GEAR UP LNDG IN AN SMA. ACFT EQUIP PROB. GEAR WARNING HORN INOP.

Narrative

A SPECIAL EVENT IN THE AREA HAD THE UNCTLED ARPT VERY BUSY. MONITORING CTAF; THE AIRPLANE AHEAD WAS LNDG RWY 31; L TFC. UNICOM ADVISED WINDS LIGHT FROM THE SSE. ANOTHER INBOUND AIRPLANE ASKED UNICOM IF HE SHOULD PLAN ON RWY 13. UNICOM ANSWERED THAT CROP DUSTERS IN THE AREA WERE STILL USING RWY 31. THE AIRPLANE AHEAD DECIDED TO PROCEED TO RWY 31. A CHK OF SMOKE IN THE AREA AND THE WIND SOCK INDICATED TO ME THAT THE WINDS WERE LIGHT ENOUGH THAT THE SLIGHT TAILWIND WOULD NOT BE A PROB. I DIDN'T THINK I HAD BEEN SUBSTANTIALLY DISTR AT THE TIME; NOR DID I FEEL UNDER ANY UNDUE PRESSURE. APPARENTLY I WAS; BECAUSE I FORGOT TO LOWER THE LNDG GEAR AND LANDED ON RWY 31; GEAR UP. ON THE SKID OUT; I TOLD MY R SEAT PAX TO OPEN HIS DOOR SLIGHTLY AS I OPENED MINE. WHEN THE AIRPLANE CAME TO A STOP; I TURNED THE FUEL TO OFF; MASTER AND IGNITION OFF. WE EXITED THE REAR 2 PAX FIRST; THEN THE FRONT PAX AND MYSELF. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OTHER THAN MY PRIDE AND EGO. THE CAUSE OF THE PROB WAS THREEFOLD. THE FIRST IS MY APPARENT COMPLACENCY WITH AN AIRPLANE IN WHICH I HAVE OVER 1000 HRS IN THE PAST 6 YRS. THE SECOND WAS THAT I FAILED TO USE MY NORMAL LNDG GUMP LIST AND DOUBLE CHK GEAR DOWN ON DOWNWIND AND AGAIN ON SHORT FINAL. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD BECOME DISTR ENOUGH TO FORGET. I HAD DONE IT OVER AND OVER; SO MANY TIMES; SO ROUTINELY. BUT THIS TIME THE UNBELIEVABLE HAD OCCURRED TO ME. AT THE TIME OF THE FLT; I WAS AWARE THAT THE GEAR WARNING HORN WAS INOP. THIS; I BELIEVE TO BE THE MOST KEY CAUSE. I HAD ORDERED IT REPAIRED. AT THE TIME OF THE FLT; THE MECH HAD NOT GOTTEN AROUND TO IT. I FLEW THE AIRPLANE ANYWAY. I THOUGHT; 'I HAVE SO MUCH TIME AND EXPERIENCE IN THIS AIRPLANE WITH NO PREVIOUS PROBS WHATSOEVER; IT WOULD BE OK.' THAT WAS A VERY BIG MISTAKE. THIS WAS THE ONE TIME DURING THOSE PREVIOUS 6 YRS; THAT THE GEAR WARNING COULD HAVE SAVED ME AN EXTREME EMBARRASSMENT; AND COSTLY REPAIRS TO MY AIRPLANE. I NOW FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT SAYING THAT THERE ARE 2 KINDS OF RETRACTABLE PLTS -- THOSE THAT HAVE AND THOSE THAT WILL. I NEVER BELIEVED I WOULD BECOME ONE OF THOSE THAT WILL. I NOW AM A FIRM BELIEVER THAT IT CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONE. MY BEST ADVICE IS; 'DO NOT FLY A RETRACTABLE AIRPLANE WITH AN INOP GEAR WARNING DEVICE.' NO MATTER HOW CAUTIOUS; PRECISE AND DETAILED YOU ARE; BELIEVE IT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU. THAT WAS MY ATTITUDE BEFORE THIS GEAR UP LNDG AND IT STILL HAPPENED. THE MORE DISTR YOU GET; THE MORE YOU SHOULD DOUBLE CHK THE CHKLIST.