Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to lower the airplane's landing gear prior to landing, which resulted in abnormal runway contact.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
During a youth demonstration flight, the pilot became distracted looking for another airplane in the traffic pattern and sharing information with the young passengers. He subsequently forgot to lower the landing gear, and the airplane landed gear up, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident anomalies or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation and added that he heard no cockpit warnings since he was wearing a noise cancelling headset.