Bellanca Went Down In Icing Conditions, Turbulence

The identities of two men onboard a 1959 Bellanca Cruisemaster (file photo of type, below) that went down over 22 years ago outside Yakima, WA are one step closer to being confirmed, now that the accident site has been found.

As reported by the Associated Press, the wreckage was discovered Wednesday by Yakima tribal workers installing telecommunications equipment near Satus Pass, a remote and heavily forested area about fifteen miles north of Goldendale, WA. Skeletal remains were also discovered at the site.

Period newspaper accounts said two men, Max Schaffer and Eugene Goodrow, were onboard N8807R when it crashed, although the occupants' identities were never officially confirmed. The NTSB report on the crash states the search for the missing aircraft was suspended Jan. 15th, seven days after the accident, and those onboard were presumed deceased.

No cause for the accident was determined by the NTSB, although the report states the Yakima tower advised the pilot of SIGMETs issued for severe turbulence and icing in clouds along the plane's proposed flight path to Long Beach, CA.

County officials retrieved the remains and other personal items found earlier this week. It was not known how long the identification process would take.

FMI: NTSB Report