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Beech 99 1975

Key Information

Metro Wichita 1979
Beech 1900D in US Air Express livery, Fort Lauderdale 1997

Air Midwest, Inc., was a Federal Aviation Administration Part 121 certificated air carrier that operated under air carrier certificate number AMWA510A issued on May 15, 1965. It was headquartered in Wichita, Kansas,[3] United States, and from 1991 was a subsidiary of Mesa Air Group. Besides initially flying as an independent air carrier, it later operated code sharing feeder flights on behalf of Eastern Air Lines as Eastern Air Midwest Express, on behalf of American Airlines as American Eagle, on behalf of Trans World Airlines (TWA) as Trans World Express and on behalf of US Airways as US Airways Express. It also operated feeder flights on behalf of Braniff (1983–1990) and Ozark Air Lines in addition to flying for Mesa Airlines. Air Midwest was shut down by its parent company, Mesa Airlines, in June 2008.

History

[edit]

Air Midwest was incorporated in Wichita, Kansas, on May 7, 1965, by Gary Adamson as Aviation Services Inc.[4] Using a single Cessna 206, Adamson transported human remains for area mortuaries. Later, Aviation Services held out for charter and on April 17, 1967, began scheduled service flying between Wichita and Salina.[5][6]

As Frontier Airlines downsized from the western Kansas market beginning in 1968, Aviation Services moved in to assume air service. In 1969, it changed its name to Air Midwest and ordered Beech 99 commuter turboprop aircraft to keep up with its expansion. In 1971, Frontier withdrew all service from Dodge City, Great Bend, and Hutchinson, KS allowing Air Midwest to assume service. In 1977, Frontier withdrew all service at Garden City, Goodland, and Hays, KS as well as Lamar, CO and Air Midwest began operating a fleet of six Swearingen Metroliner commuter propjets. By then Air Midwest was linking smaller cities throughout Kansas to Wichita, Kansas City, MO, and Denver, CO.

With airline deregulation in late 1978 Air Midwest saw many more expansion opportunities and made a bold move by ordering ten more Metroliners. On March 1, 1979, Air Midwest began operating several new routes in New Mexico formerly flown by Texas International Airlines. This new service to New Mexico was connected to the Kansas operations by serving Lubbock, Texas where Air Midwest partnered with Braniff Airways. From Lubbock, service was started to Hobbs, Roswell, Carlsbad, and Albuquerque, New Mexico as well as from Albuquerque to Clovis, NM. Service was also started from Lubbock, to Garden City, Dodge City, and Wichita, Kansas. In July 1979, service was inaugurated from Lubbock and Wichita, to Ponca City, Enid, and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. In 1980/1981 Air Midwest again expanded with new routes from Albuquerque to Alamogordo, Silver City, and Farmington, New Mexico as well as from Farmington to Phoenix, Arizona all formerly flown by the original Frontier Airlines (1950-1986). A new link to Wichita was also created via Clovis and Amarillo. Routes were also expanded from both the Kansas City International Airport and the Kansas City Downtown Airport to new cities in Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, and Oklahoma. In 1982 all Lubbock service was discontinued and transferred to Midland/Odessa, Texas until 1984 when all Midland/Odessa service ended. In 1983 a marketing agreement was established with Frontier Airlines in which all Air Midwest flights at Denver would feed Frontier. Beginning in 1984, competitor Mesa Airlines began aggressive expansion throughout New Mexico and Texas and Air Midwest made the decision to discontinue all routes in this area on January 31, 1986. They then shifted their focus to building newly acquired code share relationships with major airlines listed below.[7] Also in 1984, Air Midwest was independently operating nonstop flights from St. Louis Downtown Airport (CPS) to Chicago Midway Airport (MDW), Kansas City Downtown Airport (MKC), and Olathe, KS (via Johnson County Industrial Airport (LXT)) with Metro propjets.[8]

On May 1, 1985, Air Midwest merged with Scheduled Skyways, a Fayetteville, Arkansas-based commuter air carrier which later changed its name to Skyways, in hopes of gaining a codeshare to feed Republic Airlines' Memphis hub. Air Midwest would expand by acquiring routes in Arkansas to complement its existing routes in the midwest. Both carriers operated Metro propjets, and Air Midwest had an opportunity to win a codeshare agreement with Republic.[citation needed] However, Republic then picked a different air carrier to feed its Memphis hub. Meanwhile, Air Midwest subsequently discovered many hidden problems with the neglected fleet inherited from Scheduled Skyways, forcing the airline to perform a great deal of maintenance to keep the aircraft flying. The merger with Scheduled Skyways pushed Air Midwest to the verge of bankruptcy over the few years that followed.

