Liberty Aerospace Incorporated LIBERTY XL accident near Orlando, Florida, February 21, 2016
On February 21, 2016, a 2007 Liberty Aerospace Incorporated LIBERTY XL, registered N568XL, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Orlando, Florida (Orlando International Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A failure of the right brake for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to continue the flight after experiencing a braking anomaly due to his perceived need for an expedited departure, his wish to avoid a flight delay, and his perceived lack of suitable maintenance facilities for timely troubleshooting of the brake system.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 21, 2016
- Place
- Orlando, Florida · Orlando International Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Liberty Aerospace Incorporated LIBERTY XL 2, built 2007
- Registration
- N568XL · no longer on the register · serial 0053
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot reported that, while taxiing for takeoff, he felt "softness" in the brakes; however, they operated satisfactorily when he applied them to test their operation. The flight was cleared for takeoff, and the pilot thought that he had to expedite the takeoff due to traffic on final approach. After entering the runway at an angle and with a crosswind from the right, the right brake failed, causing the airplane to veer to the left. With runway lights and signs ahead, the pilot stopped braking, added power, and cleared the signs, then reduced power and collided with a berm. The airplane was equipped with a castering nosewheel, and ground steering was accomplished using differential braking. A discrepancy was noted with the o-ring of the right brake caliper during postaccident operational testing, which could correlate to the pilot's observation of "softness" in the brakes; however, the effect of the anomaly on brake operation could not be determined because the right brake was not functionally tested before the system was opened to the atmosphere. The pilot reported that factors contributing to the accident included the pressure he felt to expedite the takeoff given the airport traffic, his desire to return home quickly, and a perceived lack of maintenance facilities to troubleshoot the brake issue given that it was a weekend evening.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Miscellaneous/other during takeoff defining event
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff
- Runway excursion during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
- Landing gear collapse
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Not specified
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Psychological › Personality/attitude › Motivation/respond to pressure › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,976 hours in all; 980 in this make and model; 66 in the last 90 days; 31 in the last 30 days; 1,912 as pilot in command; 360 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 30, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,141 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 23, 2016; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,658 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IOF-240-B (piston); 1,141 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MCO Orlando FL
- Destination: 7FL6 Daytona Beach FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18L, 12,005 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from KMCO, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
11 documents, released by the NTSB on June 14, 2018. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Excerpts from Airframe Logbook | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Weather Reports and Records | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Reports from Party to the Investigation - Parker Aerospace and FAA Concurring Statement | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 5 | FAA Inspector Statement | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Record of NTSB Conversations | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Statement from Recovery Crew | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Excerpts from Maintenance Manual | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 9 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 10 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 14 pages | View Download |
| 11 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 and NTSB Evidence Control Form | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.