Beech V35B N1129T accident near Elko, Nevada

Probable cause

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.

NTSB analysis

The pilot had just retracted the landing gear after takeoff when he was advised by a passenger that fuel was streaming from one of the fuel tank caps. After confirming that fuel was leaking, the pilot decided to abort the takeoff and land straight ahead. Although he was able to land on the remaining runway, the pilot forgot to extend the landing gear before the airplane touched down, and the airplane’s bulkhead was damaged. The pilot stated that he had not ensured that the fuel caps were secured and that he should have done a final walk-around before taking off to make sure everything was in order. The pilot reported that there was no preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR12CA415 for the full record.