On April 1, 1985, Air Midwest introduced the 30-seat Saab 340 turboprop aircraft with flights from Kansas City to Wichita, Omaha, and Manhattan, KS. By the end of 1985 the airline was operating five Saab 340's and 24 Metroliners.

Although Air Midwest was unsuccessful in gaining a codeshare with Republic through the Scheduled Skyways merger, it was able to acquire codeshare agreements in 1985 with Eastern Airlines as Eastern Air Midwest Express at the Kansas City and Wichita hubs and in 1986 with Ozark Air Lines as Ozark Midwest at that carriers' St. Louis hub, as well as with American Airlines as part of the American Eagle (airline brand) at their newly created Nashville hub.

Continuing money problems forced Air Midwest to sell its Nashville hub and Saab 340 aircraft to American in 1987. Trans World Airlines (TWA) acquired Ozark Air Lines in 1986 and forced Air Midwest to surrender some of its St Louis routes because TWA already had a code share partner in St Louis, Resort Air (later Trans States Airlines). At the end of 1989, Air Midwest was operating Trans World Express service on behalf of TWA at its St. Louis hub with nonstop flights to Birmingham, AL; Bloomington, IL; Cape Girardeau, MO; Cedar Rapids, IA; Champaign, IL; Decatur, IL; Evansville, IN; Fayetteville, AR; Fort Leonard Wood, MO; Knoxville, TN; Lexington, KY; Marion, IL; Paducah, KY; Quincy, IL; Rochester, MN; South Bend, IN; Topeka, KS and Waterloo, IA operated with Jetstream 31, Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia, Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner and Saab 340 turboprops.[9] By 1990, the airline had added Trans World Express service between St. Louis and Fort Smith, AR; Manhattan, KS and Salina, KS.[10]

By June 1988, Air Midwest had built up the Kansas City hub with 89 flights per day to 20 cities, all operating as Eastern Express. Eastern then abruptly downsized its Kansas City hub operation thus leaving Air Midwest with no one to connect passenger traffic to. Air Midwest quickly negotiated a codeshare agreement with the second incarnation of Braniff (1983-1990), as Braniff was now building up Kansas City as a hub. The Braniff Express operation took over by October 1, 1988, however, just over one year later, Braniff once again went into bankruptcy and suspended operations on November 6, 1989.

After the collapse of Braniff, Air Midwest went back to operating under their own branding at Kansas City until yet another new codeshare agreement was negotiated, this time with USAir to feed their small Kansas City hub as USAir Express beginning on January 15, 1991. USAir changed its name to US Airways in 1997 and the US Airways Express operation at Kansas City continued until June 30, 2008.

Mesa Airlines began attempts to purchase Air Midwest in 1989. It succeeded in 1991 and replaced the Air Midwest metroliner fleet with newly acquired Beechcraft 1900D aircraft. In 2001 all Mesa Airlines flights operating with Beech 1900D's at the Albuquerque and Phoenix hubs were transferred to the Air Midwest certificate.[11]

A book on the history of Air Midwest entitled "Pioneer of the Third Level" was written by Dr. Imre E. Quastler, an authority on regional airlines. This book thoroughly covers the early years of Air Midwest from 1965 through 1980.

Operations under Mesa Air Group

[edit]

Mesa Air Group acquired Air Midwest in 1991.[12] From 1991 until 1997, Air Midwest operated twelve Beechcraft 1900C commuter turboprops flying from its Kansas City hub as USAir Express. In 1997, Mesa Air Group underwent a corporate reorganization: Mesa Airline's FloridaGulf, Liberty Express, and Independent divisions were merged into Air Midwest.

Air Midwest operated to many smaller cities for Essential Air Service including an America West Express operation in Phoenix and Las Vegas under an agreement with America West Airlines. Also independent operations were run as Mesa Airlines brand with divisions out of Albuquerque, Chicago, and Dallas/Fort Worth. The America West Express operation was transferred to US Airways Express with the merger of America West and US Airways in 2007. Air Midwest further operated as US Airways Express at the major carriers' hubs in Charlotte, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh and with smaller operations at Omaha, Little Rock, and New Orleans.

On January 8, 2003, Air Midwest had its first fatal accident when Air Midwest Flight 5481 operating as US Airways Express and departing out of Charlotte for Greenville-Spartanburg crashed 37 seconds after takeoff. All 19 passengers and two crewmembers were killed in the accident.

