Cessna 150F accident near Waldron, Missouri, March 9, 1985
On March 9, 1985 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 150F, registered N8078F, was destroyed in an accident near Waldron, Missouri. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 9, 1985 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Waldron, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150F · all 150Fs on the register
- Registration
- N8078F · no longer on the register · serial 15064178
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE MANEUVERING NORTHBOUND ON THE MISSOURI RIVER LEVEE THE PASSENGER NOTICED THE PLT FLYING JUST ABOVE THE LEVEE ROAD.THE PASSENGER STATED THE PLT TOLD HIM THEY WERE FORTY FEET OFF THE GROUND BUT SOMETIMES LOWER. THE PASSENGER STATED HE SAW THE PICKUP TRUCK AND THE PLT MADE A LEFT BANK TO TURN LEFT, WHEN THE LEFT WING IMPACTED THE CAB OF THE TRUCK. NO MECHANICAL DISCREPANCY WAS FOUND WITH THE AIRCRAFT AIRFRAME OR ENGINE DURING THE FIELD AND FOLLOW-UP SITE INVESTIGATION. THE TWO TRUCK OCCUPANTS STATED THEY HEARD AND SAW THE ACFT APPROACHING THEM FROM THE REAR AND DUCKED WHEN THE ACFT'S WING STRUCK THEIR TRUCK.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,850 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,459 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 4, 1984; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Waldron MO at 9:25 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:56 pm from MCI, 10 miles away
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.