Narrative:

Since the incident happened I've been hearing more and more that gear-up lndgs are more common than most pilots realize. I don't feel any better knowing that since I'm suppose to be a professional. It was a VFR saturday afternoon at 1 of the nations busiest GA airports. I called in 13 northeast and advised to enter right downwind for runway 32 at or above 1600 ft (normal pattern 1100 ft). Descending out of 2000 ft just prior to entering downwind I was advised to watch for traffic climbing through 2000 ft off runway '1' and call the inner controller on another frequency. Entering downwind at 1700 ft AGL cruise airspeed (at 170 IAS) even with reduced power, (I should have tried to slow down earlier) tower advised me #4 behind an small aircraft, 1 mi on downwind. I continued to reduce power to slow to approach flap speed as I planned to extend downwind so as to have plenty of time to complete checklist. Once slow enough to lower flaps (160) the drag would help slow the aircraft to gear extension speed (150). When I lowered flaps tower changed my sequence to #2 behind traffic on short final, at this point I turned base. This was another mistake as I should have continued downwind to finish the checklist. After turning base I lower another 3 degree of flaps (normal procedure) when tower changed my sequence again to #3 to follow traffic 2 mi final. I spotted traffic 12 O'clock to me and I advised tower I was turning outbound. (At that point I usually doublechk the landing checklist). Upon turning final everything is usually complete. Glide path looked good, airspeed was perfect, everything appeared normal. When the radar altimeter sounds I lower the last of the flaps and grabbed the throttles. I carry power in the small transport right to the flare, when the gear horn sounded, I attempted to add power, when I heard a propeller hit I committed to landing as a go around at this point could have been devastating. As you see I rushed into the pattern and the landing and I don't know why because it was a nice day for flying.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GEAR UP LNDG.

Narrative: SINCE THE INCIDENT HAPPENED I'VE BEEN HEARING MORE AND MORE THAT GEAR-UP LNDGS ARE MORE COMMON THAN MOST PLTS REALIZE. I DON'T FEEL ANY BETTER KNOWING THAT SINCE I'M SUPPOSE TO BE A PROFESSIONAL. IT WAS A VFR SATURDAY AFTERNOON AT 1 OF THE NATIONS BUSIEST GA ARPTS. I CALLED IN 13 NE AND ADVISED TO ENTER R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 32 AT OR ABOVE 1600 FT (NORMAL PATTERN 1100 FT). DSNDING OUT OF 2000 FT JUST PRIOR TO ENTERING DOWNWIND I WAS ADVISED TO WATCH FOR TFC CLBING THROUGH 2000 FT OFF RWY '1' AND CALL THE INNER CTLR ON ANOTHER FREQ. ENTERING DOWNWIND AT 1700 FT AGL CRUISE AIRSPD (AT 170 IAS) EVEN WITH REDUCED PWR, (I SHOULD HAVE TRIED TO SLOW DOWN EARLIER) TWR ADVISED ME #4 BEHIND AN SMA, 1 MI ON DOWNWIND. I CONTINUED TO REDUCE PWR TO SLOW TO APCH FLAP SPD AS I PLANNED TO EXTEND DOWNWIND SO AS TO HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO COMPLETE CHKLIST. ONCE SLOW ENOUGH TO LOWER FLAPS (160) THE DRAG WOULD HELP SLOW THE ACFT TO GEAR EXTENSION SPD (150). WHEN I LOWERED FLAPS TWR CHANGED MY SEQUENCE TO #2 BEHIND TFC ON SHORT FINAL, AT THIS POINT I TURNED BASE. THIS WAS ANOTHER MISTAKE AS I SHOULD HAVE CONTINUED DOWNWIND TO FINISH THE CHKLIST. AFTER TURNING BASE I LOWER ANOTHER 3 DEG OF FLAPS (NORMAL PROC) WHEN TWR CHANGED MY SEQUENCE AGAIN TO #3 TO FOLLOW TFC 2 MI FINAL. I SPOTTED TFC 12 O'CLOCK TO ME AND I ADVISED TWR I WAS TURNING OUTBOUND. (AT THAT POINT I USUALLY DOUBLECHK THE LNDG CHKLIST). UPON TURNING FINAL EVERYTHING IS USUALLY COMPLETE. GLIDE PATH LOOKED GOOD, AIRSPD WAS PERFECT, EVERYTHING APPEARED NORMAL. WHEN THE RADAR ALTIMETER SOUNDS I LOWER THE LAST OF THE FLAPS AND GRABBED THE THROTTLES. I CARRY PWR IN THE SMT RIGHT TO THE FLARE, WHEN THE GEAR HORN SOUNDED, I ATTEMPTED TO ADD PWR, WHEN I HEARD A PROP HIT I COMMITTED TO LNDG AS A GAR AT THIS POINT COULD HAVE BEEN DEVASTATING. AS YOU SEE I RUSHED INTO THE PATTERN AND THE LNDG AND I DON'T KNOW WHY BECAUSE IT WAS A NICE DAY FOR FLYING.

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.