For a period of three weeks in August 2006, Air Midwest operated as Delta Connection, flying three Beechcraft 1900D from John F. Kennedy Airport to Providence, Rhode Island, and Windsor Locks, Connecticut, as a stop-gap measure for Freedom Airlines, another subsidiary of Mesa Air Group, until it was relieved by Chautauqua Airlines.

On February 1, 2007, Air Midwest began operations at Chicago Midway International Airport in Chicago, Illinois, to three Illinois airports: Decatur, Marion, and Quincy. However, just nine months after beginning this service, Mesa Airlines announced that Air Midwest would end all service from Illinois on November 9, 2007.

In May 2007, Air Midwest, operating as America West Express on behalf of America West Airlines, requested that the FAA allow it to withdraw service from the regional airport in Vernal, Utah, (a service that had started only one year prior) as soon as a replacement carrier was approved. On Oct. 4, 2007, the federal Department of Transportation announced that Great Lakes Airlines would replace Air Midwest as the Essential Air Service carrier at the Utah airports in Vernal and Moab. At the same time, the Department of Transportation announced that SkyWest Airlines would replace Air Midwest as the Essential Air Service carrier at Cedar City.

A report published in The Wall Street Journal on January 14, 2008, included a statement from Mesa CEO Jonathan G. Ornstein that the company had decided to shut down Air Midwest, citing significant losses stemming from increased maintenance and fuel costs. All cities served by Air Midwest received notices of intention to end service, except for Prescott and Kingman, Arizona.[13] Mesa later announced plans to completely shut down the Air Midwest subsidiary, with all services to be terminated by June 30, 2008.[14] At the time of its shutdown, there were 20 airplanes in service, down from a high of 118.

The last two flights flown by Air Midwest were Flights 4679 and Flights 4681. Both departed on June 30, 2008, at 10:40pm from Kansas City International (MCI) to Joplin, Missouri (flt. 4679) and Columbia, Missouri (flt. 4681).

MesaMax

[edit]

MesaMax applied to Mesa Airlines flights that were operated by Air Midwest. It consisted of a card, upon which flights were recorded with a stamp. Once 16 stamps had been recorded, the card could have been redeemed for a single round-trip ticket on Mesa Airlines flights.

Fleet

[edit]

World Airline Fleets 1979 (copyright 1979) shows Air Midwest with:[15]

1987-88 World Airline Fleets (copyright 1987) shows Air Midwest with:[16]

As of February 2008, Air Midwest operated the following turboprop aircraft type:

Air Midwest Fleet
Aircraft Total Passengers Routes
Beechcraft 1900D 11 19 All

Other aircraft operated by Air Midwest included:

All of the above are twin turboprop aircraft with the exception of the Cessna 206 which is a single-engined piston aircraft and the Cessna 402 which is a twin engine piston powered aircraft.

Destinations

[edit]

In 1970

[edit]

Air Midwest was serving the following destinations as an independent commuter air carrier in 1970:[17]

From 1979 through early 1985

[edit]

Air Midwest independently served the following destinations between 1979 and early 1985 (prior to the merger with Skyways) with all flights being operated with Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner (Metro II SA-226 model) commuter propjets at this time:[18]

In 1984 Air Midwest briefly operated new service from the St. Louis Downtown Airport to Chicago, IL (via Midway Airport), and Olathe, KS (via Johnson County Industrial Airport) outside Kansas City, as well as the Kansas City Downtown Airport.[19]

