Eagle DW-1 accident near Clarksdale, Mississippi, February 24, 1982
On February 24, 1982 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Eagle DW-1, registered N8803H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Clarksdale, Mississippi. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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
- February 24, 1982 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Clarksdale, Mississippi · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eagle DW-1
- Registration
- N8803H · no longer on the register · serial 23
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED NO INDICATION OF ENGINE MALFUNCTION DURING TAKEOFF AND CLIMB-OUT. HOWEVER, AFTER TURNING IN A DOWNWIND DIRECTION, HE NOTED A LOSS OF AIRSPEED AND POWER. HE STATED THAT THE POWER LOSS WAS SO GRADUAL THAT HE NOTICED NOTHING UNUSUAL UNTIL THE PLANE BEGAN LOSING AIRSPEED. HE TURNED AWAY FROM A WOODED AREA AND SWAMP GROUND. ALSO, HE TRIED TO DUMP THE DRY FERTILIZER, BUT REPORTED THAT THE MATERIAL APPARENTLY CHOKED UP IN THE SPREADER THROAT AND WOULD NOT DUMP. THE PILOT WAS FORCED TO LAND WITH A TAILWIND IN A MUDDY, CULTIVATED FIELD TO AVOID TREES AND HIGHLINE WIRES. DURING LANDING, THE PLANE NOSED OVER. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE NUMBER 4 CYLINDER FUEL INJECTOR NOZZLE LINE HAD SEPARATED NEAR THE FERRULE AT THE NOZZLE END. THE LINE FAILED FROM FATIGUE.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 13,855 hours in all; 278 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 9,999 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 278 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Planters Dusting Service INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Clarksdale MS
- Destination: Clarksdale MS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 12 knots
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 131°F (55°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N8803H the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.