITH SEVERAL BALKED LANDINGS.
"THE GEAR & FLAP HANDLES ON THE DEBONAIR ARE OPPOSITE TO THOSE ON THE BARON".
DURING THE TEST FLIGHT ON THE DEBONAIR I BECAME ACCOSTUMED TO REACHING FOR FLAPS AFTER ADDING POWER.
DURING THE LANDING WITH THE BARON THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I DID. POWER THEN FLAPS, WHICH ALLOWED A GEAR UP LANDING.
CASE HANDLED THROUGH COMPLIANCE PHILOSOPHY AND INSPECTOR ADMINISTERED COUNSELING TO THE PILOT.
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