20140609009629A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Liberty Aerospace LIBERTY XL-2 · Merritt Island, FL · June 9, 2014

Date: June 9, 2014 · 20:36 local
Place: Merritt Island, FL
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N516XL
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA14FA282
Reported as: Liberty Aerospace Liberty XL-2
Reported engine: Continental IOF-240-B
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot

N516XLRegistration cancelled Feb 28, 2018 · Liberty Aerospace LIBERTY XL-2S/N 0011 · Built 2006 Airframe modelLiberty Aerospace LIBERTY XL-2 Engine modelContinental IO-240-BReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

While the 2 pilots were flying together the pilots and the aircraft obtained an unusual flight attitude and as per several witnessess, the aircraft spun into the ground. One witness said they did not hear an engine running until the aircraft headed straight down to the ground, and then it sputtered as it hit the ground. Several people said they heard a whoosing sound as the aircraft turned east, but with no engine running. They all said the aircraft was at a height of approximately 200-400 feet. The Merritt Island airport (kcoi) is approximately 1.7 miles south of the point of impact.

As the FAA filed it

WHILE THE 2 PILOTS WERE FLYING TOGETHER THE PILOTS AND THE AIRCRAFT OBTAINED AN UNUSUAL FLIGHT ATTITUDE AND AS PER SEVERAL WITNESSESS, THE AIRCRAFT SPUN INTO THE GROUND. ONE WITNESS SAID THEY DID NOT HEAR AN ENGINE RUNNING UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT HEADED STRAIGHT DOWN TO THE GROUND, AND THEN IT SPUTTERED AS IT HIT THE GROUND. SEVERAL PEOPLE SAID THEY HEARD A WHOOSING SOUND AS THE AIRCRAFT TURNED EAST, BUT WITH NO ENGINE RUNNING. THEY ALL SAID THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT A HEIGHT OF APPROXIMATELY 200-400 FEET. THE MERRITT ISLAND AIRPORT (KCOI) IS APPROXIMATELY 1.7 MILES SOUTH OF THE POINT OF IMPACT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ERA14FA282Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportMerritt Island, FLThe failure of the pilots to maintain airspeed while maneuvering, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the loss of engine power for a reason that could…Jun 10, 2014 · Destroyed