1969 — Feb 5, Angeles Flying Service takeoff plane crash, Clallam Co. AP ~Port Angeles WA-all 10

–10 Eckert. “Fatal commercial air transport crashes, 1924-1981.” AJFMP, 3/1, Mar 1982, Table 1.
–10 NFPA. “The Major Fires of 1969,” Fire Journal, Vol. 64, No. 3, May 1970, p. 39.
–10 Port Angeles Evening News, WA. “Investigators Probing Wreckage of Aircraft,” 2-6-1969.
–10 UPI. “10 Persons Killed in Airtaxi Crash After Takeoff.” Daily Courier, Connellsville, PA, 2-7-1969, 8.

Narrative Information

National Fire Protection Association: “[An]…aircraft accident occurred on February 5 when a twin-engine Beechcraft with 10 people aboard left Clallam County Airport in Port Angeles, Washing¬ton, for Seattle. The aircraft apparently left the ground prematurely and climbed at an extremely steep angle. A reliable witness reported that a power stall occurred and the aircraft veered 90 degrees to the left, leveled momentarily, but then lost altitude and struck the ground. The fuel tanks were ruptured on impact and the plane immediately burst into flames, trapping and killing all 10 people aboard. Because of severe snow conditions the small fire truck stationed at the airport never reached the scene of the accident. As was dis¬covered later, the fire truck would have been almost useless had it reached the scene, because it had been housed in an unheated building and the “Light Water” in the tank had frozen solid. The city Fire Department took approximately 15 minutes to reach the fire scene — too late to rescue anyone aboard.” (NFPA. “The Major Fires of 1969,” Fire Journal, Vol. 64, No. 3, May 1970, p. 39.)

Newspaper

Feb 6: “Preliminary investigation into the cause of Wednesday’s airplane crash at Clallam County Airport which took the lives of all ten persons aboard has turned up no clues pointing to a reason for the mishap. The Angeles Flying Service is and will continue regular service to Seattle. The company’s Beechcraft Super H18 aircraft had just taken off on the 6:45 a.m. shuttle to Seattle, when it stalled shortly after takeoff, plunged to the ground intact and burst into flames. Eight passengers and the pilots, William Fairchild, owner-operator, and Bill Booze were killed.

“A team from the Federal Aviation Administration and the Civil Aeronautics Board, department
of transportation safety along with the Washington state Aeronautics Board are probing into the early morning crash….”

“Pilots from Puget Sound Airlines, of which AFS was a member, has offered to help with the three daily flights.” (Port Angeles Evening News, WA. “Investigators Probing Wreckage of Aircraft,” Feb 6, 1969.)

Sources

Eckert, William G. “Fatal commercial air transport crashes, 1924-1981.” American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, Vol. 3, No. 1, March 1982, Table 1.

National Fire Protection Association. “The Major Fires of 1969,” Fire Journal, Vol. 64, No. 3, May 1970, pp. 37-40.

Port Angeles Evening News, WA. “Investigators Probing Wreckage of Aircraft,” 2-6-1969, p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=117605177

UPI (United Press International). “10 Persons Killed in Airtaxi Crash After Takeoff.” Daily Courier, Connellsville, PA, 2-7-1969, p. 8. Accessed 3-28-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/connellsville-daily-courier-feb-07-1969-p-8/