Eagle DW-1 accident near Sprague, Washington, June 1, 1982
On June 1, 1982 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Eagle DW-1, registered N88012, was destroyed in an accident near Sprague, Washington. 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 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
- June 1, 1982 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Sprague, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eagle DW-1
- Registration
- N88012 · registry record · serial 0013-80
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD CHECKED OUT IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL OF AIRCRAFT ON THE PRECEEDING DAY. ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT, HE WAS SPRAYING FERTIZER IN A CROSSWIND CONDITION. HE STATED THAT HE WAS ON A DOWNHILL SWATH RUN IN GUSTY CONDITIONS WHEN HE DEPLOYED THE CONTROLS SUFFICIENTLY TO BRING THE SPOILERS INTO PLAY, THUS OVERCONTROLLING AND ALLOWING THE AIRCRAFT TO CONTACT THE GROUND.
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: 14,000 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 200 in the last 30 days; 13,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 346 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-M1B5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Sprague WA at 6:45 am
- Destination: Sprague WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 144°F (62°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.
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.