I remember reading something similar before, where I think the B-17 had very similar flaps/landing gear controls, and placed close together on the panel, where pilots on short final would pull one lever rather than the other https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/threads/b-17-crashes-due-to-co...
One wonders how many WWII planes were lost in 'freak' accidents like these during the war, the cause never being investigated thoroughly since, heck, there was massive carnage going on all the time in the skies and as long as the accident rate was low enough it was acceptable.
I've read at least one writeup from 1960s about A-3 Skywarrior ending up crashing while practicing touch-and-go (where you touchdown, then immediately take off again to do another practice round).
The pilot has accidentally released the drag chute instead of stowing landing gear, because the controls for both were a) similar b) located near each other c) not clearly visible from left seat.
Afterwards, the drag chute release was moved way elsewhere.
