Light single engine retractable lands gear up.

Attributes
ACN	118118
Time
Date	198907
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hfd
State Reference	CT
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 400 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	118118
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	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:

I was concerned about getting back before the official night, since I wasn't night current for passenger. The haze plus dusk reduced visibility, but I had no problems finding the home airport. I was concerned about a landing light that had a habit of turning itself off, so I turned the taxi light on just to make sure. The third item that happened to break my pattern was a long, straight in approach. My habit is to drop the gear upon entering the pattern. I forgot to check the gear. However, the warning horn did not sound on final, although it did on the ground after the landing. Perhaps a full flap/gear up, 70 KT, 500 FPM descent confign requires more manifold pressure than the gear warning sensor? The landing was rather unspectacular--no loud noises, sparks nor loss of control. It was straight and level and on the centerline. It wasn't even a very short landing, although the plane did float a long time. There was very little structural damage--the flap tips and the exhaust pipe carried the load.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LIGHT SINGLE ENGINE RETRACTABLE LANDS GEAR UP.

Narrative: I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT GETTING BACK BEFORE THE OFFICIAL NIGHT, SINCE I WASN'T NIGHT CURRENT FOR PAX. THE HAZE PLUS DUSK REDUCED VISIBILITY, BUT I HAD NO PROBS FINDING THE HOME ARPT. I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT A LNDG LIGHT THAT HAD A HABIT OF TURNING ITSELF OFF, SO I TURNED THE TAXI LIGHT ON JUST TO MAKE SURE. THE THIRD ITEM THAT HAPPENED TO BREAK MY PATTERN WAS A LONG, STRAIGHT IN APCH. MY HABIT IS TO DROP THE GEAR UPON ENTERING THE PATTERN. I FORGOT TO CHK THE GEAR. HOWEVER, THE WARNING HORN DID NOT SOUND ON FINAL, ALTHOUGH IT DID ON THE GND AFTER THE LNDG. PERHAPS A FULL FLAP/GEAR UP, 70 KT, 500 FPM DSCNT CONFIGN REQUIRES MORE MANIFOLD PRESSURE THAN THE GEAR WARNING SENSOR? THE LNDG WAS RATHER UNSPECTACULAR--NO LOUD NOISES, SPARKS NOR LOSS OF CONTROL. IT WAS STRAIGHT AND LEVEL AND ON THE CENTERLINE. IT WASN'T EVEN A VERY SHORT LNDG, ALTHOUGH THE PLANE DID FLOAT A LONG TIME. THERE WAS VERY LITTLE STRUCTURAL DAMAGE--THE FLAP TIPS AND THE EXHAUST PIPE CARRIED THE LOAD.

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