On Wed, 18 Jul 2007 14:26:45 +0000, john hawkins wrote:

don't know anything about the cited incident but. Ever watch an older
mooney doing the gearup dip on takeoff? pulling that johnson bar takes
your attention off the flight attitude.

Cessna gear (ie. an R182) folds under in such a way that drag is
increased during the retraction (or extension) beyond the level of drag
with the gear extended (or retracted, of course {8^). I've never thought
it that much that it would cause an altitude loss, but perhaps under the
right circumstances...?

- Andrew