Eagle Eagle DW-1 accident near Waterville, Washington, June 1, 2010
On June 1, 2010 at about 6:29 pm local time, a Eagle Eagle DW-1, registered N8815U, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Waterville, Washington. It was a positioning 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
A worn wire in the magneto system, which allowed intermittent grounding and a loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 1, 2010 · about 6:29 pm local time · cases in 2010
- Place
- Waterville, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eagle Eagle DW-1
- Registration
- N8815U · registry record · serial DW-1-0094-83
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was repositioning the airplane when the engine lost power. He made a forced landing in a soft field, and the airplane nosed over. An examination of the wreckage revealed a worn wire on one magneto. It is likely that the intermittent grounding of the magneto could have caused the engine to surge and lose power.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Ignition system › Ignition system wiring › Fatigue/wear/corrosion other cases naming the engine
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Failure other cases naming the engine
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › Soft › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,750 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 5, 2010
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-M1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Waterville WA at 6:15 pm
- Destination: Missoula MT
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from KEAT, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
1 document, released by the NTSB on February 13, 2012. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Record of Conversation - FAA | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N8815U on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-M1B 4,223 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Accidents and incidents in Washington 2,713 since 1982 · 362 in the last ten years
- Washington 10,662 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR10LA272.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.