Cascade Airways
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Airline |
| Founded | 1969 |
| Defunct | 1986 |
| Headquarters | Spokane, Washington , United States |
Area served | Northwestern United States, including Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Nevada; Calgary, Alberta (Canada) |
Key people | Vaughn Gundlach (vice president, deceased 1969) |
| Products | Regional airline services |
Cascade Airways operated as a regional carrier headquartered in the northwestern United States, primarily from Seattle, Washington. Established in 1969, the airline provided service for 17 years before discontinuing operations in 1986. Its IATA designation (CZ) was subsequently assigned to China Southern Airlines.
Operations
Based in Spokane, Cascade Airways concentrated on regional flights throughout the northwest U.S., serving important destinations such as Pasco, Pullman, Seattle, Spokane, and Yakima, Washington; Salt Lake City, Utah; Portland, Oregon; and Boise, Idaho.
The entry of Horizon Air into the market in 1981, backed by stronger financial resources and its acquisition of rivals including Air Oregon and Transwestern Airlines, intensified competitive pressures on Cascade. In 1985, Cascade pursued a merger with Horizon; however, the negotiations failed, resulting in Cascade's closure in March 1986.
In 1984, Cascade introduced the British Aircraft Corporation BAC One-Eleven twinjet—the sole jet aircraft type operated by the airline—alongside turboprop models such as the Hawker Siddeley HS 748, Beechcraft 1900C, and Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner (Metro III).
Destinations in 1984 and 1985
Based on Cascade’s system timetables dated October 15, 1984, and April 4, 1985, the airline’s route network included the following cities. Destinations highlighted in bold were served with BAC One-Eleven jet service, often supplemented by turboprop flights. Other locations were exclusively served by turboprop aircraft:
- Boise, ID (BOI) – Focus city
- Butte, MT (BTM)
- Calgary, AB Canada (YYC) – sole international destination
- Eugene, OR (EUG)
- Helena, MT (HLN)
- Idaho Falls, ID (IDA)
- Kalispell, MT (FCA)
- Lewiston, ID/Clarkston, WA (LWS)
- Medford, OR (MFR)
- Moses Lake, WA (MWH)
- Olympia, WA (OLM)
- Pasco, WA (PSC)
- Pocatello, ID (PIH)
- Portland, OR (PDX) – Focus city
- Pullman, WA/Moscow, ID (PUW)
- Reno, NV (RNO)
- Seattle, WA (SEA) – Hub
- Spokane, WA (GEG) – Focus city and headquarters
- Walla Walla, WA (ALW) – site of maintenance facilities for jets and turboprops
- Wenatchee, WA (EAT)
- Yakima, WA (YKM)
Previously served destinations by turboprop aircraft included Astoria, OR (AST), Missoula, MT (MSO), Salt Lake City, UT (SLC), and Twin Falls, ID (TWF).
Fleet
Throughout its operational period, Cascade utilized a variety of aircraft types:
- BAC One-Eleven series 200 jet
- BAC One-Eleven series 400 jet
- Beechcraft 1900C turboprop
- Beechcraft C99 turboprop
- Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante turboprop
- Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner (Metro III model) turboprop
- Hawker Siddeley HS 748 turboprop – the largest turboprop model in Cascade’s fleet with a seating capacity of 48
This varied aircraft lineup enabled Cascade to maintain a regional network that linked smaller communities with major hubs.
Accidents and incidents
On January 20, 1981, Cascade Airways Flight 201—a Beechcraft 99 registered N390CA operating the Seattle-Yakima-Moses Lake-Spokane route—crashed amid foggy conditions during its final approach to Spokane International Airport. Of the nine occupants onboard, seven lost their lives: five passengers along with Captain David Weinberger and First Officer Paul Davis. Two passengers survived both the crash and subsequent fire. The aircraft struck Riddle Hill before impacting a forested slope approximately southwest of the airport. The National Transportation Safety Board attributed the accident to pilot error involving use of an incorrect navigational aid frequency and descending below the prescribed Minimum Descent Height for that approach. At that time, Cascade’s fleet comprised twelve Beechcraft 99s and three Embraer Bandeirantes serving eighteen cities across the Pacific Northwest.
In November 1978, Cascade acquired Richland-based Columbia Pacific Airlines following a fatal accident earlier that year. On February 10, 1978, Columbia Pacific Flight 23—a Beechcraft 99—stalled during takeoff from Richland Airport resulting in the deaths of both pilots and all fifteen passengers.
On February 18, 1972, Cascade Airways Flight 325—a Beechcraft 99 flying Seattle-Walla Walla-Pullman-Spokane—crashed in fog while conducting an instrument approach to Spokane International Airport. All four individuals onboard survived with minor injuries. The pilot was able to report the accident after walking to a nearby service station. Due to foggy weather conditions at Walla Walla, the flight had made an unscheduled stop at Pasco instead.
On June 20, 1969—less than two weeks after initiating operations—a Cascade Beechcraft 99 cargo flight experienced engine failure during takeoff at Pasco Airport. Both crew members were killed: company vice president Vaughn Gundlach and co-pilot Doug Thomson.
See also
External links
- Cascade Airways – a site dedicated to historical memories