AN SMA COM PLT LANDED WHEELS UP AT AN UNCTLED ARPT.

Narrative

THIS WHEELS-UP LNDG WAS MADE IN THE COURSE OF A SHORT LCL FLT AND A LNDG PLANNED TO BE A VARIATION OF THE NORMAL LNDG ROUTINE. THE TURN-TO-BASE WAS TO BE A DSNDING TURN FROM PATTERN ALT AND AT A POINT THAT WOULD GUARANTEE THE RWY IF A SERIOUS ENG MALFUNCTION SHOULD OCCUR AT THIS POINT. THE PLAN WAS BASED ON THE HAZARD CREATED BY A LARGE SHOPPING PLAZA BEING BUILT AT THE N END OF THE RWY. TURB CREATED BY THE LARGE EXPANSE OF BLACK TOP PARKING AREA WAS RECOGNIZED AS A SECOND POSSIBLE HAZARD. AT THE 45 DEG TURN TO ENTER THE DOWNWIND LEG; I ADVISED BY RADIO THAT I WAS MAKING THE TURN. IMMEDIATELY; ANOTHER ACFT ADVISED THAT IT WAS ALSO MAKING A TURN TO DOWNWIND. THIS ALERTED ME TO SEARCH FOR THE ACFT IN ALL POSSIBLE DIRECTIONS; BUT NOT FINDING IT; I CONCLUDED THAT IT WAS SOMEWHERE BEHIND ME. HOWEVER; I WAS NOW AT THE POINT TO MAKE THE TURN TO BASE AND HAD MISSED THE NORMAL GEAR-DOWN ROUTINE. MAKING THE TURN TO BASE AND JUDGING THE FLT PATH ALONG WITH THE DSCNT WENT WELL AND AT THE POINT OF TURN TO FINAL I HAD ALT TO SPARE; SO I STARTED A SERIES OF SLIPS TO INCREASE THE RATE OF DSCNT. THIS CAUSED ME TO OVERLOOK PART OF THE SECOND ROUTINE; WHICH INCLUDES A VISUAL CONFIRMATION OF THE GEAR-DOWN CONFIGN AND IS MADE AFTER THE ROLL-OUT OF THE TURN TO FINAL. THERE IS A COMMON PRACTICE AT UNCTLED ARPTS SUCH AS CLOW INTL TO ENTER THE DOWNWIND LEG OF THE PATTERN BY FLYING DIRECTLY ACROSS THE ARPT (RWY) AT PATTERN ALT MAKING A 90 DEG L TURN TO DOWNWIND FROM INSIDE THE PATTERN. I HAVE HAD THE EXPERIENCE OF A NEAR MISS WITH A HIGH PERFORMANCE ACFT THAT DID EXACTLY THAT AND PASSED BEHIND AT NO MORE THAN 200 FT OR SO AS I ROLLED OUT OF THE 45 DEG R TURN INTO THE DOWNWIND LEG. I HAVE HEARD CFI'S AND IN 1 INSTANCE AN FAA DESIGNEE STATE THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS PRACTICE! I STRONGLY DISAGREE FOR SEVERAL REASONS. ONE OBVIOUS REASON IS THAT IT CAN PUT 2 ACFT IN CLOSE PROX TO EACH OTHER; BOTH GOING TO THE SAME PLACE; AND BOTH ACFT BELLY-UP TO EACH OTHER SO NEITHER PLT CAN SEE THE OTHER.