Eagle Aircraft Co. DW-1 accident near Rachael, Nevada, February 11, 1993
On February 11, 1993 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Eagle Aircraft Co. DW-1, registered N8805D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rachael, Nevada. 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 POOR PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND PREPARATION. THE ROAD SIGN WAS A FACTOR RELATING TO THIS ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 11, 1993 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Rachael, Nevada · 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
- N8805D · no longer on the register · serial 0034-81
- 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 AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT DEPARTED FROM A PRIVATELY OWNED ROAD. BEFORE DEPARTING ON THE FLIGHT AN UNIDENTIFIED PICKUP TRUCK STOPPED ON THE ROAD AND DID NOT MOVE. THE PILOT ELECTED TO TAKEOFF AWAY FROM THE TRUCK. THE AIRPLANE'S LEFT WING STRUCK A SIGN. THE AIRPLANE SETTLED TO THE GROUND CAUSING ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING AND MAIN LANDING GEAR.
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: 17,215 hours in all; 8,500 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 17,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,001 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 5, 1993; 408 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,400 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-M1B5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 75 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°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 N8805D 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.