Socata TB 10 accident near New Milford, Connecticut, October 10, 2025
On October 10, 2025 at about 11:45 pm local time, a 1991 Socata TB 10, registered N28170, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near New Milford, Connecticut (Candlelight Farms 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s decision to depart from an unlit turf runway at night, which resulted in a loss of directional control, and subsequent runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 10, 2025 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- New Milford, Connecticut · Candlelight Farms · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Socata TB 10, built 1991 · all TB 10s on the register
- Registration
- N28170 · registry record · serial 1157
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was attempting to take off from an unlit turf runway about 1 hour after the end of civil twilight. The pilot stated that during the takeoff roll, he was unable to recognize the runway’s side boundaries and the airplane veered left and exited the runway. The airplane struck trees and fencing resulting in substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
- Runway excursion during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Decision related to condition
- Environmental issues › Operating environment › Airport facilities/design › Airport lighting › Decision related to condition
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,276 hours in all; 1,217 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: June 26, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,864 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 11, 2025; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,310 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 2,904 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 11N New Milford CT at 11:40 pm
- Destination: FRG Farmingdale NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,900 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 170° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.37 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from KDXR, 12 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KDXR 102253Z 17004KT 10SM CLR 12/05 A3037
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on December 11, 2025. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Weather Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Investigation Photograph | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA26LA015.