Gear up landing. - NASA ASRS

Attributes
ACN	167594
Time
Date	199101
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : oak
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : oak
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 930 flight time type : 275
ASRS Report	167594
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe conflict : ground critical 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:

There are two situations for which I am concerned. Upon a VFR flight from santa barbara to palo alto, ca, I found WX minimums below VFR at palo alto for landing although I could clearly see the airport. ATIS at oakland reported 700 broken, 1100 ovc and 3 mi. At 3000' (VFR) I asked oakland to land and was given vectoring to the ILS. I maintained VFR by south turning through the layer observing the runway environment at all times. I request ILS approachs often as I am becoming instrument qualified. My concern is that tower may think they issued an ILS approach to an IFR pilot. The above would not be such an issue except for the following. On the approach the 'alternator out' light came on, a problem that had occurred before and was supposedly fixed at the annual inspection one week ago. I cycled the switch several times trying to get the alternator back on line. The concentration on this issue distracted me to the point of forgetting the gear down switch and a gear up landing resulted, no one hurt. I believe fatigue also contributed to this incident as this was the end of a 5 flight hour day.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GEAR UP LNDG.

Narrative: THERE ARE TWO SITUATIONS FOR WHICH I AM CONCERNED. UPON A VFR FLT FROM SANTA BARBARA TO PALO ALTO, CA, I FOUND WX MINIMUMS BELOW VFR AT PALO ALTO FOR LNDG ALTHOUGH I COULD CLRLY SEE THE ARPT. ATIS AT OAKLAND RPTED 700 BKN, 1100 OVC AND 3 MI. AT 3000' (VFR) I ASKED OAKLAND TO LAND AND WAS GIVEN VECTORING TO THE ILS. I MAINTAINED VFR BY S TURNING THROUGH THE LAYER OBSERVING THE RWY ENVIRONMENT AT ALL TIMES. I REQUEST ILS APCHS OFTEN AS I AM BECOMING INSTRUMENT QUALIFIED. MY CONCERN IS THAT TWR MAY THINK THEY ISSUED AN ILS APCH TO AN IFR PLT. THE ABOVE WOULD NOT BE SUCH AN ISSUE EXCEPT FOR THE FOLLOWING. ON THE APCH THE 'ALTERNATOR OUT' LIGHT CAME ON, A PROB THAT HAD OCCURRED BEFORE AND WAS SUPPOSEDLY FIXED AT THE ANNUAL INSPECTION ONE WK AGO. I CYCLED THE SWITCH SEVERAL TIMES TRYING TO GET THE ALTERNATOR BACK ON LINE. THE CONCENTRATION ON THIS ISSUE DISTRACTED ME TO THE POINT OF FORGETTING THE GEAR DOWN SWITCH AND A GEAR UP LNDG RESULTED, NO ONE HURT. I BELIEVE FATIGUE ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO THIS INCIDENT AS THIS WAS THE END OF A 5 FLT HR DAY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.