# NTSB WPR10LA272: Eagle Eagle DW-1, N8815U, Waterville, WA, June 1, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 1, 2010, 11:29 local (18:29 UTC) - Place: Waterville, WA - Coordinates: 47.650001, -120.050003 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.6500&lon=-120.0500&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 28, 2012 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 76183 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR10LA272 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/76183/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76183 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10LA272 ## Probable cause A worn wire in the magneto system, which allowed intermittent grounding and a loss of engine power. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Ignition system: ignition system wiring](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057497): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Fatigue/wear/corrosion (probable cause); cases with it: [Eagle EAGLE DW-1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057497/cases.md?model=3230203), [All aircraft, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057497/cases.md) - [Engine (reciprocating)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Eagle EAGLE DW-1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md?model=3230203), [All aircraft, 497 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md) - [Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface: soft surface](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Eagle EAGLE DW-1, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023020/cases.md?model=3230203), [All aircraft, 264 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Eagle EAGLE DW-1, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=3230203), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Landing: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Eagle EAGLE DW-1, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=3230203), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Eagle EAGLE DW-1, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=3230203), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis 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. ## Factual narrative On June 1, 2010, about 1129 Pacific daylight time, an Eagle DW-1, N8815U, made an off airport forced landing near Waterville, Washington. The owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the empennage. The cross-country positioning flight departed Waterville about 1115, with a planned destination of Missoula, Montana. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The pilot was positioning the airplane for export, when he encountered a loss of engine power. He made a forced landing in a soft field, and the airplane nosed over. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the wreckage. He discovered an anomaly with wiring on one magneto. The 'P' lead is a shielded wire with the primary grounding wire inside of the insulator which, in turn, is surrounded with a braided shielding wire. The shielding wire is always grounded. The inner 'P' wire is grounded at the ignition switch when the key is off. In this case the inner 'P' lead and the insulation were broken through. The wire was held together by about 1/3 of the shielding wire. As the air and vibration moved the wire around, it caused the inner 'P' lead to intermittently come in contact with the always grounded shielding wire. In turn, that allowed the magneto to intermittently turn on and off, causing the engine to surge and lose power. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8815U](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8815U), registered now, S/N DW-1-0094-83, built 1983 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: EAGLE Eagle DW-1 - Registry model: [Eagle EAGLE DW-1](https://openairdocs.org/model/eagle-eagle-dw-1) (registry code 3230203) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (registry code 41530, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: DW-1-0094-83 - Airframe hours: 5750 - Engines: Lycoming IO-540-M1B 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Positioning, Part 91 - Operator: Philbert Johnson - Registered owner: Philbert Johnson - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, May 5, 2010 - Departed: Waterville, WA - Destination: Missoula, MT ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 27; injuries: none; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: single; flight hours: 2,500 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 320° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 34 °F - Altimeter: 29.87 inHg - Observed at: KEAT, 16 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20100601005369A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100601005369A), Jun 1, 2010: Eagle Aircr EAGLE DW-1, Waterville, WA, Substantial damage. Pilot was making a delivery flight from Waterville, WA to chester, Montana. Approximately 10 minutes into flight the engine started to run rough, surge, and… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 13, 2012, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76183. 61 KB in all. - Record of Conversation - FAA (item 1, .PDF, 61 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40362670&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20FAA-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.