Duchess 76
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 154; Flight Crew Total 10136; Flight Crew Type 98
Other / Unknown
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Gear Up Landing
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; General Maintenance Action
Human Factors; Aircraft; Company Policy
A Beechcraft Duchess (BE-76) landed gear-up during a practice single-engine GPS circling approach in Visual Meteorological Conditions.  Two occupants (Instructor and Student) were uninjured.  The aircraft sustained minimal damage and was towed off the runway after being lifted and landing gear was extended.  (1) This was the last flight for the student in the FAA Approved Part 141 flight curriculum prior to his Commercial Pilot checkride.  (No serious issues had occurred previously and ONLY one more landing was needed).(2) Student was flying within the standards specified in the Practical Test Standards (PTS).  (Student was following all procedures; making all the required company procedural callouts and radio calls.  Everything was normal which caused the Instructor to drop his guard and not watch as closely as he should have). (3) During the approach; the landing gear warning horn continuous sounds due to the company procedure stating single-engine circling approaches are flown with the landing gear up until in a position where the landing can be made.  (Instructor and student became DE-sensitized hearing the horn during all the previous approaches and ignored it).(4) Turning onto the Base Leg; student advised 'Leaving MDA' but did not lower the landing gear.  (Instructor was looking for traffic and did not visually see the gear handle was still in the UP position).(5) Just when the student would have stated 'Verify' landing gear down position; Instructor asked if student had his aiming point for touchdown.  Student responded 'Yes'.  (Instructor's question; at that point of the approach; may have interrupted student's concentration resulting in student thinking he may have done the 'Verify' callout).(6) Due to lack of drag from the landing gear; the approach was 10 knots fast resulting in minimal time to complete the BEFORE LANDING CHECKLIST.HUMAN PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS:(1) Perceptions:  The student was performing flawlessly and was on his last flight before his checkride.  Instructor dropped his guard and did not catch the fact that the landing gear had not been extended.  (2)  Judgement: Instructor's objective evaluation of the student's performance was skewed because Instructor had seen this student make great improvements in all areas culminating in this last flight.  Instructor's focus was wanting to see this student be successful and finish the course.SUMMATION:  Instructors are the 'Safety Net' for their students.  Instructor(s) need to be cautious and vigilant throughout the entire flight training curriculum segment (i.e. Lesson 1; 24; or 59).  A student can be as dangerous at the end of their training with hours logged; as a new student with little to no hours.  Mistakes will happen.  It is up to Instructors to be that FORCE that breaks the link in the 'Error Chain'.
BE76 instructor reported they experienced a gear-up landing during a practice single-engine GPS circling approach in Visual Meteorological Conditions with the student at the controls.