Small Aircraft; Low Wing; 1 Eng; Retractable Gear
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 67; Flight Crew Total 1140; Flight Crew Type 275
Communication Breakdown; Distraction; Training / Qualification; Workload
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Gear Up Landing
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged
Human Factors
I recently was on a training flight. I was Pilot In Command because my student's flight review and medical had lapsed. The purpose of the flight was currency training as he had not flown in several months. I am an active CFI-SEL and current in the airplane we were flying. My student was sitting in the left seat and I was sitting in the right seat.The flight originated from and ended at ZZZ. Only Runway XX was used. The airplane being flown is owned by my student. We spent roughly 2 hours on the ground briefing the flight. Taxi and run up were uneventful. He completed one full stop landing and taxied back to Runway XX at ZZZ. Checklists were used stringently as well as GUMPS checks (Gas; Undercarriage; Mixture; Propeller; and Seat Belt). Our next training objective was to takeoff; climb to 6;500 FT MSL east of ZZZ for maneuvering. Takeoff and climb were uneventful.At 6;500 FT MSL; we completed clearing turns; steep turns; and slow flight (with turns). The learning objective was to get him comfortable with handling the airplane and analyzing the instruments to prepare for pattern work. Descent was uneventful. Checklists were adhered to stringently. Upon returning to ZZZ; he made a 45-degree entry to a left downwind for Runway XX.My student had difficulty seeing the runway; and I had to balance managing the checklists with helping him with the approach. I completed two GUMPS checks to assist him and he landed smoothly with my coaching. It was a full stop landing; and he taxied back to Runway XX. We assessed how to improve the next pattern.We proceeded with another pattern. He was successful in keeping the runway in sight with my coaching; I accomplished two GUMPS checks; and he landed smoothly. He exited the runway; taxied back to Runway XX and assessed how to improve the next pattern. We agreed to do one more pattern and then call it a day. Takeoff and climb were uneventful. Abeam the numbers on downwind; my student began to deploy flaps. This is normally where he would have deployed the gear; but he forgot. I never noticed that he had not lowered the gear. As a result of the gear being retracted; the remainder of the approach was higher than usual. I considered a go around; but we had more than 5;000 feet of extra runway; so I elected to let him continue. I did not realize the excess altitude and energy was due to a retracted gear. It was a bright day and the weak incandescent bulbs for the gear indicator lights are difficult to see from the right seat where I was sitting. In addition; I do not recall hearing the gear warning horn.Since our approach was very high; he idled the engine soon after turning onto final. I assessed that we had ample runway and that he should focus on his approach speed and a smooth touchdown. Both of us failed to do a GUMPS check and verify the checklist (I had personally done this for him on the previous landings; but was saturated with coaching him on the approach and forgot). Ultimately; this led to a gear up landing just short of Taxiway XX. As the airplane came to a skidding stop; I immediately assessed switches and fuel valves; then we evacuated the airplane and assessed the damage.The airplane did not skid off the runway and did not damage airport property. The airplane was safely lifted; the gear was swung down; and the airplane was pushed off the runway within about an hour of the incident. No injuries were sustained to me or my student. The airplane did not suffer substantial damage.In retrospect; I believe the training objectives for this flight were too steep of a currency learning curve for my student and should have been limited to the at-altitude maneuvering. I should have completed the landings. In addition; instructing family members can be precarious due to the desire of the instructor to see their loved one succeed. That desire can be so strong that; in my case; safety and checklists were overlooked when I became task saturated with instructing my student's approach to landing.
Flight instructor reported becoming distracted; resulting in a gear-up landing.