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20180718011619A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Eagle EAGLE DW-1 · Ider, AL · July 18, 2018

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
July 18, 2018 · 13:20 local
Place
Ider, AL
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator
KPLR
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N8805X
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA18LA195
Reported as
Eagle Eagle DW-1
Reported engine
Lycoming IOM540
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Commercial pilot
N8805XRegistration cancelled Feb 5, 2022 · Eagle EAGLE DW-1S/N DW-1-0036-81Airframe modelEagle EAGLE DW-1

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

N8805X is an Eagle DW1 aircraft.

On 07/18/2018 at 1400 local time, N8805X was conducting aerial spraying activities near Ider, AL.

N8805X just finished spraying a field and the pilot climbed to 1500 feet.

The pilot stated that he heard a knocking sound deep inside the engine, followed by a stream of oil that covered the aircraft and the windscreen. The pilot then attempted to land N8805X on an elevated gravel driveway. At the time of landing the aircraft struck the side of the elevated driveway, causing the aircraft to veer off the driveway and towards a soybean field. The right wing caught a barbed wire fence and N8805X was turned 180 degrees and came to rest 300 feet from the initial touchdown spot.

An inspection of N8805X identified that the number 2 cylinder jug had departed the left side of the aircraft, blowing a large hole on the left side of the engine cowling.

Closer inspection found sever internal engine damage and the number 2 piston also exited the aircraft through the hole in the engine cowling.

As the FAA filed it

N8805X IS AN EAGLE DW1 AIRCRAFT.

ON 07/18/2018 AT 1400 LOCAL TIME, N8805X WAS CONDUCTING AERIAL SPRAYING ACTIVITIES NEAR IDER, AL.

N8805X JUST FINISHED SPRAYING A FIELD AND THE PILOT CLIMBED TO 1500 FEET.

THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HEARD A KNOCKING SOUND DEEP INSIDE THE ENGINE, FOLLOWED BY A STREAM OF OIL THAT COVERED THE AIRCRAFT AND THE WINDSCREEN. THE PILOT THEN ATTEMPTED TO LAND N8805X ON AN ELEVATED GRAVEL DRIVEWAY. AT THE TIME OF LANDING THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE SIDE OF THE ELEVATED DRIVEWAY, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO VEER OFF THE DRIVEWAY AND TOWARDS A SOYBEAN FIELD. THE RIGHT WING CAUGHT A BARBED WIRE FENCE AND N8805X WAS TURNED 180 DEGREES AND CAME TO REST 300 FEET FROM THE INITIAL TOUCHDOWN SPOT.

AN INSPECTION OF N8805X IDENTIFIED THAT THE NUMBER 2 CYLINDER JUG HAD DEPARTED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT, BLOWING A LARGE HOLE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE COWLING.

CLOSER INSPECTION FOUND SEVER INTERNAL ENGINE DAMAGE AND THE NUMBER 2 PISTON ALSO EXITED THE AIRCRAFT THROUGH THE HOLE IN THE ENGINE COWLING.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ERA18LA195Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportIder, ALFatigue failure of the No. 2 cylinder studs/through bolts and the fracture of the crankcase, which resulted in a total loss of engine power.Jul 18, 2018 · Substantial damage