Incidents and accidents

[edit]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Air Midwest

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from Grokipedia
Air Midwest was an American founded in 1965 and headquartered in , that operated commuter and regional flights connecting small communities primarily in the Midwest and Southwest until its closure in 2008. Acquired by in 1991, it functioned as a subsidiary under codeshare agreements, notably as US Airways Express, serving routes subsidized by the U.S. Department of Transportation's program. The airline operated a fleet of 19-seat Beechcraft 1900D twin-engine turboprops and employed around 743 people at its peak, focusing on short-haul flights to destinations like Prescott, Kingman, and other secondary airports across 12 states. Initially established as an independent commuter carrier, Air Midwest began service linking rural communities to larger hubs such as , Kansas City, and Wichita using 17-passenger Swearingen Metro II aircraft. By the late 1970s and early 1980s, it expanded through route acquisitions from major airlines, including Texas International's services (such as Albuquerque to Clovis and Roswell) in 1979 and ' routes (like Albuquerque to Alamogordo and Farmington) in 1980–1981, later extending some to Phoenix by 1983. These expansions included code-share partnerships branded as Ozark Midwest and American Eagle, with hubs in Kansas City, , and Nashville. Following the 1991 acquisition by for $8 per share, Air Midwest transitioned its fleet to the 1900D, becoming a launch customer for the model, and integrated into Mesa's broader network while maintaining its focus on to underserved areas. Air Midwest held a Federal Aviation Administration Part 121 certificate and operated under the ICAO designator AMW, IATA code ZV, and callsign "Air Midwest." At the time of its most notable incident, it maintained a fleet of 43 Beechcraft 1900D aircraft and served 28 cities, primarily through the US Airways Express brand. Maintenance responsibilities were partially subcontracted to entities like Raytheon Aerospace and Superior Maintenance and Avionics Repair Team (SMART), though these arrangements later faced scrutiny for oversight deficiencies. The airline's history is marked by the tragic crash of Flight 5481 on January 8, 2003, at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport in North Carolina, where a Beechcraft 1900D (registration N233YV) lost pitch control during takeoff, colliding with a hangar and killing all 21 people on board—two crew members and 19 passengers—with one minor ground injury. The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause as restricted downward elevator travel due to incorrect rigging during maintenance, combined with an aft-shifted center of gravity (45.5% mean aerodynamic chord, exceeding the 40% limit) from inaccurate weight-and-balance calculations. Contributing factors included Air Midwest's inadequate maintenance oversight, deficient training records, and a flawed Continuing Analysis Surveillance System program, as well as shortcomings by subcontractors and the FAA. The investigation, which included a public hearing in May 2003, led to NTSB recommendations for enhanced industry-wide maintenance, training, and weight-balance protocols. Facing escalating fuel costs, reduced demand, and financial pressures—including a $52.5 million settlement and challenges with major airline contracts—Mesa Air Group announced the shutdown of Air Midwest in May 2008. Flights to its 16 destinations ceased on May 23, 2008, with all operations winding down by June 30, 2008, ending 43 years of service and leading to the of its remaining 20 . The closure impacted subsidized routes critical to rural connectivity, prompting concerns over air service access in affected communities.

History

Founding and Early Operations

Air Midwest was established on May 7, 1965, as Aviation Services Inc. by Gary Adamson in , initially focusing on charter services including air mortuary, ambulance, passenger, and cargo operations using a single aircraft. The company received (FAA) certification on May 15, 1965, enabling it to begin operations as a small regional carrier in the competitive aviation market. Scheduled passenger service commenced in April 1967 with the on the Wichita to Salina route, filling a gap left by the cessation of service from a larger carrier and marking Air Midwest's entry into regular commuter flights. By the end of the decade, the airline had expanded to serve 14 western cities, reflecting steady growth in regional connectivity. In 1969, Aviation Services Inc. rebranded as Air Midwest Inc., adopting the slogan "The Official Flagship Airline of Kansas," and acquired Beech 99 turboprop aircraft to accommodate increasing demand and route development. This expansion came amid early financial pressures typical of small commuter operators, including high operational costs and reliance on limited local traffic. In 1970, Air Midwest entered a suspension-substitution agreement with , assuming service to Dodge City, Great Bend, and , which provided subsidized routes and helped stabilize finances while broadening its network. A key milestone occurred on November 26, 1976, when Air Midwest received FAA certification as a scheduled commuter under Part 298, allowing for larger-scale operations and further certificate expansions. In 1977, the airline introduced Swearingen Metroliner turboprops to support new routes to Garden City, Goodland, Hays in , and Lamar in , again stepping in after Frontier's service reductions and enhancing connectivity to rural areas. These developments solidified Air Midwest's role as a vital regional provider through the , despite ongoing challenges from fuel costs and economic fluctuations affecting small carriers.

