# Incident 20141003019779I: Liberty Aerospace Incorporated LIBERTY XL-2, Bethel, ME, October 3, 2014

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 3, 2014, 18:00 local time
- Place: Bethel, ME
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 44.4038° N, 70.7864° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Bethel, ME, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.4038&lon=-70.7864&mi=10
- Aircraft: N529XL, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N529XL) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Liberty Aerospace LIBERTY XL-2 (registry code 5200000, https://openairdocs.org/model/liberty-aerospace-liberty-xl-2) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IOF-240-B (registry code 17168, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-iof-240-b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: LIBERTY AEROSPACE INCORPORATED LIBERTY XL-2
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR IOF-240-B
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 58 total, 49 in this make and model, 23 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20141003019779I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

STUDENT PILOT CONDUCTING LONG SOLO XC FLIGHT RANGELEY, MAINE(8B0)-WHITEFIELD, NH (HIE)-LEBANON, NH (LEB)-BETHEL, ME (0B1) AND INTENDED TO RETURN TO RANGELEY (8B0).  DURING DESCENT TO 0B1, STUDENT PILOT REPORTED HE ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN HIGH AND FASTER THAN USUAL.  HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT TERRAIN NEAR THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 14 AND ELECTED TO TURN AN EARLY BASE LEG.  HE DID NOT MANAGE AIRCRAFT ENERGY APPROPRIATELY FOR THIS EARLY TURN, WHICH RESULTED IN A HIGHER THAN NORMAL APPROACH SPEED ON FINAL TO RUNWAY 14.  THE STUDENT PILOT REPORTED THAT HE TOUCHED DOWN ON THE RUNWAY HARD AND BOUNCED, THEN IMPACTED THE RUNWAY A SECOND TIME IN A FLAT ATTITUDE.  HE ELECTED TO GO AROUND AFTER THIS SECOND HARD LANDING AND EXECUTED THE GO AROUND WITHOUT INCIDENT.

THE STUDENT PILOT SUBSEQUENTLY ATTEMPTED A SECOND LANDING BUT ELECTED TO GO AROUND PRIOR TO TOUCHING DOWN ON THE RUNWAY SURFACE.  DURING THE THIRD LANDING ATTEMPT THE STUDENT PILOT EXTENDED HIS DOWNWIND LEG AND MADE A NORMAL APPROACH AND LANDING WITHOUT INCIDENT.

AFTER TAXIING TO THE RAMP AND SHUTTING DOWN TO REFUEL, THE STUDENT PILOT EXECUTED A POST-FLIGHT INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT.  HE DISCOVERED THE DAMAGED PROPELLER AND NOSE LANDING GEAR, THEN CONTACTED HIS FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR FOR ASSISTANCE.

ON THE MORNING OF 10/4/2014, THE AIRPORT MANAGER OF THE BETHEL AIRPORT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION FROM THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR THAT THE INCIDENT HAD OCCURRED.  THE AIRPORT MANAGER REPORTED THE INCIDENT TO THE ROC AND CONDUCTED A RUNWAY SURFACE CHECK TO REMOVE ITEMS THAT MIGHT CAUSE DAMAGE TO SUBSEQUENT AIRCRAFT.  DURING THIS CHECK PIECES OF THE COMPOSITE PROPELLER WERE DISCOVERED APPROXIMATELY 1645 FEET FROM THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 14.  THESE WERE PHOTOGRAPHED AND REMOVED, AND THE REMAINING RUNWAY INSPECTION WAS UNEVENTFUL.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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