Probable cause
The student pilot’s improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
NTSB analysis
The student pilot was returning from a solo cross-country flight, and, just before touchdown, she flared the airplane too high above the runway, and the airplane touched down hard. The student pilot applied full power to attempt a go-around; however, the airplane bounced, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane skidded down the runway eventually coming to rest. Postaccident examination revealed a large hole in the cockpit floor, located just aft of the left seat rudder pedals. The student pilot reported no preexisting mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operations.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA13CA092 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Dec 11, 2012
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Lynchburg, Virginia
- Nearest airport
- Lynchburg Regional Airport (LYH)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Liberty Aerospace Incorporated XL-2
- N-number
- N208AU
- 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.