# NTSB WPR22LA116: Liberty Aerospace Liberty XL-2, N552XL, Las Cruces, NM, March 2, 2022

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: March 2, 2022, 14:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place: Las Cruces, NM · Near airport perimeter fence.
- Coordinates: 32.297882, -106.91053 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.2979&lon=-106.9105&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: FAA FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 104728
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR22LA116
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/104728/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104728
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22LA116

## Probable cause

The airplane’s inability to climb during takeoff due to a degradation of engine performance due to high density altitude. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to continue the takeoff.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: climb rate](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062035): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Attain/maintain not possible (probable cause); cases with it: [Liberty Aerospace LIBERTY XL-2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062035/cases.md?model=5200000), [All aircraft, 265 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062035/cases.md)
- [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Liberty Aerospace LIBERTY XL-2, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=5200000), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md)
- [Temp/humidity/pressure: high density altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031020): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on equipment (probable cause); cases with it: [Liberty Aerospace LIBERTY XL-2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031020/cases.md?model=5200000), [All aircraft, 278 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031020/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Takeoff: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900); cases with it: [Liberty Aerospace LIBERTY XL-2, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=5200000), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md)
- [Takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) (defining event); cases with it: [Liberty Aerospace LIBERTY XL-2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=5200000), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that, during takeoff with a density altitude of 6,750 ft and the airplane’s weight near gross weight, the airplane’s acceleration seemed sluggish. The airplane lifted off about 1/3 of the way down the runway after achieving 55 knot rotation speed, but the climb was also “sluggish”. The airplane cleared the airport perimeter fence and began to settle. The airplane subsequently touched down on soft dirt and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation and he believed that the cause of the accident was a combination of high-density altitude and the airplane’s weight close to the maximum allowable gross weight.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N552XL](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N552XL-2023-09-25), registration cancelled 2023-09-25, S/N 0042, built 2006 (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 IOF-240-B](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-iof-240-b) (registry code 17168, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 0042
- Year built: 2006
- Airframe hours: 384.9
- Engines: CONTINENTAL MOTOR IOF-240-B 125 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Gaumer John R Jr
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Annual, February 28, 2022
- Destination: AVQ, Marana, AZ
- Airport: LRU, Las Cruces Intl, runway 04, 7,501 × 105 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Electronic flight bag or handheld device, ADS-B, Stall warning system

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 71; injuries: minor; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 29, 2021; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 2,278.5 total, 373.8 in this make and model, 2,087.3 as pilot in command, 11.4 in the last 90 days, 11.4 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Icing: Unknown
- Turbulence: Unknown
- Observed at: KLRU, 1 nm away
- METAR: KLRU 022135Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 26/M07 A3014 RMK AO2 T02591066

## 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 20220302003079A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220302003079A), Mar 2, 2022: Liberty Aerospace Incorporated LIBERTY XL-2, Las Cruces, NM, Substantial damage. On March 02, 2022, about 1715 MST, a Liberty XL2, N552XL, [privacy data omitted]was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident at the Las…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 8, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104728. 11.8 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 10.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13812233&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redactedflat-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 2, PDF, 6 pages, 6 photos, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13812264&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%201-Rel.pdf

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.

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