PA-28R Cherokee Arrow All Series
Flight Crew Private; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 110; Flight Crew Total 245; Flight Crew Type 6
Situational Awareness; Human-Machine Interface; Distraction
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Gear Up Landing
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; General Evacuated
Human Factors
I am doing training for my commercial pilot certificate. We were practicing diversion procedures with my instructor. We decided to practice maneuvers and a steep spiral with a power off 180. We reported and cleared the area for traffic to perform first a chandelle to increase altitude. After completion of two chandelles we were at 4500 ft. I performed the pre-maneuver checklist to initiate the steep spiral which is the same as the Pre-Landing checklist (EXCEPT for the landing gear DOWN). I performed the following procedure:- Fuel Pump: ON- Mixture: RICH- Prop: FWD.- ALT/MASTER: ON- Magnetos: CHECK- Gauges: CHECK- Fuel: Best TankAfter we cleared the area looking for traffic and reported to the UNICOM frequency. There was traffic. They had us inside and they allowed us to perform the maneuver. We started with the steep spiral. Every time we had headwind during the maneuver we cleared the engine. When we completed the three 180s. After completed we were at 2000 ft. On base the flaps were fully extended. We exchange controls with a positive exchange. My instructor on final perform one S turn to gain appropriate distance and decrease altitude. Then we positive exchange the flight controls back again. I approached to land and the touchdown was a very smooth. We saw the propeller stop and a small brake motion. We realized the landing gear was still retracted. I secure the airplane and communicate in UNICOM frequency to all the traffic go around and runway closed. This big mistake wouldn't have happened if we would have completed the checklist. There was many factors that contribute to this incident. The warning unsafe horn was beeping since the steep spiral maneuver and our ears got used of this noise. The psychological stress because of traffic around the airport; flying the aircraft; being too high on final and more lead us to miss the landing gear lever. I learned from this that no matter what is the situation; the crew have to complete every single Checklist for the phases of flight. Doesn't matter if you have stress environments. Simulated or real; you cannot let those things to make you forget about checklists. Double check and always ask yourself: Is everything going as it supposed to? Have we missed anything?
After my student performed the steep spiral pre-maneuver procedure checklist (which does not include the landing gear down) I declared intentions to the surrounding traffic. Then my student started with the descent. I was communicating and maintaining visual scanning as my student was descending. He performed three 360's in which he cleaned the engine at each headwind portion of the maneuver. He joined downwind at 2000 ft and then he started with the power off 180 to the runway. The landing gear horn was sounding at all times; but because of the distractions of the maneuver at some point it became normal for me. He was high when he was aligned with the runway then with a positive exchange of fight controls I took the controls to perform a 'S' turn which I thought was going to provide us a better position for the landing. After that; with a positive exchange of flight controls I gave him back the controls. Then without my detection of the landing gear in the 'UP' position; he landed the airplane. It was not a strong impact; just a braking motion after the ground friction. After we detected the problem and after the airplane stopped; he secured the airplane and he declared to the inbound traffic that it was an incident on the runway. Then we evacuated. It is important to remark that as I always perform the steep spiral with the landing gear horn sounding it became normal for me. I think is important to brief alarms at all times if there is an intention of continue flying with one. I think one of the main factors that produced the incident was that I was complacent with my student; as he was a really good student just close to his check ride. At some point I started to be aware more of the external factors than of my student's procedures.
PA28R pilot and instructor reported a gear up landing due to distraction following a steep spiral maneuver.