Narrative:

I was on final for runway 3 (about 1 mi out) preparing to extend the landing gear when the tower asked me if I would prefer runway 7. I answered in the affirmative and was cleared to land runway 7. As I shifted my attention in order to maneuver for runway 7, I removed my hand from the gear handle and extended full flaps as I turned a very short final. I was about 1/8 mi from the threshold when the tower called informing me that my landing gear wasn't down. I extended the gear and landed west/O further incident. Normally, I extend the landing gear at or near the final approach fix on a straight-in approach, whether under VFR or IFR, but in this instance I delayed because I was trying to keep my speed up at the approach controller's request. This shouldn't have presented a problem, because I have done this before with no ill effects. However, this morning and in fact for the preceding few weeks I was somewhat distracted. I feel (and most of the working pilots I've spoken with recently agree) this state of mind has been precipitated by the unusually zealous manner with which the FAA has been pursuing enforcement actions against the aviation community in the recent past. I realize that the inspectors are just doing what is expected of them and that, in many cases, their actions are justified. My personal reaction, however is that I am in fear of facing a violation for any slight error on my part, forcing me to constantly review my every action while in flight at the same time I am trying my best to perform my flight duties. The reason I make this point is that I feel it is a problem facing a great deal of us (mechanics, too) in the aviation community.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT PLT ON FINAL IS DISTRACTED BY LAST MINUTE RWY CHANGE AND FORGETS TO RESUME CHECKLIST, FAILING TO LOWER GEAR. TWR CTLR ADVISES IN TIME. REPORTER CITES FAA ENFORCEMENT POLICY AS DISTORTING TO PLT DUTY PRIORITY AND A DISTR.

Narrative: I WAS ON FINAL FOR RWY 3 (ABOUT 1 MI OUT) PREPARING TO EXTEND THE LNDG GEAR WHEN THE TWR ASKED ME IF I WOULD PREFER RWY 7. I ANSWERED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE AND WAS CLRED TO LAND RWY 7. AS I SHIFTED MY ATTN IN ORDER TO MANEUVER FOR RWY 7, I REMOVED MY HAND FROM THE GEAR HANDLE AND EXTENDED FULL FLAPS AS I TURNED A VERY SHORT FINAL. I WAS ABOUT 1/8 MI FROM THE THRESHOLD WHEN THE TWR CALLED INFORMING ME THAT MY LNDG GEAR WASN'T DOWN. I EXTENDED THE GEAR AND LANDED W/O FURTHER INCIDENT. NORMALLY, I EXTEND THE LNDG GEAR AT OR NEAR THE FINAL APCH FIX ON A STRAIGHT-IN APCH, WHETHER UNDER VFR OR IFR, BUT IN THIS INSTANCE I DELAYED BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO KEEP MY SPD UP AT THE APCH CTLR'S REQUEST. THIS SHOULDN'T HAVE PRESENTED A PROB, BECAUSE I HAVE DONE THIS BEFORE WITH NO ILL EFFECTS. HOWEVER, THIS MORNING AND IN FACT FOR THE PRECEDING FEW WKS I WAS SOMEWHAT DISTRACTED. I FEEL (AND MOST OF THE WORKING PLTS I'VE SPOKEN WITH RECENTLY AGREE) THIS STATE OF MIND HAS BEEN PRECIPITATED BY THE UNUSUALLY ZEALOUS MANNER WITH WHICH THE FAA HAS BEEN PURSUING ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS AGAINST THE AVIATION COMMUNITY IN THE RECENT PAST. I REALIZE THAT THE INSPECTORS ARE JUST DOING WHAT IS EXPECTED OF THEM AND THAT, IN MANY CASES, THEIR ACTIONS ARE JUSTIFIED. MY PERSONAL REACTION, HOWEVER IS THAT I AM IN FEAR OF FACING A VIOLATION FOR ANY SLIGHT ERROR ON MY PART, FORCING ME TO CONSTANTLY REVIEW MY EVERY ACTION WHILE IN FLT AT THE SAME TIME I AM TRYING MY BEST TO PERFORM MY FLT DUTIES. THE REASON I MAKE THIS POINT IS THAT I FEEL IT IS A PROB FACING A GREAT DEAL OF US (MECHS, TOO) IN THE AVIATION COMMUNITY.

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.