Cessna 150M accident near Wax, Kentucky, October 16, 2003
On October 16, 2003 at about 10:55 pm local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N3807V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wax, Kentucky. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain obstacle clearance. Low altitude flight is a contributing factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 16, 2003 · about 10:55 pm local time
- Place
- Wax, Kentucky · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N3807V · no longer on the register · serial 15076628
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and passenger departed on a local flight and when the airplane did not return to the departure airport, it was reported as missing. The airplane was located in a lake, submerged in 21 feet of water. A power line which extended about 870 feet, was approximately 80 to 85 feet above the lake in the vicinity of the accident site. A power interruption was reported on the power line about 1 hour after the airplane departed, and subsequent examination of the power line revealed it was damaged. A witness who lived near the accident site stated he observed an airplane about the time of the accident, "buzzing the lake and flying really low." Examination of the airplane did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions of the airframe or engine. Vertical cuts with diagonal marks consistent with a wire strike, were observed on the leading edges of the left and right wings. Weather reported at an airport about 30 miles south-southwest of the accident site, about the time of the accident, included a visibility of 10 miles and clear skies.
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: 180 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,346 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2003; 92 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 70KY Vine Grive KY at 9:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from BWG, 30 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.