Narrative:

I was flying downwind in the pattern, at 1000 ft, with a heading of 090 degrees. Tower had advised of a sign-towing aircraft departing. This airplane was approximately at my altitude with a very large sign towed low and behind the aircraft. I kept close visual to see if I would safely pass in front of the aircraft and did not feel this was a good avenue. So, I called the tower and advised I could descend and fly underneath. Tower advised ok and I immediately descended to approximately 700 ft while turning base. The winds were out of the northwest at approximately 10-15 KTS, so I completed a turn right onto final with the aircraft in a crabbing position so as not to be blown off course for the runway. I had already made up my mind at the beginning of this takeoff that I would be using full flaps for landing, to practice this technique. On final, I found myself approximately 500 ft over the end of the runway, at which time I lowered full flaps and held an 80 mph descent. About 15 ft off the runway, I flared for a main wheel landing and slowed the aircraft to approximately 50 mph. Expecting a very slow and smooth roll onto the runway, I bellied the aircraft in as the gear was not lowered. The aircraft did not suffer substantial damage. Upon review of the situation, I believe 2 scenarios would have prevented this occurrence: 1) upon completion of passing underneath the tow plane, continue on an extended downwind, regain approximately 200 ft of altitude, and return to my checklist, as on downwind the gear would have been lowered with plenty of time for all processes to have occurred. 2) upon realizing that the tower had 2 aircraft intersecting at the same altitude, request a 360 degree turn.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: L17A PLT HAS GEAR UP LNDG AT OPF.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING DOWNWIND IN THE PATTERN, AT 1000 FT, WITH A HDG OF 090 DEGS. TWR HAD ADVISED OF A SIGN-TOWING ACFT DEPARTING. THIS AIRPLANE WAS APPROX AT MY ALT WITH A VERY LARGE SIGN TOWED LOW AND BEHIND THE ACFT. I KEPT CLOSE VISUAL TO SEE IF I WOULD SAFELY PASS IN FRONT OF THE ACFT AND DID NOT FEEL THIS WAS A GOOD AVENUE. SO, I CALLED THE TWR AND ADVISED I COULD DSND AND FLY UNDERNEATH. TWR ADVISED OK AND I IMMEDIATELY DSNDED TO APPROX 700 FT WHILE TURNING BASE. THE WINDS WERE OUT OF THE NW AT APPROX 10-15 KTS, SO I COMPLETED A TURN R ONTO FINAL WITH THE ACFT IN A CRABBING POS SO AS NOT TO BE BLOWN OFF COURSE FOR THE RWY. I HAD ALREADY MADE UP MY MIND AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS TKOF THAT I WOULD BE USING FULL FLAPS FOR LNDG, TO PRACTICE THIS TECHNIQUE. ON FINAL, I FOUND MYSELF APPROX 500 FT OVER THE END OF THE RWY, AT WHICH TIME I LOWERED FULL FLAPS AND HELD AN 80 MPH DSCNT. ABOUT 15 FT OFF THE RWY, I FLARED FOR A MAIN WHEEL LNDG AND SLOWED THE ACFT TO APPROX 50 MPH. EXPECTING A VERY SLOW AND SMOOTH ROLL ONTO THE RWY, I BELLIED THE ACFT IN AS THE GEAR WAS NOT LOWERED. THE ACFT DID NOT SUFFER SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. UPON REVIEW OF THE SIT, I BELIEVE 2 SCENARIOS WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS OCCURRENCE: 1) UPON COMPLETION OF PASSING UNDERNEATH THE TOW PLANE, CONTINUE ON AN EXTENDED DOWNWIND, REGAIN APPROX 200 FT OF ALT, AND RETURN TO MY CHKLIST, AS ON DOWNWIND THE GEAR WOULD HAVE BEEN LOWERED WITH PLENTY OF TIME FOR ALL PROCESSES TO HAVE OCCURRED. 2) UPON REALIZING THAT THE TWR HAD 2 ACFT INTERSECTING AT THE SAME ALT, REQUEST A 360 DEG TURN.

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.