GEAR UP LNDG.

Narrative

SINCE THE INCIDENT HAPPENED I'VE BEEN HEARING MORE AND MORE THAT GEAR-UP LNDGS ARE MORE COMMON THAN MOST PLTS REALIZE. I DON'T FEEL ANY BETTER KNOWING THAT SINCE I'M SUPPOSE TO BE A PROFESSIONAL. IT WAS A VFR SATURDAY AFTERNOON AT 1 OF THE NATIONS BUSIEST GA ARPTS. I CALLED IN 13 NE AND ADVISED TO ENTER R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 32 AT OR ABOVE 1600 FT (NORMAL PATTERN 1100 FT). DSNDING OUT OF 2000 FT JUST PRIOR TO ENTERING DOWNWIND I WAS ADVISED TO WATCH FOR TFC CLBING THROUGH 2000 FT OFF RWY '1' AND CALL THE INNER CTLR ON ANOTHER FREQ. ENTERING DOWNWIND AT 1700 FT AGL CRUISE AIRSPD (AT 170 IAS) EVEN WITH REDUCED PWR; (I SHOULD HAVE TRIED TO SLOW DOWN EARLIER) TWR ADVISED ME #4 BEHIND AN SMA; 1 MI ON DOWNWIND. I CONTINUED TO REDUCE PWR TO SLOW TO APCH FLAP SPD AS I PLANNED TO EXTEND DOWNWIND SO AS TO HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO COMPLETE CHKLIST. ONCE SLOW ENOUGH TO LOWER FLAPS (160) THE DRAG WOULD HELP SLOW THE ACFT TO GEAR EXTENSION SPD (150). WHEN I LOWERED FLAPS TWR CHANGED MY SEQUENCE TO #2 BEHIND TFC ON SHORT FINAL; AT THIS POINT I TURNED BASE. THIS WAS ANOTHER MISTAKE AS I SHOULD HAVE CONTINUED DOWNWIND TO FINISH THE CHKLIST. AFTER TURNING BASE I LOWER ANOTHER 3 DEG OF FLAPS (NORMAL PROC) WHEN TWR CHANGED MY SEQUENCE AGAIN TO #3 TO FOLLOW TFC 2 MI FINAL. I SPOTTED TFC 12 O'CLOCK TO ME AND I ADVISED TWR I WAS TURNING OUTBOUND. (AT THAT POINT I USUALLY DOUBLECHK THE LNDG CHKLIST). UPON TURNING FINAL EVERYTHING IS USUALLY COMPLETE. GLIDE PATH LOOKED GOOD; AIRSPD WAS PERFECT; EVERYTHING APPEARED NORMAL. WHEN THE RADAR ALTIMETER SOUNDS I LOWER THE LAST OF THE FLAPS AND GRABBED THE THROTTLES. I CARRY PWR IN THE SMT RIGHT TO THE FLARE; WHEN THE GEAR HORN SOUNDED; I ATTEMPTED TO ADD PWR; WHEN I HEARD A PROP HIT I COMMITTED TO LNDG AS A GAR AT THIS POINT COULD HAVE BEEN DEVASTATING. AS YOU SEE I RUSHED INTO THE PATTERN AND THE LNDG AND I DON'T KNOW WHY BECAUSE IT WAS A NICE DAY FOR FLYING.