This day in history: Passenger plane makes belly landing after landing gear fails

From 1975: A Cascade Airways passenger plane made a foamy landing at Spokane International Airport.

Six passengers and two crew members were on the Beechcraft 99 flight from Walla Walla when the landing gear failed to deploy.

A backup system failed as well.

The plane circled for two hours trying to get the landing gear fixed. Finally, the decision was made to make a belly landing on a foam-covered runway.

The plane skidded safely to a stop. No injuries were reported, except one passenger sprained an ankle getting out of the plane.

From 1925: Spokane’s grocers were promoting a new and potentially lucrative concept – shopping from home.

The 1925 version wasn’t called online shopping, of course. It was called “phone for food,” and it meant that people would simply call in their orders.

Grocers loved the idea, “on the basis that extensive telephone business is more profitable than counter trade.”

The chairman of the Spokane campaign said that local grocery stores would distribute “phone for food” stickers on all bundles and packages in an attempt to encourage phone orders.

Also on this day

(From onthisday.com)

1805: Lewis and Clark Expedition leaves Fort Mandan (on the Missouri River near what is now Washburn, North Dakota), beginning their journey to the Pacific Ocean.

1978: U.S. President Jimmy Carter defers production of neutron bomb.