Gear up landing. - NASA ASRS

Attributes
ACN	297190
Time
Date	199502
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bfm
State Reference	AL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ewr
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 210 Centurion / Turbo Centurion 210C, 210D
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 7600 flight time type : 15
ASRS Report	297190
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified 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:

On a flight from lebanon, nh to mobile in a cessna P-210, I started my letdown from 16500 ft about 90 mi nne of mobile. In order to avoid shock cooling to the engine, I used, for the first time, speed brakes, which were installed on my newly purchased aircraft. On the way down, I experimented with them to determine average loss of airspeed and altitude. When I entered the airport pattern at about 140 KIAS, I again used the speed brakes to slow me to 110 KIAS. Then again on final to reduce speed to 80 KIAS. In the process I became so transfixed in the performance of the speed brakes that I neglected to lower my landing gear and competed a perfect (very slow) landing. I should also note that after reducing power I did not hear a gear up horn and do not believe it sounded until after I came to a stop on the runway. I actually didn't think I had landed gear up, but initially thought that my propeller had struck something on the runway. It was a very slow and easy landing and I suffered no physical harm to myself (just my pride). Damage to the aircraft was quite minimal: bent propeller, about 6 ft of torn skin and loss of antennas. A preliminary check indicated no damage to the engine.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GEAR UP LNDG.

Narrative: ON A FLT FROM LEBANON, NH TO MOBILE IN A CESSNA P-210, I STARTED MY LETDOWN FROM 16500 FT ABOUT 90 MI NNE OF MOBILE. IN ORDER TO AVOID SHOCK COOLING TO THE ENG, I USED, FOR THE FIRST TIME, SPD BRAKES, WHICH WERE INSTALLED ON MY NEWLY PURCHASED ACFT. ON THE WAY DOWN, I EXPERIMENTED WITH THEM TO DETERMINE AVERAGE LOSS OF AIRSPD AND ALT. WHEN I ENTERED THE ARPT PATTERN AT ABOUT 140 KIAS, I AGAIN USED THE SPD BRAKES TO SLOW ME TO 110 KIAS. THEN AGAIN ON FINAL TO REDUCE SPD TO 80 KIAS. IN THE PROCESS I BECAME SO TRANSFIXED IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THE SPD BRAKES THAT I NEGLECTED TO LOWER MY LNDG GEAR AND COMPETED A PERFECT (VERY SLOW) LNDG. I SHOULD ALSO NOTE THAT AFTER REDUCING PWR I DID NOT HEAR A GEAR UP HORN AND DO NOT BELIEVE IT SOUNDED UNTIL AFTER I CAME TO A STOP ON THE RWY. I ACTUALLY DIDN'T THINK I HAD LANDED GEAR UP, BUT INITIALLY THOUGHT THAT MY PROP HAD STRUCK SOMETHING ON THE RWY. IT WAS A VERY SLOW AND EASY LNDG AND I SUFFERED NO PHYSICAL HARM TO MYSELF (JUST MY PRIDE). DAMAGE TO THE ACFT WAS QUITE MINIMAL: BENT PROP, ABOUT 6 FT OF TORN SKIN AND LOSS OF ANTENNAS. A PRELIMINARY CHK INDICATED NO DAMAGE TO THE ENG.

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.