PLT INSTRUCTOR OF SMA HELI ACFT LOST A GND HANDLING WHEEL INFLT.

Narrative

I PREFLTED AN SMA HELI AND PUSHED IT OUT TO THE TXWY. IT HAD STARTED TO RAIN AND I GOT IN THE HELI. I WAS TALKING TO A PAX ABOUT INNER PROCS; CTLS; ETC. AFTER A SHORT WHILE; I STARTED THE HELI; WARMED UP; AND TOOK OFF; NEGLECTING TO TAKE OFF THE GND HANDLING WHEELS. WHILE INFLT; THE TWR CALLED TO ASK IF I WAS STILL ON FREQ. I WAS AND REPLIED. THEY SAID THAT THEY HAD HAD A RPT OF A HELI DROPPING A PACKAGE. I SAID THAT I HAD NOT INTENTIONALLY DROPPED ANYTHING (I DIDN'T REALIZE YET THAT THE WHEELS WERE LEFT ON) BUT WOULD EXERCISE CAUTION IN CASE SOMETHING HAD FALLEN OFF. I HEADED BACK TO THE ARPT AND ON THE WAY BACK REALIZED I HAD LEFT THE WHEELS ON. I TRIED TO SHAKE THE REMAINING WHEEL OFF OVER A FIELD; BUT IT WOULDN'T COME OFF. I FLEW BACK TO THE ARPT; AVOIDING OVERFLYING HOUSES AND CARS; LANDED AND REMOVED THE WHEEL. AT THIS TIME THE TWR ADVISED THAT A CALLER HAD FOUND THE WHEEL AND ASKED ME TO CALL THEM BACK WHEN I REACHED MY OFFICE; WHICH I DID. I ALSO CALLED THE PRINCIPAL OF THE SCHOOL IN WHOSE YARD THE WHEEL HAD LANDED; AND I CALLED THE POLICE WHO HAD RESPONDED. THE DESIRE TO NOT GET WET CONTRIBUTED TO THIS ACCIDENT. TO AVOID IT HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE; I WILL ADD A STEP TO THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST STATING 'WHEELS REMOVED -- CHK.'