Zone
Washington

Crash of a Travel Air S6000B in Ellensburg: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 4, 1966 at 1510 LT
Type of aircraft:
Travel Air 6000
Operator:
Philip L. Taylor
Registration:
N9842
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
1036
YOM:
1929
Location:
Ellensburg
Washington
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
254
Captain / Total hours on type:
5.00
Circumstances:
While cruising in poor weather conditions, control was lost and the airplane went into an uncontrolled descent before crashing in a field. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the pilot was flying under VFR mode in adverse weather conditions. Control was lost after an overload failure, causing skin and attachments failure in flight.
Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland L-20A Beaver near Stehekin: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 12, 1959
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver
Operator:
Registration:
53-2806
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Ellensburg - McChord
MSN:
600
YOM:
1954
Location:
Stehekin
Washington
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
En route from Ellensburg to the McChord AFB, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in a mountainous area covered by snow. As the aircraft failed to arrive at destination, SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. The following summer, walkers found the wreckage in an isolated area.
Crew:
Cpt Wade L. Shankle Jr.
Passenger:
John A. Ardussi.
Source & photos:
http://washingtonwreckchasing.blogspot.ch/2009_06_01_archive.html

Crash of a Boeing B-17F-55-BO Flying Fortress near Ellensburg: 9 killed

Date & Time: Mar 29, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
42-29500
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Ephrata - Ephrata
MSN:
4614
YOM:
1942
Location:
Ellensburg
Washington
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The bomber took off from Ephrata AFB just after midnight for a mission to complete Second Air Force Model Mission #8, which included one hour of landings, one hour of night dry bombing runs on PDI and an hour of instrument practice. The crew was instructed to check in every 30 minutes; they did three times. Later, it began to give a position report when the signal cut-off. Despite ground station attempts, the crew could not be raised again. The wreckage was found on 2 April 1943 in hilly terrain some 26 km east of Ellensburg. The airplane impacted a ridge some 15 metres below the summit. All nine crew members were killed.
Crew:
2nd Lt Eryle W. Boettcher,
2nd Lt Derek Bovingdon,
2nd Lt Andrew L. Bowman,
2nd Lt Ennis Dole Hake,
S/Sgt Edward R. Miller,
S/Sgt Max E. Miller,
S/Sgt William Miller,
S/Sgt Ralph C. Wagner,
Sgt Ray W. Stitze.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.
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