A C340 PLT PRACTICING A SINGLE ENG INST APCH FORGOT TO EXTEND HIS LNDG GEAR. ANOTHER PLT ADVISED THE RPTR AS HE APCHED TOUCHDOWN AND THE RPTR WENT AROUND.

Narrative

ON THE DATE AND TIME SHOWN ABOVE I DID UNINTENTIONALLY OPERATE AN AIRPLANE IN A MANNER THAT WAS NOT SAFE. I HAD PERFORMED SEVERAL INST APCHS TO TWO DIFFERENT ARPTS UNDER DAY VFR CONDITIONS WITHOUT A HOOD OR SAFETY PLT; JUST TO EXPERIMENT WITH THE EQUIP AND GET THE 'FEEL' OF THE AIRPLANE; AND WAS DOING THE LAST APCH OF THE DAY: A SIMULATED SINGLE-ENG ILS. I SIMULATED SINGLE-ENG OP BY RETARDING THE THROTTLE ONLY; AND ADVISED THE TWR THAT I WOULD BE FULL-STOP. I INTERCEPTED THE LOC AT THE OM AND WAS DISTRACTED AT THE MARKER BY THE TASK OF GETTING ON COURSE AND GS. MY MAJOR FAILURE WAS TO RETARD THE THROTTLE A BIT AT THE MARKER TO INITIATE A DSCNT INSTEAD OF LEAVING THE THROTTLE AND DROPPING THE GEAR. IN THE END; I FORGOT THE GEAR UNTIL A PLT THAT WAS HOLDING SHORT OF THE RWY THAT I WAS TO LAND ON SAID (ON THE RADIO) 'LNDG GEAR.' I INITIATED AN IMMEDIATE GAR; ADVISED THE TWR OF THE GAR; AND FLEW THE PATTERN TO COMPLETE THE FLT WITH A NORMAL LNDG. I ALLOWED MYSELF TO BECOME DISTRACTED BY THE CHANGE IN PERFORMANCE OF THE ACFT DUE TO A LACK OF THRUST; AND BY INTERCEPTING THE LOC AT THE OM INSTEAD OF OUTSIDE THE OM. MY DISTR GOT ME OUT OF THE RHYTHM OF ALWAYS DOING A PRE-LNDG CHKLIST AT THE MARKER; AND A GUMPS ON SHORT FINAL. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN THE MOST EXPENSIVE LESSON OF MY LIFE; AND PRACTICALLY COULD HAVE ENDED MY FLYING CAREER. INSTEAD; I HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE -- THAT I AM DETERMINED NOT TO WASTE.