Pilot of an small aircraft sel retractable landing gear aircraft landed gear up. Only minor damage t...

Attributes
ACN	320637
Time
Date	199511
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tan
State Reference	MA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : flo
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cardinal 177/177RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	other other : other pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 500 flight time type : 8
ASRS Report	320637
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Helicopter pilot converting back to fixed wing. Previous flight experience (250 hours). All on fixed gear. This was a new aircraft/new field situation. Gear horn recently adjusted to 12 psi (was 22 psi for first 7 hours). I slowed the aircraft to 120 mph about 12 mi out and in my mind put the gear down. Descended to circuit ht (1043 ft). Joined 45 degree to downwind. Did gump checks (obviously poorly). Convinced gear was down but did not check properly. Turned final. Concerned about being a little low, used throttle. Failed to do finals gear check. Didn't hear gear horn. Actually kept power on until last 10 ft. Was wearing helicopter headphones. Did a 'grease-on' landing with slight stall warning. Totally shocked to hear the dreaded scraping sound!! No doubt pilot error, but some thoughts in retrospect: must do 'touch it' gump checks. Must get into a 'grooved' procedure. Would be good to have 'gear up' and 'stall' wired into headset. 'Gear up' and 'stall' warnings should be distinctly different sounds. Thankfully I was the only person on board and not hurt. Damage not too bad. FAA classed as an 'incident.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA SEL RETRACTABLE LNDG GEAR ACFT LANDED GEAR UP. ONLY MINOR DAMAGE TO THE ACFT AND NO INJURY TO THE SOLO OCCUPANT, THE PLT.

Narrative: HELI PLT CONVERTING BACK TO FIXED WING. PREVIOUS FLT EXPERIENCE (250 HRS). ALL ON FIXED GEAR. THIS WAS A NEW ACFT/NEW FIELD SIT. GEAR HORN RECENTLY ADJUSTED TO 12 PSI (WAS 22 PSI FOR FIRST 7 HRS). I SLOWED THE ACFT TO 120 MPH ABOUT 12 MI OUT AND IN MY MIND PUT THE GEAR DOWN. DSNDED TO CIRCUIT HT (1043 FT). JOINED 45 DEG TO DOWNWIND. DID GUMP CHKS (OBVIOUSLY POORLY). CONVINCED GEAR WAS DOWN BUT DID NOT CHK PROPERLY. TURNED FINAL. CONCERNED ABOUT BEING A LITTLE LOW, USED THROTTLE. FAILED TO DO FINALS GEAR CHK. DIDN'T HEAR GEAR HORN. ACTUALLY KEPT PWR ON UNTIL LAST 10 FT. WAS WEARING HELI HEADPHONES. DID A 'GREASE-ON' LNDG WITH SLIGHT STALL WARNING. TOTALLY SHOCKED TO HEAR THE DREADED SCRAPING SOUND!! NO DOUBT PLT ERROR, BUT SOME THOUGHTS IN RETROSPECT: MUST DO 'TOUCH IT' GUMP CHKS. MUST GET INTO A 'GROOVED' PROC. WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE 'GEAR UP' AND 'STALL' WIRED INTO HEADSET. 'GEAR UP' AND 'STALL' WARNINGS SHOULD BE DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT SOUNDS. THANKFULLY I WAS THE ONLY PERSON ON BOARD AND NOT HURT. DAMAGE NOT TOO BAD. FAA CLASSED AS AN 'INCIDENT.'

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.

Pilot of an small aircraft sel retractable landing gear aircraft landed gear up. Only minor damage to the aircraft and no injury to the solo occupant, the pilot.