An amphibious floatplane pilot failed to lower his wheels.

Attributes
ACN	319086
Time
Date	199510
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : evv
State Reference	IN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : evv
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna Single Piston Undifferentiated or Other Model
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 : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 1800 flight time type : 10
ASRS Report	319086
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was landing in a single-engine cessna on amphibian floats on runway 22. During the approach to landing, I had preoccupied myself with spotting other aircraft in the pattern and failed to extend the landing gear. Over the runway, tower pointed this oversight out to me and I then lowered the gear and landed. I would attribute my failure to extend the gear prior to the prompting by tower to preoccupation in the pattern, low time in this type aircraft, and failure to complete a before landing checklist. In the future, I will always complete a gump check on final. My thanks goes out to this vigilant tower controller. I called him on the telephone and told him how appreciative I was for saving what could have been a very bad day.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AMPHIBIOUS FLOATPLANE PLT FAILED TO LOWER HIS WHEELS.

Narrative: I WAS LNDG IN A SINGLE-ENG CESSNA ON AMPHIBIAN FLOATS ON RWY 22. DURING THE APCH TO LNDG, I HAD PREOCCUPIED MYSELF WITH SPOTTING OTHER ACFT IN THE PATTERN AND FAILED TO EXTEND THE LNDG GEAR. OVER THE RWY, TWR POINTED THIS OVERSIGHT OUT TO ME AND I THEN LOWERED THE GEAR AND LANDED. I WOULD ATTRIBUTE MY FAILURE TO EXTEND THE GEAR PRIOR TO THE PROMPTING BY TWR TO PREOCCUPATION IN THE PATTERN, LOW TIME IN THIS TYPE ACFT, AND FAILURE TO COMPLETE A BEFORE LNDG CHKLIST. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL ALWAYS COMPLETE A GUMP CHK ON FINAL. MY THANKS GOES OUT TO THIS VIGILANT TWR CTLR. I CALLED HIM ON THE TELEPHONE AND TOLD HIM HOW APPRECIATIVE I WAS FOR SAVING WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY BAD DAY.

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.