Cascade Airways
Encyclopedia
Cascade Airways was an airline
which flew primarily regional air routes out of Seattle, Washington, USA
. It was founded in 1969, but later shut down in 1986.
, Salt Lake City
, Pullman
, Boise
and Yakima
.
Other points served by Cascade included Wenatchee, WA, Moses Lake, WA, Walla Walla, WA (the main maintenance base), Lewiston, ID, Idaho Falls, ID, Pocatello, ID, Kalispell, Missoula, Helena, and Butte in Montana, and Calgary, Alberta in Canada. Also served were Portland, Eugene, Medford, OR; Reno, NV; Twin Falls, ID; Salt Lake City, UT; Pasco, Olympia, Richland, WA.
When Horizon Air
began operating in 1981, Cascade was competing against a better financed airline that eventually acquired Air Oregon
and Transwestern Airlines
. The airline was forced to get help from Horizon but subsequently Horizon backed out of the deal and Cascade was forced to cease operations.
Flight 201 crashed into a wooded hillside three miles south of the Spokane Airport, the NTSB investigation resulted in a determination of pilot error due to the crew using an incorrect frequency for a navigational aid and subsequently descending below the Minimum Descent Height for that approach to the airport.
At the time of the crash Cascade operated 12 Beech 99's and 3 Embraer Bandeirantes to 18 cities in the Pacific Northwest. This was the first and only fatal accident in Cascades 15 year history.
Cascade had previously acquired Richland, Washington based Columbia Pacific Airlines in 1978 following a fatal crash of a Columbia Pacific Beech 99 which stalled on take off from the Richland Airport killing both pilots and all 15 passengers on February 10, 1978.
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
which flew primarily regional air routes out of Seattle, Washington, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was founded in 1969, but later shut down in 1986.
Operations
The headquarters for the company was in Spokane, WA. Cascade Airways served the American Northwest, primarily Seattle, SpokaneSpokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
, Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
, Pullman
Pullman, Washington
Pullman is the largest city in Whitman County, Washington, United States. The population was 24,675 at the 2000 census and 29,799 according to the 2010 census...
, Boise
Boise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
and Yakima
Yakima, Washington
Yakima is an American city southeast of Mount Rainier National Park and the county seat of Yakima County, Washington, United States, and the eighth largest city by population in the state itself. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 91,196 and a metropolitan population of...
.
Other points served by Cascade included Wenatchee, WA, Moses Lake, WA, Walla Walla, WA (the main maintenance base), Lewiston, ID, Idaho Falls, ID, Pocatello, ID, Kalispell, Missoula, Helena, and Butte in Montana, and Calgary, Alberta in Canada. Also served were Portland, Eugene, Medford, OR; Reno, NV; Twin Falls, ID; Salt Lake City, UT; Pasco, Olympia, Richland, WA.
When Horizon Air
Horizon Air
Horizon Air Industries, Inc. is a regional low-cost airline based in SeaTac, Washington, United States. It is the eighth largest regional airline in the USA, serving 52 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico....
began operating in 1981, Cascade was competing against a better financed airline that eventually acquired Air Oregon
Air Oregon
Air Oregon was founded in 1978 in Portland, Oregon. It was later acquired in 1981 by Horizon Air....
and Transwestern Airlines
Transwestern Airlines
Transwestern Airlines was a regional airline based out of Logan, Utah. It was later acquired by Horizon Air in 1983.Transwestern's hub was at the Logan-Cache Airport.-Destinations:*Colorado**Grand Junction*Idaho**Boise...
. The airline was forced to get help from Horizon but subsequently Horizon backed out of the deal and Cascade was forced to cease operations.
Fleet
Cascade operated the following aircraft types:- BAC One-ElevenBAC One-ElevenThe British Aircraft Corporation One-Eleven, also known as the BAC-111, BAC-1-11 or BAC 1-11, was a British short-range jet airliner of the 1960s and 1970s...
200 - BAC One-ElevenBAC One-ElevenThe British Aircraft Corporation One-Eleven, also known as the BAC-111, BAC-1-11 or BAC 1-11, was a British short-range jet airliner of the 1960s and 1970s...
400 - Beechcraft 1900Beechcraft 1900The Beechcraft 1900 is a 19-passenger, pressurized twin-engine turboprop airplane manufactured by the Beechcraft Division of the Raytheon Company . It was designed, and is primarily used, as a regional airliner...
- Beechcraft BE-99Beechcraft Model 99|-See also:-External links:*...
- Embraer EMB 110 BandeiranteEmbraer EMB 110 BandeiranteThe Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante is a general purpose 15-21 passenger twin-turboprop light transport aircraft suitable for military and civil duties...
- Fairchild Swearingen MetrolinerFairchild Swearingen MetrolinerThe Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner or the Fairchild Aerospace Metro is a 19-seat, pressurised, twin turboprop airliner first produced by Swearingen Aircraft and later by Fairchild at a plant in San Antonio, Texas, United States....
- Hawker Siddeley HS748Avro 748The Hawker Siddeley HS 748 is a medium-sized turboprop airliner originally designed by the British firm Avro in the late 1950s as a replacement for the now-aged DC-3s then in widespread service as feederliners. Avro concentrated on performance, notably for STOL operations, and found a dedicated...
Accidents and Incidents
On 20 January, 1981 Cascade Airways Flight 201, Beech 99 N390CA, operating Seattle-Yakima-Spokane, crashed in fog during its approach to Spokane International Airport. Seven people were killed including five passengers and the cockpit crew, Captain David Weinberger and First Officer Paul Davis. Two passengers survived, Steven Tarnoff and James Eagle.Flight 201 crashed into a wooded hillside three miles south of the Spokane Airport, the NTSB investigation resulted in a determination of pilot error due to the crew using an incorrect frequency for a navigational aid and subsequently descending below the Minimum Descent Height for that approach to the airport.
At the time of the crash Cascade operated 12 Beech 99's and 3 Embraer Bandeirantes to 18 cities in the Pacific Northwest. This was the first and only fatal accident in Cascades 15 year history.
Cascade had previously acquired Richland, Washington based Columbia Pacific Airlines in 1978 following a fatal crash of a Columbia Pacific Beech 99 which stalled on take off from the Richland Airport killing both pilots and all 15 passengers on February 10, 1978.