S C Aerostar S A YAK-52 accident near Toughkenamon, Pennsylvania, March 22, 2023
On March 22, 2023 at about 5:15 pm local time, a 1984 S C Aerostar S A YAK-52, registered N669YK, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Toughkenamon, Pennsylvania (New Garden 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 failure to see and avoid powerlines while on approach to land.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 22, 2023 · about 5:15 pm local time · cases in 2023
- Place
- Toughkenamon, Pennsylvania · New Garden · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- S C Aerostar S A YAK-52, built 1984 · all YAK-52s on the register
- Registration
- N669YK · registry record · serial 844206
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while on final approach to the destination airport the airplane unexpectedly began to descend. The pilot added power, pitched up, and arrested the descent. Seeing no obstacles in front of the airplane, the pilot elected to continue the approach and subsequently impacted power lines; the impact resulted in substantial damage to the right aileron. The pilot reported that he never saw the powerlines and therefore did not make any attempt to avoid them. The pilot reported that there were no known preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation during the flight.
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
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Collision during takeoff/land during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Awareness of condition
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 217 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 150 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 19, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (waiver time limited special)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,464.7 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, July 28, 2022; 21.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Vedenev M14P (piston); 329 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ILG New Castle DE at 5:09 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,693 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.30 inHg
- Observation at 1:51 pm from ILG, 12 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KILG 221751Z 16008KT 10SM FEW100 17/02 A3030 RMK AO2 SLP260 T01670022 10167 20056 58024
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – View of damage to the right wingtip
Photograph 2 – View of aileron trailing edge damage.
Photograph 3 – View of right wing rib and aileron damage.The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on June 5, 2024. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Witness Video | MOV file | Download |
| 5 | Photographs | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 6 | Memorandum for Record A�� Youtube Video, Pilot | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N669YK on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- S C Aerostar S A YAK-52 50 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- S C Aerostar S A 52 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Vedenev M14P · as the NTSB recorded it
- New Garden Airport · nearest airport
- New Castle Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Pennsylvania 1,836 since 1982 · 235 in the last ten years
- Pennsylvania 6,188 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA23LA198.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.