Bellanca 260 B N8865R

Summary

On 5 March 2000 at about 16:45 local time, a Bellanca 260 B registered N8865R, operated by Paul L. Dorn JR., was involved in an accident near Cornelia, Georgia, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 March 2000 at 16:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Cornelia, Georgia, United States

Nearest airport

Habersham County (AJR)

Coordinates

34.5093, -83.5208

Aircraft

Bellanca 260 B

Registration

N8865R

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Paul L. Dorn JR.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Canton → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL00LA032

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to use the checklist, resulting in a wheels-up landing and post-crash fire.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that he did not obtain much altitude and speed for the short flight. He also reported that the landing gear was not needed to slow the airplane down and was not extended on approach. The pilot reported that he forgot to extend the landing gear before landing, and he did not recall hearing the landing gear warning horn after the throttle was retarded. He also stated that after he exited the airplane and was about 50 feet away, the airplane burst into flames. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or component failures with the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.