Cessna 150E accident near Princeton, Missouri, January 11, 2004
On January 11, 2004, a Cessna 150E, registered N3088J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Princeton, Missouri (Princeton-Kauffman Memorial 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 encounter with the unknown snow drifts during landing. The factors were the snow drifts, night, and the airport's failure to issue a NOTAM on the runway conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 11, 2004
- Place
- Princeton, Missouri · Princeton-Kauffman Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150E · all 150Es on the register
- Registration
- N3088J · registry record · serial 150-6118
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane sustained substantial damage when it nosed over on contact with a snow drift during a night landing. The pilot stated, "On approach slowed to 60 [knots] airspeed and three notches flaps on touchdown the wheels seemed to slow that pulled nose wheel down and it seemed to slow also, when the nose wheel slowed I lost control, veered to the left somewhat. At about 150 feet the plane flipped tail over nose at edge of runway. Upon exiting plane, determined there was 6" to 8" of snow [at] 1830 PM." The pilot did not list any mechanical malfunctions in reference to the flight. The airport did not issue any notice to airmen (NOTAM) to the Flight Service Station concerning the runway conditions present at the time of the accident.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 117 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 110 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 4, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,027.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 3, 2003; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: K89 Macon MO at 11:30 pm
- Destination: 7MO Princeton MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,475 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.