# NTSB ERA11CA169: Liberty Aerospace Liberty XL-2, N646XL, Burlington, NC, February 26, 2011 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: February 26, 2011, 10:05 local (15:05 UTC) - Place: Burlington, NC - Coordinates: 36.101112, -79.941108 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.1011&lon=-79.9411&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 20, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 78453 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA11CA169 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/78453/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11CA169 ## Probable cause The student pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: pitch control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Liberty Aerospace LIBERTY XL-2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022/cases.md?model=5200000), [All aircraft, 526 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022/cases.md) - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Liberty Aerospace LIBERTY XL-2, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=5200000), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) (defining event); cases with it: [Liberty Aerospace LIBERTY XL-2, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=5200000), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the student pilot, he was attempting a second touch-and-go landing and takeoff. As he turned the airplane on to final approach, another airplane was crossing the runway threshold for a full stop landing. The pilot continued the approach, but slowed the airplane due to excess airspeed during the first landing, and to give the other airplane time to clear the runway. After crossing the runway threshold, he reduced the power to idle and began to flare. The main landing gear touched down harder than he anticipated, and the pilot said the airplane must have bounced. When the nose landing gear touched down, it broke away from the airplane and the propeller struck the runway. According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the airplane incurred substantial damage to the engine firewall. The pilot did not report any preexisting mechanical anomalies with the airplane. ## Factual narrative According to the student pilot, he was attempting a second touch and go landing to runway 6 at a cross country airport. As he turned the airplane on to final approach, another airplane was crossing the runway threshold for a full stop landing. The student pilot continued the approach, but slowed the airplane due to "excess" airspeed during the first landing, and to give the other airplane time to clear the runway. After crossing the runway threshold, the student pilot reduced the power to idle and began a flare. The main landing gear touched down harder than he anticipated, and the airplane "must have bounced." When the nose landing gear touched down, it broke away from the airplane and the propeller struck the runway. According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the airplane incurred substantial damage to the engine firewall. The student pilot did not report any preexisting mechanical anomalies with the airplane, and winds recorded at the airport 9 minutes earlier were from 120 degrees true at 4 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N646XL](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N646XL-2014-10-31), registration cancelled 2014-10-31, S/N 0116, built 2008 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: LIBERTY AEROSPACE INCORPORATED LIBERTY XL-2 - Registry model: [Liberty Aerospace LIBERTY XL-2](https://openairdocs.org/model/liberty-aerospace-liberty-xl-2) (registry code 5200000) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-240-B](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-240-b) (registry code 17177, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 0116 - Airframe hours: 468 - Engines: CONT MOTOR IO-240-B 125 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: TAA Flight Training - Registered owner: Roj LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 11, 2011, 15 hours before - Departed: GSO, Greensboro, NC - Destination: BUY, Burlington, NC - Flight plan: Unknown - Airport: BUY, Burlington-Alamance, runway 06, 4,999 × 99 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 50; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 26 total, 26 in this make and model, 3 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 120° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 43 °F, dew point 25 °F - Altimeter: 30.22 inHg - Observed at: BUY ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20110226003109A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110226003109A), Feb 26, 2011: Liberty Aer LIBERTY XL-, Burlington, NC, Substantial damage. The aircraft departed gso and traveled 30 minutes to the east to buy and proceeded to make touch and goes. The aircraft make two landing with no issues. It was… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.