18 fatalities

1966-10-01: West Coast Airlines Flight 956 — United States

United States

On October 1, 1966, a West Coast Airlines Flight 956 was involved in an aviation accident near United States. 18 people were killed. The investigation identified controlled flight into terrain as a causal factor. This summary draws on records from Wikidata contributors; 2 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesWikidata contributorsPrimary reportUpdated 1780111919Data APIEditorial standards

West Coast Airlines Flight 956 crashed near Wemme, Oregon, on October 1, 1966, killing all 18 people aboard during its first week of service.

What happened

On October 1, 1966, West Coast Airlines Flight 956, a scheduled commercial route within the western United States, suffered a catastrophic failure. The aircraft was operating approximately 5.5 miles (9 km) south of Wemme, Oregon, located southeast of Portland. During this phase of the flight, the plane impacted the ground with such force that it was completely destroyed by the collision and the resulting fire. All individuals on board perished in the incident.

Investigation

The source material provided does not contain specific details regarding the investigative procedures or official conclusions drawn by aviation authorities concerning the mechanical or operational causes of this accident. Consequently, no further findings or contributing factors can be reported based on the available text.

Findings

No specific findings regarding the cause of the crash are detailed in the source documentation. The primary factual outcome recorded is the total loss of the aircraft and the fatalities sustained by everyone present.

Contributing factors

controlled flight into terrain

Investigation report by Wikidata contributors. Original record: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7984763. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the CC0 (Wikidata).