Pilot Debrief

EAGLE DW-1 near Eagle Lake, MN — 2013-07-29

Final reportCEN13LA444
Sign in to save
Date
2013-07-29
Location
Eagle Lake, MN, USA
Aircraft
EAGLE DW-1
Registration
N8803Z
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Maneuvering

Probable cause

The pilot's misjudgment of tree heights, which resulted in the collision with a tree.

NTSB narrative

The pilot said that he had just finished an aerial application pass over a field. As he pulled up, he misjudged the height of nearby trees and struck the top of one of the trees. He was able to fly the airplane to a nearby airport, where he landed without further incident. Postaccident examination revealed forward and aft spar damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal airplane operation.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Pilot misjudged tree height during aerial application maneuver.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 2 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents2

Related mishaps