AN ACR PLT LANDS HIS PA31-350 GEAR UP ON A SNOW COVERED RWY WITH LITTLE DAMAGE AND NO INJURIES.

Narrative

THE FLT WAS CONDUCTED IN A PA31-350. UPON ARR AT THE UNCTLED ARPT AN OVERFLT WAS CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE RWY CONDITION AND WIND. AN ENTRY INTO L TFC WAS MADE AND THE BEFORE LNDG CHKS WERE COMMENCED. FOR SOME REASON; DISTR OR WHATEVER; THE GEAR-DOWN CHK WAS NOT MADE. ON CLOSE PROX TO THE RWY SURFACE THE GEAR UNSAFE HORN SOUNDED. WITH THE RATE OF DSCNT AND A 4-6 DEG UPSLOPE RWY; RECOVERY WAS ATTEMPTED; BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE ACFT WAS LANDED GEAR UP. THERE WAS LITTLE DAMAGE AND NO INJURIES DUE TO SNOW AND ICE ON THE RWY. THE PA31-350 IS EQUIPPED WITH A GEAR HORN THAT SOUNDS WHEN EITHER OR BOTH ENGS GO BELOW 12 INCHES OF MANIFOLD PRESSURE AND THE GEAR IS NOT DOWN AND LOCKED. THIS IS INADEQUATE WARNING OF UNSAFE GEAR WHEN ON APCHS THAT REQUIRE HIGHER PWR SETTING DUE TO HIGH GROSS WT OR GUSTY CONDITION. OUR PA31'S WERE JUST INCREASED TO LNDG WT OF 7368 LBS FROM 7000 LBS WITH VORTEX GENERATORS AND GEAR MODIFICATIONS. ON BEECHCRAFT LIGHT TWINS THE GEAR HORN SOUNDS WHEN FLAPS ARE BROUGHT BELOW 15-20 DEGS WITHOUT THE GEAR DOWN AND LOCKED; IN ADDITION TO THE THROTTLES. THIS PROVIDES ADEQUATE TIME TO RECOVER OR SIMPLY LOWER THE GEAR AND CONTINUE. THE SIMPLE ADDITION OF THE GEAR WARNING BEING TIED TO THE FLAP SYS WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS MISHAP AND ANOTHER THAT OCCURRED IN THIS AREA 3 MONTHS PRIOR (NOT TO ME). TO RETROFIT SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO FOR THIS TWIN.