19990422019569A

On April 22, 1999, about 1925 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-24-180, N7059P, registered to mcgill aircraft corporation, was landed gear up at the Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport, Fernandina Beach, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR part 91 maintenance test flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the private-rated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated about 10 minutes earlier from the st. mary's airport, st. mary's, Georgia. The pilot stated that the flight entered the traffic pattern on a left midfield downwind at a 45-degree entry and turned base then final and used a "mental" checklist but did not use the printed checklist in his lap. The airplane was landed with the gear up and he reported that he did not hear the landing gear warning horn; he was wearing a headset. The airplane was raised and with the landing gear retracted and the master switch in the "on" position, the landing gear "up" light illuminated. Additionally, with the landing gear retracted and the throttle at a low power position, the gear warning horn sounded. The landing gear was extended u sing the normal method and the gear locked into place. (-23)pilot entered the traffic pattern after a short test flight. Pilot became occupied with a lear jet departing and forgot to put the landing gear down.