Narrative:

I was teaching my student (200 plus hours pilot working on commercial rating) short and soft field takeoffs and landing techniques. We were conducting our second short-field landing. We both missed the fact that the gear had not been lowered. We were flying in a PA28R-200 with the automatic- extend gear feature. The procedure taught at the school for short-field takeoffs included overriding the automatic extension feature so that the aircraft could be 'cleaned' up at a slower airspeed to achieve better climb performance. The override was inadvertently left on after takeoff and, therefore, the gear did not automatic-extend. The aircraft is also equipped with a gear unsafe light and horn. With the automatic extension feature overridden, there is no warning until the throttle is retarded to idle position. Because of fairly strong winds on the day in question, engine power was used until near touchdown, and no warning horn sounded. Extreme care should be taken when the automatic-extend feature is overridden. Pilot fatigue may have been a factor on my part because, at the time of the incident, I was working 2 jobs at approximately 70 hours week. I believe that pilot fatigue should be of great concern to the FAA, especially in regard to flight instructors. For financial reasons, many flight instructors are forced to work long hours or even 2 jobs. Supplemental information from acn 262971: the aircraft was equipped with an automatic gear extension system which had been deactivated by request of the instructor. I neglected to perform the pre landing checklist.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN INSTRUCTOR PLT DISABLED THE LNDG GEAR WARNING SYS.

Narrative: I WAS TEACHING MY STUDENT (200 PLUS HRS PLT WORKING ON COMMERCIAL RATING) SHORT AND SOFT FIELD TKOFS AND LNDG TECHNIQUES. WE WERE CONDUCTING OUR SECOND SHORT-FIELD LNDG. WE BOTH MISSED THE FACT THAT THE GEAR HAD NOT BEEN LOWERED. WE WERE FLYING IN A PA28R-200 WITH THE AUTO- EXTEND GEAR FEATURE. THE PROC TAUGHT AT THE SCHOOL FOR SHORT-FIELD TKOFS INCLUDED OVERRIDING THE AUTO EXTENSION FEATURE SO THAT THE ACFT COULD BE 'CLEANED' UP AT A SLOWER AIRSPD TO ACHIEVE BETTER CLB PERFORMANCE. THE OVERRIDE WAS INADVERTENTLY LEFT ON AFTER TKOF AND, THEREFORE, THE GEAR DID NOT AUTO-EXTEND. THE ACFT IS ALSO EQUIPPED WITH A GEAR UNSAFE LIGHT AND HORN. WITH THE AUTO EXTENSION FEATURE OVERRIDDEN, THERE IS NO WARNING UNTIL THE THROTTLE IS RETARDED TO IDLE POS. BECAUSE OF FAIRLY STRONG WINDS ON THE DAY IN QUESTION, ENG PWR WAS USED UNTIL NEAR TOUCHDOWN, AND NO WARNING HORN SOUNDED. EXTREME CARE SHOULD BE TAKEN WHEN THE AUTO-EXTEND FEATURE IS OVERRIDDEN. PLT FATIGUE MAY HAVE BEEN A FACTOR ON MY PART BECAUSE, AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, I WAS WORKING 2 JOBS AT APPROX 70 HRS WK. I BELIEVE THAT PLT FATIGUE SHOULD BE OF GREAT CONCERN TO THE FAA, ESPECIALLY IN REGARD TO FLT INSTRUCTORS. FOR FINANCIAL REASONS, MANY FLT INSTRUCTORS ARE FORCED TO WORK LONG HRS OR EVEN 2 JOBS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 262971: THE ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC GEAR EXTENSION SYS WHICH HAD BEEN DEACTIVATED BY REQUEST OF THE INSTRUCTOR. I NEGLECTED TO PERFORM THE PRE LNDG CHKLIST.

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.