GA small aircraft gear up landing.

Attributes
ACN	115850
Time
Date	198907
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fnl
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 200 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	115800
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

This report concerns a gear up landing which resulted in an incident rather than an accident. I believe this incident occurred because of human error more than for any other reason, given the following situation. I was the PIC of the aircraft out practicing, when I decided to land at ft collins loveland airport. I proceeded to the airport and entered a downwind for runway 33. There were 2 other aircraft on final for runway 33 so as I went through my checklist, I decided not to put the gear down until I turned final as to not start an early descent because I had to extend my downwind for the traffic. Once the traffic was not a factor, I proceeded to turn onto final. Once on final, I did not remember to lower the landing gear. In conclusion of this report, I feel it is necessary to mention the gear warning horn, and the gear warning light. The small aircraft has a red light which is on whenever the gear is up, and a green light whenever the gear is down. The red light however, becomes meaningless, though because it is always on, therefore one is likely to omit its indications. This light would be much more effective if it were linked into the gear warning horn system so that it would come on with the horn, therefore if the horn were not working, the light would still attract the pilot's attention. The gear warning horn did not work in this case, even with the throttle completely closed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA GEAR UP LNDG.

Narrative: THIS REPORT CONCERNS A GEAR UP LNDG WHICH RESULTED IN AN INCIDENT RATHER THAN AN ACCIDENT. I BELIEVE THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED BECAUSE OF HUMAN ERROR MORE THAN FOR ANY OTHER REASON, GIVEN THE FOLLOWING SITUATION. I WAS THE PIC OF THE ACFT OUT PRACTICING, WHEN I DECIDED TO LAND AT FT COLLINS LOVELAND ARPT. I PROCEEDED TO THE ARPT AND ENTERED A DOWNWIND FOR RWY 33. THERE WERE 2 OTHER ACFT ON FINAL FOR RWY 33 SO AS I WENT THROUGH MY CHECKLIST, I DECIDED NOT TO PUT THE GEAR DOWN UNTIL I TURNED FINAL AS TO NOT START AN EARLY DSCNT BECAUSE I HAD TO EXTEND MY DOWNWIND FOR THE TFC. ONCE THE TFC WAS NOT A FACTOR, I PROCEEDED TO TURN ONTO FINAL. ONCE ON FINAL, I DID NOT REMEMBER TO LOWER THE LNDG GEAR. IN CONCLUSION OF THIS REPORT, I FEEL IT IS NECESSARY TO MENTION THE GEAR WARNING HORN, AND THE GEAR WARNING LIGHT. THE SMA HAS A RED LIGHT WHICH IS ON WHENEVER THE GEAR IS UP, AND A GREEN LIGHT WHENEVER THE GEAR IS DOWN. THE RED LIGHT HOWEVER, BECOMES MEANINGLESS, THOUGH BECAUSE IT IS ALWAYS ON, THEREFORE ONE IS LIKELY TO OMIT ITS INDICATIONS. THIS LIGHT WOULD BE MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE IF IT WERE LINKED INTO THE GEAR WARNING HORN SYSTEM SO THAT IT WOULD COME ON WITH THE HORN, THEREFORE IF THE HORN WERE NOT WORKING, THE LIGHT WOULD STILL ATTRACT THE PLT'S ATTN. THE GEAR WARNING HORN DID NOT WORK IN THIS CASE, EVEN WITH THE THROTTLE COMPLETELY CLOSED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.