Speculation and rumormongering won't tell us what happened, nor how to avoid a reoccurance. One thing I would bet on, though, is this: If the pilot in command of this aircraft is ex-military, and he actually did spend six years in the Hanoi Hilton, and if he did brain fart and leave the gear up, he won't be bothered by discussion of his idiocy on the LML -- he would welcome and encourage it.
Attitudes about safety are just that, attitudes. It's very difficult to 'teach' attitudes, but they can be 'learned.' What I mean by that is attitudes grow and thrive in a community. Members of a community, for the most part, strive to align themselves within it. If one doesn't 'fit in,' (s)he cannot be a part of the community, therefore, if one wishes to be involved, (s)he must conform.
The military fosters this feeling of 'community' by its very nature. Many battle veterans freely admit their fear of death was overridden by their fear of letting down their comrades. Long ago some very smart people in the military saw an opportunity to take advantage of 'community' to improve safety.
A military aviator's airmanship is ALWAYS under scrutiny. For example, naval aviators' traps are filmed, scored and posted daily for all to see -- there is nowhere to hide. Mistakes are noted and publicly dissected, mercilessly and without regard for the ego of the hapless miscreant who made it. Military aviators learn early to take their lumps when they screw the pooch. The upshot is, even pilots -- the most arrogant, self-indulgent species extant -- can learn to admit when they make a mistake. They can even actually learn from the experience, given the right community.
This is why I say the pilot involved in this incident, assuming he actually DID brain fart and IS an ex-military aviator, would agree with those who denigrate his skills. Trust me, he's heard far worse from much better pilots...
An organization like LOBO has great potential to do something very similar for YOU. The more people willing to get involved and become part of our 'community,' the more able we will be to shape and foster attitudes, perhaps even yours. The FAA and the insurance industry recognize this, and that's why LOBO has gotten such a positive response.
Members of a 'community' can rally together around a fellow aviator they know to be doing something stupid. Consider the individual mentioned in another post who decided to fly his Legacy without transition training, or the individual who chose to fly with him. Imagine how either of these persons would have responded if a group of say 10 or 15 fellow Lancair pilots had gathered around him to express their misgivings and concerns. The passenger would quickly realize more experienced Lancair pilots believe his friend is doing something stupid, and the pilot in question would realize even if he did live through the experience of learning to fly his Legacy without training, he would never be a part of the Lancair community. Public approbation can be a powerful tool for molding and fostering attitude.
If you haven't considered joining LOBO yet, I would encourage you to give it a good, long think.
Mark Sletten