# Incident 20150415005359I: Liberty Aerospace Incorporated LIBERTY XL-2, Van Nuys, CA, April 15, 2015

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 15, 2015, 10:51 local time
- Place: Van Nuys, CA
- Airport: Van Nuys Airport
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.2098° N, 118.4900° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at VAN NUYS (VNY), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.2098&lon=-118.4900&mi=10
- Aircraft: N605XL, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N605XL) (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: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 7,350 total, 30 in this make and model, 116 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150415005359I

## Narrative

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

THE PILOT UTILIZES TWO BUNGEE CORDS ATTACHED TO THE RUDDER PEDALS AND THE CONTROL STICK AS A NON-STANDARD ?GUST LOCK?. THE PILOT PERFORMED A PREFLIGHT INSPECTION AND REMOVED THE BUNGEE CORDS FROM THE FLIGHT CONTROLS THEN PREFORMED AN ENGINE START.

WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED TO START THE PILOT REINSTALLED THE ?GUST LOCKS? DUE TO WINDY CONDITIONS. THE PILOT EXITED THE AIRCRAFT TO DO A BATTERY CHECK. THE BATTERIES CHECKED GOOD AND THEN ANOTHER ENGINE START WAS ATTEMPTED.

THE ENGINE STARTED AND ALL SYSTEMS CHECK NORMAL. THE ENGINE WAS SHUT DOWN AND THE PILOT EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AGAIN TO CLOSE HIS HANGER AND TAKE ON A PASSENGER. THE ENGINE WAS STARTED A THIRD TIME AND THEN THE PILOT TAXIED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE RUN UP AREA FOR 34L.

TWO RUN UP CHECKS WERE SUCCESSFUL BEFORE TAKING POSITION ON RUNWAY 34L WITH 17 KNOT WINDS GUSTING TO 23 KNOTS. A DEPARTURE ROLL WAS INITIATED AND AT 40 KNOTS OF AIRSPEED THE PILOT NOTICED THAT THE ?GUST LOCKS? WERE STILL IN PLACE. THE PILOT REDUCED POWER AND ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE THE ?GUST LOCKS?.

THE AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE. THE PILOT DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH CONTROL AUTHORITY REARWARD WITH THE ?GUST LOCKS? IN PLACE. THE AIRCRAFT PORPOISED BEFORE THE NOSE GEAR CONTACTED THE RUNWAY. THE NOSE GEAR BROKE OFF CAUSING THE PROPELLER TO HIT THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A STOP ON RUNWAY 34L WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

## Other reports on N605XL (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20251004014269I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20251004014269I), Oct 4, 2025: Liberty Aerospace Incorporated LIBERTY XL-2 (N605XL), Bakersfield, CA, No damage. On October 4, 2025, during a part 91 flight into Bakersfield Municipal Airport (L45), the fadec (full authority digital engine control) warning light…
- [Incident 20160819013379I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160819013379I), Aug 19, 2016: Liberty Aerospace Incorporated LIBERTY XL-2 (N605XL), Camarillo, CA, Minor damage. Incident pilot missed first available taxiway exit after landing at the Camarillo Airport (cma), Camarillo, CA, runway 26, with close following traffic. Pilot…

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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