Eagle DW-1 accident near Eagle Lake, Minnesota, July 29, 2013
On July 29, 2013 at about 1:10 pm local time, a Eagle DW-1, registered N8803Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Eagle Lake, Minnesota. 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 pilot's misjudgment of tree heights, which resulted in the collision with a tree.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 2013 · about 1:10 pm local time
- Place
- Eagle Lake, Minnesota · 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
- N8803Z · registry record · serial DW-1-0026-81
- 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 said that he had just finished an aerial application pass over a field. As he pulled up, he misjudged the height of nearby trees and struck the top of one of the trees. He was able to fly the airplane to a nearby airport, where he landed without further incident. Postaccident examination revealed forward and aft spar damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal airplane operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Low altitude operation/event during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 684 hours in all; 66 in this make and model; 66 in the last 90 days; 57 in the last 30 days; 619 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 28, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,845 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 3, 2012; 39 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,400 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-M1B5D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Asi Jet Ag, LLC
The flight
- Departed from: ACQ Waseca MN at 12:45 pm
- Destination: MKT Mankato MN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 12:30 pm from KACQ, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on December 5, 2013. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NTSB Form 6120.1-2, Pilot-operator Aircraft Accident Report | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Weather Reports and Records | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.