# NTSB ERA23LA198: S C Aerostar S A YAK-52, N669YK, Toughkenamon, PA, March 22, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: March 22, 2023, 13:15 local (17:15 UTC) - Place: Toughkenamon, PA - Coordinates: 39.836536, -75.761153 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.8365&lon=-75.7612&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 107072 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA23LA198 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/107072/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=107072 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA198 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to see and avoid powerlines while on approach to land. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: lack of action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [S C Aerostar S A YAK-52, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md?model=1140000), [All aircraft, 792 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: wire](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022032): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Awareness of condition (probable cause); cases with it: [S C Aerostar S A YAK-52, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022032/cases.md?model=1140000), [All aircraft, 588 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022032/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) (defining event); cases with it: [S C Aerostar S A YAK-52, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=1140000), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md) - [Landing: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [S C Aerostar S A YAK-52, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=1140000), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) ## Analysis 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. ## Factual narrative On March 22, 2023, at 1315 eastern daylight time, a SC Aerostar Yak-52, N669YK, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Toughkenamon, Pennsylvania. The private pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that he departed from his home airport bound for the New Garden Airport (N57), Toughkenamon, Pennsylvania. He reported “I did not want to upset my passenger with a significant descent rate in addition to the turbulence, so, with my passenger in mind, I flew my final approach at an altitude that supported a gentle rate of descent.” He also reported that he “had to extend my downwind for slower landing traffic, which forced a longer straight in approach.” While on the final leg of the traffic pattern the airplane unexpectantly began to descend. The pilot added power and pitched up to arrest the descent. After arresting the descent, the pilot continued the approach. Witness video from a dash camera of a vehicle nearby showed the airplane impacting a set of powerlines. After impacting the powerlines, the pilot landed in a field just short of the runway. The impact with the powerlines resulted in substantial damage to the right aileron. The pilot reported “it was physically not possible for me to see the powerlines from my seat in the aircraft at the altitude and attitude I was flying” and that he did not make any attempt to avoid the lines. In a video posted to an internet video publishing platform, the pilot recounted details of the accident, “After the airplane sank, I shoved up the power, raised the nose a bit, and stopped the sink. I could still see down the runway, so I continued the approach, didn’t see anything directly in front of me.” Furthermore, he said, “I thought I was further, closer, to the airport than I was, didn’t factor these into being a hazard potentially” when referencing the powerlines. The pilot reported that there were no known preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He also reported that the airplane performed as it normally did for the duration of the flight before the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N669YK](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N669YK), registered now, S/N 844206 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: S C AEROSTAR S A YAK-52 - Registry model: [S C Aerostar S A YAK-52](https://openairdocs.org/model/s-c-aerostar-s-a-yak-52) (registry code 1140000) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 844206 - Year built: 1984 - Airframe hours: 1464.7 - Engines: Vedenev M14P 360 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Acroholics LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, July 28, 2022, 21.1 hours before - Departed: ILG, New Castle, DE - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: N57, New Garden, runway 24, 3,693 × 60 ft, asphalt - Equipment: ADS-B, Electronic primary flight display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 34; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, waiver time limited special; last flight review July 19, 2022; seat: front; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 217 total, 110 in this make and model, 150 as pilot in command, 4 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 160° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 36 °F - Altimeter: 30.30 inHg - Turbulence: Unknown - Observed at: ILG, 12 nm away - METAR: KILG 221751Z 16008KT 10SM FEW100 17/02 A3030 RMK AO2 SLP260 T01670022 10167 20056 58024 ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20230322003159A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230322003159A), Mar 22, 2023: S C Aerostar S A YAK-52, Toughkenamon, PA, Substantial damage. While approaching to land on runway 24 the aircraft was approximately 30' AGL 1700' from the runway and struck powerlines along a road perpendicular to the… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 5, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=107072. 69.0 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16713959&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA23LA198%206120.1%20Signed_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot's statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 67 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16713389&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Thomas%20Smith%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� telephone interview, pilot (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 90 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16881127&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20Pilot%20interview-Rel.pdf - Witness video (item 4, MOV, 65.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16713874&FileExtension=mov&FileName=N57%20Yak%20Accident%20Mar2023-Rel.mov - Photographs (item 5, PDF, 4 pages, 951 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16881459&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array%20ERA23LA198-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� youtube video, pilot (item 6, PDF, 4 pages, 102 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16714189&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20Youtube%20Video-Rel.pdf From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.