Post-Deregulation Expansion

Following the passage of the , Air Midwest experienced significant growth as a regional carrier, expanding beyond its base to serve new markets in the Southwest and Midwest. On March 1, 1979, the airline took over routes previously operated by Texas International Airlines, launching service from , to Clovis, Carlsbad, Hobbs, and , using turboprops. This expansion extended connections to Amarillo, Lubbock, and in Texas, as well as Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and , with flights increasing to eight daily departures after the discontinuation of Texas International's larger DC-9 service. Between 1980 and 1981, Air Midwest further grew its network under subsidies, adding subsidized routes from Albuquerque to Alamogordo, Silver City, and . By early 1985, the airline's independent route system linked small Kansas communities—such as Garden City, Dodge City, and Great Bend—to major hubs including Denver, Colorado; ; and , while integrating the extensions for broader Midwest connectivity. In 1984, Air Midwest briefly initiated service from St. Louis Downtown Airport to Chicago Midway Airport in and (via Johnson County Airport), aiming to bolster Midwest linkages amid opportunities, though these routes were short-lived. The airline's Albuquerque hub reached its peak that year with 18 daily Metroliner departures. A pivotal development occurred in when Air Midwest merged with Scheduled Skyways, an Arkansas-based commuter airline, in a deal announced on September 15, 1984, and approved by Skyways stockholders in January for $5.9 million; this combined operation created the largest fleet of 40 Metroliners worldwide and expanded service to 23 additional cities across eight states, with overlaps at Tulsa, Springfield, and Kansas City. To modernize its fleet, Air Midwest introduced five 30-passenger Saab 340 turboprops between May and September , including deployment on the new Kansas City-Little Rock route. To enhance connectivity and revenue, Air Midwest entered codeshare agreements with major carriers. In 1985, it operated as Eastern Air Midwest Express, feeding passengers into ' network. This was followed in 1986 by affiliation as American Eagle, serving ' Nashville hub with Metroliners and 120s to destinations like fourteen regional points. By 1989, Air Midwest flew as Trans World Express for , operating from the hub with additional aircraft allocated to Kansas City under Braniff Express branding as well. These partnerships supported hubs in Kansas City, , and Nashville, facilitating feeder traffic to mainline flights. Financial pressures mounted amid rising competition and maintenance costs from the Skyways merger, leading Air Midwest to sell its Nashville hub operations and the five Saab 340 aircraft in 1987. This divestiture allowed the airline to refocus on core Midwest routes while stabilizing its finances during a period of industry consolidation.

Acquisition by Mesa and Final Years

In 1991, acquired Air Midwest for approximately $27 million, with the merger completed in July of that year. Following the acquisition, Air Midwest transitioned to operating as a Express codeshare partner, launching Mesa's involvement in that network. Post-acquisition, Air Midwest adjusted its route structure to emphasize short-haul regional flights, primarily from its City hub, connecting small communities in and surrounding states to major airports like Wichita and using 1900D aircraft. This focus supported ' feeder network but faced growing challenges in the 2000s, including heightened regulatory scrutiny after the 2003 crash of Flight 5481, which prompted fleet-wide inspections and maintenance overhauls that increased operational costs. By the mid-2000s, Air Midwest grappled with labor tensions, including disputes over pay and working conditions amid industry-wide pressures, alongside a high volume of FAA-reported incidents—72 from 2000 to mid-2003, the most among regional carriers—which exacerbated burdens. These issues compounded financial losses driven by surging fuel prices and maintenance expenses, leading to announce the subsidiary's closure in May 2008. Air Midwest ceased all operations on June 30, 2008, after recording a pretax loss of $23.4 million for 2008, primarily from early contract terminations and costs that made its 19-seat model unviable. The shutdown eliminated service to 16 small cities across 10 states, with assets including and routes segregated for potential sale as part of Mesa's restructuring; by 2009, remaining 1900Ds were remarketed or retired, marking the end of Air Midwest's independent legacy.

Operations

Fleet

Founded in 1965 as Aviation Services, Inc., Air Midwest began scheduled passenger operations in 1967, utilizing a single , a single-engine aircraft with a capacity of six passengers, primarily for charter services including the transport of human remains in the area. This initial configuration supported short-haul routes such as Wichita to Salina. In 1969, following a name change to Air Midwest, the airline introduced the Beechcraft 99, a twin-engine with 15 seats, to accommodate expanding services across . This upgrade enabled more reliable operations on regional routes compared to the piston-powered . By the late , Air Midwest transitioned to the Swearingen Metroliner (SA-226 series), a 19-seat twin- designed for longer regional segments, operating a fleet of six such from 1979 to 1985. Seeking greater capacity, Air Midwest added the Saab 340 turboprop in April 1985, a 30-seat twin-engine model suited for higher-demand routes. However, financial pressures led to the sale of its seven Saab 340s by 1987. The airline briefly operated and aircraft in the late 1980s and early 1990s before standardizing its fleet. Following Mesa Air Group's acquisition in 1991, Air Midwest phased out its Metroliner fleet in favor of the 1900D, a 19-seat twin-turboprop that became its primary type from the mid-1990s through 2008. This model offered improved efficiency for routes, with the airline operating 20 1900D as of early 2008. The 2003 crash involving highlighted the type's use in scheduled operations. In the , Air Midwest faced significant challenges after outsourcing much of its work, leading to 72 reported incidents from to mid-2003—more than any other U.S. regional carrier during that period. The identified deficiencies in oversight, training, and quality assurance, particularly with 1900D elevator rigging and weight management. These issues contributed to operational scrutiny until the airline's cessation in June 2008.

