Eagle Aircraft CO EAGLE DW 1 accident near Hector, Minnesota, July 29, 2015
On July 29, 2015 at about 1:25 am local time, a 1981 Eagle Aircraft CO EAGLE DW 1, registered N8806B, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Hector, 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 intermittent partial loss of engine power, which resulted in a lower-than-expected approach glidepath and impact with terrain short of the runway. The reason for the intermittent partial loss of engine power could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 2015 · about 1:25 am local time
- Place
- Hector, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eagle Aircraft CO EAGLE DW 1, built 1981 · all EAGLE DW 1s on the register
- Registration
- N8806B · no longer on the register · serial DW-1-0039-81
- 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 reported that new spray booms had been installed on the airplane and that he was returning to the airport after performing an aerial application test flight. During final approach for landing, the pilot noticed that the airplane was going to be short of the intended landing point, so he advanced the engine throttle to reestablish a proper glidepath. The engine did not respond as expected, so the pilot continued to advance the throttle; however, the engine still did not respond as expected. The pilot realized that the airplane was not going to reach the runway, so he applied maximum throttle, which resulted in the engine surging. He then increased the angle-of-attack in an attempt to gain maximum lift. However, the airplane's descent rate increased, and the spray booms subsequently contacted the bean field. The airplane then impacted the bean field, bounced, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. Postaccident examination of the engine did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have caused the intermittent partial power loss.
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
- Loss of engine power (partial) during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach (VFR pattern final)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,170 hours in all; 125 in this make and model; 175 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 2,570 as pilot in command; 620 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 17, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,262 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 7, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 5,400 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-M1B5D (piston); 2,214 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1D6 Hector MN
- Destination: 1D6 Hector MN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 260° at 8 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 N8806B 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.