N1703Q

On March 8, 2024, at 2310 central standard time, a Cessna 150L, N1703Q, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Clay, Kentucky. The commercial pilot/flight instructor was seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot owned the airplane and based it at Owensboro Regional Airport (OWB), Owensboro, Kentucky. Due to his injuries, the pilot was unable to initially provide a full statement. According to preliminary information, the airplane departed OWB at 2235 for an unknown destination.

According to a Union County Sheriff report, their dispatch received a notification about 2315 from a mobile telephone, stating that it had been involved in an accident and provided an address. Law enforcement, fire, rescue, and emergency management responded to the address and the resident there reported that she thought she heard what sounded like an airplane accident. They searched the area for about 2 hours at night in heavy rain and did not see any sign of a motor vehicle or airplane accident. An officer responded to the address again during daylight hours and located the wreckage in a wooded area, about 300 yards from the provided address. The officer found the pilot and asked him what had happened. The pilot replied that “…he didn’t think he was that low.” He was subsequently transported by medical helicopter to a hospital.

A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the accident site and observed the wreckage inverted and oriented west. The wing fuel tanks were breached during impact. One propeller blade remained undamaged, and the other was bent at the tip. The transponder was found in the off position. The inspector recovered six unopened, and one open alcoholic beverage cans from the wreckage. The inspector added that the seats were not equipped with shoulder harnesses.

A Sentry ADS-B/GPS unit was recovered from the wreckage and forwarded to the National Transportation Safety Board Vehicle Recorders Laboratory, Washington, DC. Data were successfully downloaded and plotted. Review of the plots revealed that the flight proceeded toward TWT on a non-linear course, varying between altitudes of 300 ft to 1,400 ft above ground level (agl). During the last 1 minute of flight, the airplane descended to and maintained about 300 ft agl, before colliding with trees

The wreckage was located about 5 miles east of Sturgis Municipal Airport (TWT), Sturgis, Kentucky. The reported weather at TWT, at 2315, included calm wind, visibility 5 miles in rain, a broken ceiling at 700 ft, and an overcast ceiling at 1,300 ft.