Liberty Aerospace Inc. XL-2 accident near Melbourne, Florida, November 21, 2006
On November 21, 2006 at about 4:40 pm local time, a Liberty Aerospace Inc. XL-2, registered N508XL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Melbourne, Florida (Melbourne 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
The pilot's (Dual Student) failure to relinquish control of the airplane when instructed by the certified flight instructor resulting in airspeed not being maintained and an inadvertent stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 21, 2006 · about 4:40 pm local time
- Place
- Melbourne, Florida · Melbourne
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Liberty Aerospace Inc. XL-2
- Registration
- N508XL · no longer on the register · serial SN005
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certified flight instructor (CFI) stated the pilot was on a familiarization training flight, due to an anticipated purchase of the airplane. They reviewed stalls, flight configuration changes, and emergency procedures before practicing landings. The CFI demonstrated the first landing and elected to have the pilot perform the second landing. The CFI called for a go around due to the unstable approach and high flare. During the second attempt to land by the pilot, the flared was too high, about 10 feet above the ground. The pilot did not respond to the instructions for corrective action and go around. At that point, the CFI called for the controls and initiated full engine power for the go around as the airplane was being blown and pulled to the left side of the runway in a nose high, slow airspeed, and unstable condition; the crosswind was from the right pushing the airplane toward the left. The airplane was about 1/3 down the runway when it departed the runway. The CFI's attempts to gain control of the airplane were unsuccessful due to the pilot not relinquishing the flight controls. The airplane came to a stop after impacting a small tree and brushes in the area adjacent to the runway. The CFI stated there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems prior to the accident. Witnesses stated that they observed the accident airplane attempting an approach to the runway flying in an erratic matter. The airplane discontinued the approach and flew the pattern for another approach to the runway. The approach was again erratic. The airplane stalled and fell to the runway on its left wing. The airplane appeared pushed off the runway by the winds. The airplane came to rest in a grassy area off the left side of the runway.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,930 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 100 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental IOF-240-B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Liberty Aerospace, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: KMLB Melbourne FL
- Destination: KMLB Melbourne FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27R, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 15 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 am from MLB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.