Eagle Aircraft Co. DW-1 accident near Bangor, Michigan, October 30, 1985
On October 30, 1985 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Eagle Aircraft Co. DW-1, registered N8807Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bangor, Michigan (Bangor Private airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
- October 30, 1985 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bangor, Michigan · Bangor Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eagle Aircraft Co. DW-1
- Registration
- N8807Z · registry record · serial DW-0049-81
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT NOSED OVER AFTER LANDING ON A GRASS LANDING STRIP. THE PILOT STATED THE TAIL CAME UP AND THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED OVER ON ITS BACK AFTER LEFT BRAKE WAS APPLIED. AN EXAMINATION OF THE LANDING GEAR AND BRAKES REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT BRAKE WAS RELEASED BUT THE LEFT BRAKE WAS STILL APPLIED AND THE LEFT WHEEL LOCKED. THE LEFT BRAKE LINE WAS BLED REDUCING PRESSURE AND RELEASING THE LEFT BRAKE. EXAMINATION OF OF THE MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER REVEALED THAT THE CHECK VALUE SPRING DID NOT RELEASE ON THE LEFT SIDE WHEN BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE WAS REMOVED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,842 hours in all; 39 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 3,686 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 477 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 13, 1985; 85 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 M185D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 7 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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 N8807Z 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.