Cascade Airways aircraft accident in 1969

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Cascade Airways aircraft accident in 1969
Beech 99 N954SM Cascade LAX 10/13/73 edited-2.jpg

A Beech 99 from Cascade Airways
Accident summary
Accident type Loss of control in the initial climb
place at Pasco-Tri Cities Airport , Washington , United StatesUnited StatesUnited States 
date 20th June 1969
Fatalities 2
Survivors 0
Aircraft
Aircraft type United StatesUnited States Beechcraft Model 99
operator United StatesUnited States Cascade Airways
Mark United StatesUnited States N2550A
Departure airport Pasco-Tri Cities Airport , Washington , United StatesUnited StatesUnited States 
Destination airport Spokane International Airport , Washington , United StatesUnited StatesUnited States 
Passengers 0
crew 2
Lists of aviation accidents

The accident involving Cascade Airways in 1969 occurred on June 20, 1969. On that day, a Beechcraft Model 99 was to be used for a flight from Pasco to Spokane within the US state of Washington when the machine fell to the ground immediately after take-off the only two inmates died.

machine

The affected machine was a Beechcraft Model 99A. The machine was finally assembled in 1969 and had the factory number U-106. The machine was delivered to the leasing company PSL Lease, which passed it on to its lessee Cascade Airways in May 1969. The machine was certified with the aircraft registration N2550A . The twin-engine regional transport aircraft was equipped with two turboprop engines of the type Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-20 equipped 15 passenger seats. The machine was one of two identical machines of this type that were purchased by the airline. Scheduled flights with these machines between Boeing Field and Spokane as the first flight connection had started on June 9, 1969.

Inmates

There was only a two-person crew on board the machine, consisting of a flight captain and a first officer. The start was carried out by the 35-year-old flight captain Vaughn R. Gundlach (born July 31, 1933), who was also the vice president of the airline. Gundlach had 4280 hours of flight experience, of which he had only completed 51 hours with the Beechcraft 99.

the accident

The machine, which had arrived in Spokane that day as part of a scheduled cargo flight, was to be used for a training flight from Pasco to Spokane that day. Immediately after take-off, the machine rose into the air with a steep pitch angle . At the same time, the angle of attack increased until the aircraft stalled and crashed near the airport. When the impact occurred at 3:05 p.m. local time, there was a huge explosion and both pilots died.

root cause

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) took over the investigation after the crash. The investigators charged the master with improperly carrying out the flight preparation and incorrectly operating the flight controls. It was found that the Flettner rudder was trimmed in the end position so that the aircraft nose was directed upwards as far as possible. In addition, the seat adjustment of the captain's pilot seat was found in the end position. This indicated that the seat had not been locked, had shifted during take-off and that the master was consequently no longer able to reach the controls in the cockpit as intended.

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