Narrative:

Incident occurred on approach to owd, after diverting back from the second attempt to get into 3b2. At this time, owd was 900 broken (about 950 ft MSL). I was vectored to the localizer-35 approach at 2000 ft and, when established, started descent to the 1400 ft MSL MDA for the intermediate segment. After reducing power and checking airspeed, I selected landing gear down. After the usual rumbling and thumping ceased, I glanced out the side window, as is my habit, to see the left main wheel when (surprise!) it was not there. I went through the other obvious steps: 1) ask right seat occupant if he saw his wheel (yes), 2) check for green light (off), 3) push to test light bulb (on). Some of this was also occurring in the midst of handoff from bos approach to owd tower. Due to workload and distraction, I failed to scan properly for a short time. On my next good scan, I saw I was at 1200 ft MSL, 200 ft below the MDA, and started correcting. While correcting, tower passed on to me a low altitude alert from bos approach. (I never was able to get the left main down and finally made a belly landing on the grass parallel to owd runway 10.) contributing factors: 1) denial ('this can't be happening to me'). 2) low time in type (the 24.3 hours are all I have in complex singles). 3) fatigue (12 hours 'on duty' including 3 hours flying up to time of this incident). Analysis: combination of factors 1-3 made me vulnerable to fixation (trying to make the gear problem go away), thus paving the way for distraction from instrument scan. Lesson learned: keep priorities straight. Fly first, work on problem as time permits when there is no immediate danger.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB CREATES PLT DISTR TASK AND ALLOWS FOR AN ALTDEV ALT OVERSHOT DURING IAP LOC APCH. OFF RWY LNDG PERFORMED WHEN UNABLE TO EXTEND GEAR.

Narrative: INCIDENT OCCURRED ON APCH TO OWD, AFTER DIVERTING BACK FROM THE SECOND ATTEMPT TO GET INTO 3B2. AT THIS TIME, OWD WAS 900 BROKEN (ABOUT 950 FT MSL). I WAS VECTORED TO THE LOC-35 APCH AT 2000 FT AND, WHEN ESTABLISHED, STARTED DSCNT TO THE 1400 FT MSL MDA FOR THE INTERMEDIATE SEGMENT. AFTER REDUCING PWR AND CHKING AIRSPD, I SELECTED LNDG GEAR DOWN. AFTER THE USUAL RUMBLING AND THUMPING CEASED, I GLANCED OUT THE SIDE WINDOW, AS IS MY HABIT, TO SEE THE L MAIN WHEEL WHEN (SURPRISE!) IT WAS NOT THERE. I WENT THROUGH THE OTHER OBVIOUS STEPS: 1) ASK R SEAT OCCUPANT IF HE SAW HIS WHEEL (YES), 2) CHK FOR GREEN LIGHT (OFF), 3) PUSH TO TEST LIGHT BULB (ON). SOME OF THIS WAS ALSO OCCURRING IN THE MIDST OF HDOF FROM BOS APCH TO OWD TWR. DUE TO WORKLOAD AND DISTR, I FAILED TO SCAN PROPERLY FOR A SHORT TIME. ON MY NEXT GOOD SCAN, I SAW I WAS AT 1200 FT MSL, 200 FT BELOW THE MDA, AND STARTED CORRECTING. WHILE CORRECTING, TWR PASSED ON TO ME A LOW ALT ALERT FROM BOS APCH. (I NEVER WAS ABLE TO GET THE L MAIN DOWN AND FINALLY MADE A BELLY LNDG ON THE GRASS PARALLEL TO OWD RWY 10.) CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) DENIAL ('THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING TO ME'). 2) LOW TIME IN TYPE (THE 24.3 HRS ARE ALL I HAVE IN COMPLEX SINGLES). 3) FATIGUE (12 HRS 'ON DUTY' INCLUDING 3 HRS FLYING UP TO TIME OF THIS INCIDENT). ANALYSIS: COMBINATION OF FACTORS 1-3 MADE ME VULNERABLE TO FIXATION (TRYING TO MAKE THE GEAR PROB GO AWAY), THUS PAVING THE WAY FOR DISTR FROM INST SCAN. LESSON LEARNED: KEEP PRIORITIES STRAIGHT. FLY FIRST, WORK ON PROB AS TIME PERMITS WHEN THERE IS NO IMMEDIATE DANGER.

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.