C185 AMPHIBIAN PVT PLT LANDS ON RWY WITH GEAR UP AT RNT; WA.

Narrative

WHILE PERFORMING TOUCH-AND-GOES; I LANDED ON RWY 15 WITH WHEELS RETRACTED. IT WAS THE THIRD LNDG AFTER COMMENCING TOUCH-AND-GOES. I HAD JUST COMPLETED A 2.8 HR FLT IN THE C185 WITH A CFII. THE LAST LNDG WAS IN THE LAKE; HDG 270 DEGS. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLT WAS TO BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THE ACFT AGAIN AFTER HAVING SPEND ONLY 1.7 HRS IN THE C185 SINCE FEB/03. SINCE THAT TIME; ALL OF MY TIME WAS SPENT IN A C172 PREPARING FOR THE INST PRACTICAL TEST WHICH WAS COMPLETED APR/WED/03. ALTHOUGH TWR WAS RUNNING THE ARPT IN S FLOW; MODERATE WINDS WERE COMING FROM THE NW AT 10-12 KTS IMMEDIATELY N OF THE ARPT. AT THE RWY THRESHOLD FOR RWY 15 THE N WIND DECREASED TO A NO WIND CONDITION AND BY MID FIELD; A 5 KT WIND FROM THE S WAS PRESENT. THIS RESULTED IN A VARIABLE CONDITION AT THE RWY THRESHOLD. AFTER HAVING SPENT THE LAST 6 WKS AWAY FROM THE C185 AND OPERATING A STRAIGHT LEG C172; I WAS ACUTELY AWARE THAT I HAD GROWN RUSTY IN THE PROC AND LNDG FLOW OF THE C185 AMPHIBIAN. I; THEREFORE; TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE CONDITIONS TO PRACTICE AND IMPROVE MY FLOW. THE SHEARING CONDITION PRESENTED A CHALLENGE AND MY DESIRE TO PREFECT THE TOUCHDOWN AND NEGOTIATION OF THE VARIABLE WINDS DISTR ME FROM THE PROCESSES THAT I COME TO PRACTICE. THE PLANE TOUCHED DOWN ON THE CTRLINE AND COASTED EASILY TO A SMOOTH STOP IN THE FIRST 1/2 OF RWY. THE PLANE REMAINED CTRED ON THE RWY. DAMAGE WAS MINIMAL AND ONLY ON THE KEELS OF THE FLOATS. OCCUPANTS OF ACFT WERE THE PLT (MYSELF) AND A DOG. OCCUPANTS WERE SAFE AND UNINJURED. I RADIOED THE TWR ABOUT THE INCIDENT. TWR ASKED IF I NEEDED ANYTHING. I REQUESTED A FLOAT TRUCK. THE TWR CALLED FBO; WHO RESPONDED AND LIFTED THE ACFT ENOUGH TO ALLOW THE GEAR TO BE LOWERED. I TAXIED THE ACFT TO THE MAINT FACILITY. PREVENTIVE MEASURES INCLUDE MORE RECENT EXPERIENCE IN THE RETRACT WITH QUALIFIED INSTRUCTOR.