Small aircraft pilot with radio problems lands gear up.

Attributes
ACN	139677
Time
Date	199003
Day	Tue
Place
Locale Reference	airport : oak
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 1850 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	139677
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On the initial call-up to tower, I was told my transmission was breaking up but was given clearance for the final approach in VFR conditions. I repeatedly switched radios trying to get a clear transmission--I could receive the tower perfectly. As a result of my fiddling with the radio I became somewhat distracted during my landing checklist and failed to lower the gear. The warning horn did not sound because I was slightly below the normal G/south and I had some power on the engine. I did get a warning from the tower to 'go around,' but by that time (within 3 seconds of impact by my estimates) it was too late. I landed gear up. There were no injuries or serious damage to the aircraft except for the propeller and the engine stoppage. Had the tower warned me when I was over the threshold on final approach, I could have executed a go around and saved the damage to the plane.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT WITH RADIO PROBLEMS LANDS GEAR UP.

Narrative: ON THE INITIAL CALL-UP TO TWR, I WAS TOLD MY XMISSION WAS BREAKING UP BUT WAS GIVEN CLRNC FOR THE FINAL APCH IN VFR CONDITIONS. I REPEATEDLY SWITCHED RADIOS TRYING TO GET A CLEAR XMISSION--I COULD RECEIVE THE TWR PERFECTLY. AS A RESULT OF MY FIDDLING WITH THE RADIO I BECAME SOMEWHAT DISTRACTED DURING MY LNDG CHKLIST AND FAILED TO LOWER THE GEAR. THE WARNING HORN DID NOT SOUND BECAUSE I WAS SLIGHTLY BELOW THE NORMAL G/S AND I HAD SOME PWR ON THE ENG. I DID GET A WARNING FROM THE TWR TO 'GO AROUND,' BUT BY THAT TIME (WITHIN 3 SECS OF IMPACT BY MY ESTIMATES) IT WAS TOO LATE. I LANDED GEAR UP. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR SERIOUS DAMAGE TO THE ACFT EXCEPT FOR THE PROP AND THE ENG STOPPAGE. HAD THE TWR WARNED ME WHEN I WAS OVER THE THRESHOLD ON FINAL APCH, I COULD HAVE EXECUTED A GAR AND SAVED THE DAMAGE TO THE PLANE.

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.