Piper PA-24-260 accident near Athens, Georgia, March 14, 2026
On March 14, 2026 at about 4:32 pm local time, a 1966 Piper PA-24-260, registered N9024P, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Athens, Georgia (Athens/Ben Epps airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to extend the landing gear before landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 14, 2026 · about 4:32 pm local time
- Place
- Athens, Georgia · Athens/Ben Epps · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-260, built 1966 · all PA-24-260s on the register
- Registration
- N9024P · registry record · serial 24-4486
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during a straight-in landing approach, he inadvertently landed with the landing gear retracted. The airplane remained on the runway and slid to a stop, after which the pilot realized the landing gear handle was still in the up position. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A mechanic examined the airplane after the accident and confirmed that the landing gear system, including the position warning horn, functioned normally.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Landing gear not configured during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 872 hours in all; 741 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 820 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 30, 2025
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,942 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 5, 2026; 7,933 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540D4A5 (turboprop); 2,844 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KECE Seneca SC at 3:33 pm
- Destination: KAHN Athens GM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 6,122 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 11:00 am from AHN
Weather report (METAR): METAR KAHN 141451Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 18/06 A3015 RMK AO2 SLP208 T01780061 53013 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA26LA150.