N1129T

Substantial
None

BEECH V35BS/N: D-9867

Accident Details

Date
Saturday, September 8, 2012
NTSB Number
WPR12CA415
Location
Elko, NV
Event ID
20120911X15339
Coordinates
40.824722, -115.791664
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
4
Total Aboard
4

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's failure to extend the landing gear during the aborted takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to perform a thorough preflight inspection.

Aircraft Information

Registration
Make
BEECH
Serial Number
D-9867
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
1976
Model / ICAO
V35BBE35
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1
Seats
6
FAA Model
V35B

Registered Owner (Current)

Name
STAPLETON THOMAS
Address
5862 WILLOW BEND DR
City
AVON
State / Zip Code
IN 46123-7353
Country
United States

Analysis

The pilot, who had just retracted the landing gear on the low wing airplane as part of the takeoff sequence, was advised by one of his passengers that fuel was streaming out from under one of the fuel tank caps. After confirming that there was fuel streaming from under the cap, the pilot, since he had enough runway remaining to do so, decided to abort the takeoff and land straight ahead. Although he was able to get the airplane back on the ground within the remaining runway, the pilot forgot to extend the landing gear prior to making contact with the runway surface, which resulted in substantial damage to one of the airplane’s bulkheads. The pilot later stated that he had not made sure the fuel caps were secure prior to takeoff, and that he should have done a final walk-around to make sure everything was in order.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# WPR12CA415