Gear up landing. - NASA ASRS

Attributes
ACN	124400
Time
Date	198909
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mqi airport : mqt
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 396 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	124400
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
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:

I was going to do touch and go's for training. On first pattern, on crossing leg while looking downwind for traffic, I saw the door handle pop up. This was followed by an increase in noise for approximately 5 seconds, until the door popped open. I had difficulty controling the aircraft with the door open, so I applied corrective action and managed to get the door partially closed, but could not latch it. As I came abeam the end of the runway, where I usually drop the gear, I made a conscious decision to keep the gear up until short final to maintain lift. As I turned base to final, the door again popped open. This made the aircraft difficulty to control at a slow airspeed and close to the ground. I knew I couldn't drop the flaps due to a possible marked increase in aircraft buffeting. I was at that point holding the door partially closed with my right hand. I had to let go to drop the gear, which I did--or so I thought. That point in my pattern is actually where I normally drop the flaps, and which I consciously thought I was dropping the gear, I was actually dropping the flaps per my usual pattern. The resulting increase in buffet forced me to turn my attention to aircraft control, interrupting my gump check close to the ground. I never had time or even remembered at that point to check my gear lights.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GEAR UP LNDG.

Narrative: I WAS GOING TO DO TOUCH AND GO'S FOR TRNING. ON FIRST PATTERN, ON XING LEG WHILE LOOKING DOWNWIND FOR TFC, I SAW THE DOOR HANDLE POP UP. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY AN INCREASE IN NOISE FOR APPROX 5 SECS, UNTIL THE DOOR POPPED OPEN. I HAD DIFFICULTY CTLING THE ACFT WITH THE DOOR OPEN, SO I APPLIED CORRECTIVE ACTION AND MANAGED TO GET THE DOOR PARTIALLY CLOSED, BUT COULD NOT LATCH IT. AS I CAME ABEAM THE END OF THE RWY, WHERE I USUALLY DROP THE GEAR, I MADE A CONSCIOUS DECISION TO KEEP THE GEAR UP UNTIL SHORT FINAL TO MAINTAIN LIFT. AS I TURNED BASE TO FINAL, THE DOOR AGAIN POPPED OPEN. THIS MADE THE ACFT DIFFICULTY TO CONTROL AT A SLOW AIRSPD AND CLOSE TO THE GND. I KNEW I COULDN'T DROP THE FLAPS DUE TO A POSSIBLE MARKED INCREASE IN ACFT BUFFETING. I WAS AT THAT POINT HOLDING THE DOOR PARTIALLY CLOSED WITH MY RIGHT HAND. I HAD TO LET GO TO DROP THE GEAR, WHICH I DID--OR SO I THOUGHT. THAT POINT IN MY PATTERN IS ACTUALLY WHERE I NORMALLY DROP THE FLAPS, AND WHICH I CONSCIOUSLY THOUGHT I WAS DROPPING THE GEAR, I WAS ACTUALLY DROPPING THE FLAPS PER MY USUAL PATTERN. THE RESULTING INCREASE IN BUFFET FORCED ME TO TURN MY ATTN TO ACFT CONTROL, INTERRUPTING MY GUMP CHK CLOSE TO THE GND. I NEVER HAD TIME OR EVEN REMEMBERED AT THAT POINT TO CHK MY GEAR LIGHTS.

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.