Eagle Aircraft Co. DW-1 accident near Boulder, Utah, May 18, 2000
On May 18, 2000 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Eagle Aircraft Co. DW-1, registered N8803H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Boulder, Utah (Boulder 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 failure to take timely remedial action when he realized a low fuel state. Factors were fuel exhaustion and low airspeed.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 18, 2000 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Boulder, Utah · Boulder · 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
- N8803H · no longer on the register · serial DW-1-0023-81
- 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 departed Parowan, Utah, with a full load of chemical (165 gallons of Malathion ULV) and full fuel (60 gallons) en route to Boulder, Utah, (total payload approximately 1700 pounds). Towards the end of the aerial application (1,100+ acres), wind velocity began increasing and, noticing that the fuel gauge registered 1/8 to 1/4 fuel remaining, the pilot turned towards Escalante, where he planned to land and refuel. Over Boulder, the fuel gauge indicated empty. The pilot briefly considered landing at Boulder, but decided the unimproved airstrip was inadequate. Five miles from Escalante and 2 miles past Boulder, the pilot realized the terrain ahead was not conducive to a forced landing. He turned back towards the Boulder airstrip. The engine lost power 1/2-mile from the airstrip. Activating the boost pump resulted in 2 seconds of engine power, enough for the airplane to cross the runway threshold. Airspeed had deteriorated to 60 mph and the airplane landed hard. The nose started to 'dip' and the pilot applied full nose up elevator. The airplane continued to nose over, crushing the vertical stabilizer.
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
- Flight time: 1,200 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,140 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,059 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 15, 2000; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,400 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-M1B5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1L9 Parowan UT at 11:10 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°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.