RedactedNarrative: On April 11, 2021 at or about 09:00, Operator was operating his 19 foot Javelin bass boat near the Danville boat ramp on Kentucky Lake near TN River mile 78 in Houston County, TN. Subject1 was a passenger in the vessel. After leaving the dock, the occupants attempted to get the vessel on plane, and they noticed the boat was taking on water. As OPERATOR and SUBJECT1 exited the Javelin onto another boat which had come to their aid, the Javelin capsized. The vessel sank except for approximately 4 feet of the bow which was sticking out of the water. The Javelin was recovered the following day. At this time, contributing factors are undetermined.  
  
  *** On April 11, 2021 at or about 09:34, I (Wildlife Officer) was notified via my state issued cell phone by TWRA Region 1 Dispatch of a boat that had sunk on Kentucky Lake near Danville boat ramp in Houston County. Dispatch stated the occupants were safe and had made it ashore. I was off duty at my home at the time, but I immediately started preparing to head that way. While I was en route, Wildlife Officer called me and offered his assistance and said he was en route also. I arrived on scene at Danville boat ramp at or about 10:48. When I arrived, Officer (who had arrived 5-10 minutes prior to me) pointed out the occupants of the vessel. 
  
  I immediately interviewed and got a written statement from the owner and Operator. OPERATOR stated in summary:
  -He had just purchased the boat and this was his first time taking it out. I asked if he had test run it prior to buying it. He stated no that the seller had sent him a video of the motor running. I asked if in the video the motor was running in water or on "muffs." He stated it was running in water.
  -After launching the boat, they docked it where he and his occupant worked on the trolling motor which was not working.
  -After leaving the dock he realized water was inside the boat.
  -He attempted to get the boat on plane, but it would not plane out.
  -Water kept rushing in and the boat sank.
  -He installed the drain plug in the boat prior to launching and both he and the passenger were wearing their life jackets.
  -About 20-25 minutes had passed from the time the boat was launched and when he realized water was coming into the vessel.
  -The incident occurred around 9:00am.
  -He turned the bilge pump on.  
  
  Then, I interviewed and got a written statement from the passenger Subject1. SUBJECT1 stated in summary:
  -They had arrived around 8-8:30am and prepared the boat for launching. He saw OPERATOR install the drain plug.
  -They drove the boat to the dock and worked on the trolling motor for 10-15 minutes.
  -After leaving the dock, the boat would not plane out.
  -They were 100-150 yards away from the dock when they noticed they were taking on water.
  -They called over to a nearby vessel who came to their aid, and when they jumped aboard the aiding vessel their boat flipped.
  
  At this time, the vessel was approximately 30 yards from the shoreline and only approximately 4 feet of the bow was visible above the water. It appeared to be hung on something and was not moving downstream or down wind, but was rotating in place with the wave action.
  
  OPERATOR contacted a company to recover the vessel from the lake. Due to the windy conditions at the time, they decided to wait until the following day to attempt recovery. I contacted Houston County dispatch to let them know the vessel was going to be left overnight. TWRA dispatch notified the dispatch centers of Stewart, Benton, and Henry Counties of the same.
  
  The following day on April 12, 2021, I arrived back at Danville boat ramp at approximately 08:30. The vessel was in the same spot as the day before, but had rotated. Waterworkz Marine Services arrived to recover the vessel at approximately 09:00. The Javelin was removed from the lake at approximately 15:27. I immediately began to photograph the Javelin. Noteworthy observations are a 
   -The drain plug was installed.
  -The main power switch on the dash and the bilge pump switch were in the "on" position.
  -Prior to removing the drain plug, water was leaving the boat from the livewell drains and a small amount from the rubrail area at the stern. I observed no water leaving the vessel from any other location. 
  
   
  On April 14, 2021 at or about 14:11, I spoke with a person by phone. Summary of our conversation as follows:
  -I asked him how he knew water was coming into the boat after trying to get the boat on plane. He stated he looked behind him and water was coming over the transom and onto the back deck.
  -He noticed the boat sitting low in the back soon after launching.
  -I asked if water could have been coming over the transom while the boat was docked. He said that occupant had opened the battery compartment and wiggled some wires while they were working on the trolling motor and no water was coming over the transom at that point. 
   
  
  On April 16, 2021, I performed a search of the U.S. Coast Guard's online vessel recall database. I found recall number 961493S which included 1996 model Javelin boats. The recall stated the problem was "level flotation." I was not able to determine more information about the recall, and it is inconclusive whether this was a contributing factor in this incident. 
  
  On April 20, 2021 at or about 10:41, I spoke with operator by phone. He had not received a damage estimate yet. I asked him if he saw water coming from the bilge pump discharge after turning on the bilge pump. He said he did just for a second then it stopped. At or about 18:14, I received a text message from him saying the total estimate from Waterworkz Marine Services was $15,611.00.
  
  At this time, contributing factors to this incident are undetermined.