Eagle Aircraft CO. EAGLE DW-1 accident near Windom, Minnesota, June 28, 1991
On June 28, 1991, a Eagle Aircraft CO. EAGLE DW-1, registered N88142, was substantially damaged in an accident near Windom, Minnesota (Windom airport). 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 IMPROPER AIRCRAFT HANDLING. RELATED FACTORS ARE THE PILOT'S INATTENTION AND THE AIRPLANE'S DETERIORATED PERFORMANCE CAPABILITY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 28, 1991
- Place
- Windom, Minnesota · Windom · 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
- Registration
- N88142 · no longer on the register · serial DW-1-0090-82
- 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 AIRPLANE WAS TAKING OFF WITH A FULL LOAD OF CHEMICALS FOR AERIAL APPLICATION. THE PILOT STATED SHORTLY AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN IN A CORNFIELD LOCATED OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. WHEN INVESTIGATORS ARRIVED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE, THE MAGNETO SWITCH WAS IN THE 'LEFT' POSITION. THE TEMPERATURE WAS 85 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, WITH A DEW POINT OF 73 DEGREES.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all; 560 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 5,750 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,366 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 26, 1991; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,400 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-M1B5D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Boyana Airspray CORP
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 3,599 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:48 am from RFW, 31 miles away
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.
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.