This is an excerpt from a report made to the Aviation Safety Reporting System. The narrative is written by the pilot, rather than FAA or NTSB officials. To maintain anonymity, many details, such as aircraft model or airport, are often scrubbed from the reports.
Approaching airport ZZZ Approach handed me over to ZZZ tower. Upon initial contact with ZZZ tower they requested that I enter a left downwind for Runway XXL and report three miles southeast of the field.
ATC issued several traffic advisories due to traffic in the immediate area.
The weather was reporting winds out of the southeast with gusts up to 19 knots. Due to the gusty winds, I opted for a flaps 20 approach and landing.
While configuring, I ran the checklists, but became distracted with ATC communications and somehow missed landing gear extension. Approach was bumpy with fluctuating airspeeds requiring more power than normal. During the approach the gear-up warning system did not activate.
Everything seemed normal until flare and touchdown when I quickly became aware the gear was not extended.
I secured the aircraft and waited for emergency services to arrive.
In retrospect, I believe the contributing factors were the wind conditions requiring a lower flap setting and higher power setting for the approach and landing, which may explain why the gear warning system did not activate.
In addition with my distraction with ATC and traffic, I did not back up the landing checklist with a GUMPS check (Gas, Undercarriage, Mixture, Propeller).
I allowed myself to deviate from the number one priority — FLY THE AIRPLANE. In other words, aviate, navigate, communicate.
Reflecting on the occurrence, I believe I selected the correct approach and landing configuration for the existing conditions, however I allowed myself to become distracted with traffic and ATC communications, causing me to deviate from the number one priority — FLY THE AIRPLANE.
Besides going through all checklists in the future, I will also, as a final safety check, conduct the GUMPS check at a minimum of 1,000 feet, 500 feet, and prior to touchdown.
This is a humbling and painful experience, which I feel in the long run will make me a better pilot. A valuable lesson I will never forget. I will always apply the three basic rules of flying — aviate, navigate, communicate — as well as the proven GUMPS technique.
Primary Problem: Human Factors
ACN: 2085091
“There are those that Have; and those that Will”
I’ll get flak for this but wouldn’t it be nice if right before the ‘numbers’ it said ‘GEAR’.
Don’t some European towers chek for gear extension too ?
I know this goes against self responsibility which is the basis of safe operation.
The old saying ‘Them what’s done it and them who’s going to ‘. I like fixed gear,fixed pitch. Roberto de Bothello
I drop the gear, Mooney manual J Bar, on short finale ….after everything is past and there’s only the focus of wheels down.. Personally I don’t fly into an airport needing to switch tanks in the pattern, and the power is already at the initial stage of reduction.
Put gear down on downwind when v fr and final approach fix on fir
Yet another gear up landing. And again, it’s blamed on outside distractions. If one learns to put down the gear at the same place at the same time all the time it will be automatic regardless of distractions. And just after the gear handle is moved down confirm three green. It’s a mind set not an after thought. I fly an amphibian float plane. After landing in the water then returning to hard surface I still have the water landing mind set. To be sure I don’t forget I am landing on hard surface, and not to be distracted in the pattern, I put the gear down 5 miles from the airport every time. I triple check the gear position three times before landing in the water. It’s automatic, and it’s a mind set.