Probable cause
The student pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing.
NTSB 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.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA11CA169 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Feb 26, 2011
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Burlington, North Carolina
- Nearest airport
- Burlington-Alamance (BUY)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Liberty Aerospace Incorporated LIBERTY XL-2
- N-number
- N646XL
- Category
- Airplane
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Instructional
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.