SMA HAS GEAR UP LNDG WITH GEAR HANDLE IN DOWN POS.

Narrative

I RENTED AN SMA FROM FBO TO PREPARE FOR MY CFI CHK RIDE; THE FLT FROM WEST MEMPHIS TO FAYETTE COUNTY ARPT WAS UNEVENTFUL WITH ALL OF THE ACFT'S SYS WORKING PROPERLY. I THEN TOOK OFF FROM FAYETTE COUNTY WITH MY FLT INSTRUCTOR OCCUPYING THE L SEAT; MYSELF IN THE R SEAT; AND A PRIVATE PLT IN THE BACK SEAT. TKOF WAS NORMAL; AND WE THEN LEFT THE TFC PATTERN TO PRACTICE MANEUVERS FOR MY CHK RIDE. WE THEN CAME BACK TO THE ARPT TO PRACTICE SHORT AND SHORT AND SOFT FIELD TKOFS AND LNDGS. I WAS FLYING THE ACFT AND ENTERED A DOWNWIND LEG FOR RWY 18. BEFORE TURNING TO BASE; I PUT THE LNDG GEAR SWITCH FROM THE UP POS TO THE DOWN POS. THE GEAR CAME DOWN AND I MADE A NORMAL SOFT FIELD LNDG. I THEN TAXIED BACK TO THE END OF THE RWY AND MADE A SOFT FIELD TKOF. AFTER A SAFE ALT AND AIRSPD WAS REACHED; I PULLED THE GEAR UP. I STAYED IN THE TFC PATTERN AND TURNED BACK ON A DOWNWIND LEG TO MAKE A SHORT FIELD LNDG. AT THE END OF THE DOWNWIND LEG; I PUT THE SWITCH FROM THE UP POS TO THE DOWN POS. INSTRUCTOR THEN ASKED ME IF I COULD SEE A GREEN LIGHT. KNOWING THAT THE LIGHT WAS VERY DIM AND THAT WE WERE FLYING IN THE NOON DAY SUN; I SHIELDED THE LIGHT WITH MY HAND FROM THE SUNLIGHT; AND USING MY JUDGEMENT; DETERMINED THAT THE LIGHT WAS ON. I TOLD INSTRUCTOR THAT YES I DID SEE A GREEN LIGHT. INSTRUCTOR LOOKED AT IT AND ALSO AGREED THAT HE COULD SEE IT. PAX SAW ME PUT THE GEAR DOWN AND HEARD THIS CONVERSATION BTWN INSTRUCTOR AND MYSELF. I THEN TURNED BASE AND THEN FINAL. JUDGING THAT I WAS HIGH ON THE APCH; I USED FULL FLAPS AND PULLED THE THROTTLE ALL THE WAY BACK TO IDLE. WITNESSES ON THE GND TOLD US LATER THAT THEY NEVER SAW THE LNDG GEAR COME DOWN. AT THIS POINT; THE GEAR WARNING HORN NEVER SOUNDED; AND WE HAD NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THE GEAR WAS NOT DOWN AND LOCKED. I LANDED THE ACFT VERY GENTLY ON THE RWY AT NEAR STALLING SPD. THE ACFT SKIDDED ON ITS BELLY DOWN THE RWY; BENDING THE PROP BACKWARDS; UNTIL IT CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP ON THE RWY. WHILE SKIDDING DOWN THE RWY; I WAS LOOKING AT THE GEAR SWITCH IN THE 'GEAR DOWN' POS AND THOUGHT THAT THE GEAR HAD COLLAPSED UNDER US. AFTER THE PLANE STOPPED; PAX; INSTRUCTOR AND MYSELF IMMEDIATELY EVACED THE ACFT WHICH WAS NOW BEGINNING TO FILL THE COCKPIT WITH SMOKE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES; NO FIRE; AND NO SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. THE FIRE DEPT AND OTHER EMER EQUIP WERE CALLED; BUT WERE NOT NEEDED. I BELIEVE THE INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE ACFT'S GEAR WARNING HORN WOULD HAVE SOUNDED; GEAR LIGHTS WOULD HAVE BEEN BRIGHTER; AND IF A MORE RELIABLE GEAR HANDLE HAD BEEN INSTALLED RATHER THAN A SMALL; 3-POS TOGGLE SWITCH.