Destinations

Air Midwest's initial route network in the late 1960s and 1970s focused on small communities in Kansas, serving as a commuter airline linking them to larger hubs. Operations began with scheduled passenger service in 1967 between Wichita and Salina, Kansas. By 1971, following Frontier Airlines' withdrawal, Air Midwest assumed service to Dodge City, Great Bend, and Hutchinson, establishing a core Kansas-centric network that connected these cities to hubs in Wichita, Kansas City, Missouri, and Denver, Colorado. In 1979, Air Midwest significantly expanded into the Southwest by acquiring routes from Texas International Airlines, initiating service on March 1 from , to Clovis, Carlsbad, Hobbs, and , with extensions to Amarillo, Lubbock, in Texas, Oklahoma City in Oklahoma, and Wichita. The route became the busiest, operating up to eight flights per day. Further growth in 1980 and 1981 included former routes from to Alamogordo, Silver City, and ; by 1983, service extended from to , and briefly from Clovis to via a marketing agreement with . Hubs developed at Kansas City (with up to 89 daily flights by 1988) and Wichita, alongside a peak hub handling 18 departures per day in 1984. Post-1985 expansions shifted focus to the Midwest amid declining New Mexico operations, which ended on January 31, 1986, due to competition from Mesa Airlines. In 1984, Air Midwest briefly introduced service from St. Louis Downtown Airport, Missouri, to Chicago Midway, Illinois, and Olathe, Kansas (via Johnson County Executive Airport). The airline established code-share partnerships, including Ozark Midwest and Trans World Express at St. Louis in 1985, providing feeder service to 15 destinations from the hub using Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner turboprops; additional code-shares involved Eastern Express, Braniff Express, and USAir Express at Kansas City, as well as American Eagle at Nashville. Following its 1991 acquisition by , Air Midwest transitioned to operating primarily as a Express feeder carrier, emphasizing connections to major hubs while serving smaller markets across 28 cities in 12 states. Key routes included feeders from , , to regional destinations such as Greenville-Spartanburg, . In the Southwest, 2001 saw the transfer of Mesa's routes to Air Midwest's certificate, including Phoenix to Farmington and Santa Fe (the latter ending later that year); additional services encompassed a 2005 Farmington-Denver route via , and 2007 additions from Farmington to via , and to via Moab and , under America West Express branding. Operations wound down with the cessation of all Albuquerque routes by December 31, 2007, and final Express services from Farmington to Phoenix, , and ending on May 30, 2008.

Frequent Flyer Program

Air Midwest, as a wholly owned of , Inc., integrated its services with the MesaMax administered by . This program was designed to reward loyal customers flying on Air Midwest routes, contributing to throughout the airline's active period from 1991 to 2008. Eligibility extended to all passengers on qualifying flights operated by Air Midwest under the Mesa banner, with benefits tailored to encourage repeat travel on regional routes. The program was discontinued following Air Midwest's cessation of operations on June 30, 2008, as part of 's asset disposition strategy. Complementing MesaMax, Air Midwest passengers could earn mileage credits in the frequent flyer programs of code-share partners, including Dividend Miles, United MileagePlus, and Delta SkyMiles, which accounted for approximately 96% of Mesa Air Group's passenger revenues in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2008. These credits were redeemable for free round-trip tickets and other rewards on Air Midwest and partner flights, enhancing the overall value for frequent travelers.

Incidents and Accidents

Air Midwest Flight 5481

Air Midwest Flight 5481 was a scheduled domestic flight operated by Air Midwest as Express from in , to Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport in . On January 8, 2003, the 1900D , registration N233YV, crashed shortly after takeoff from 18R at Charlotte Douglas, stalling approximately 37 seconds after liftoff and impacting a maintenance . The accident resulted in the deaths of all 21 people on board—19 s and 2 members—with one person on the ground sustaining minor injuries; the was destroyed by impact forces and a post-crash fire. The sequence of events began at 06:48 Eastern when the arrived at the for boarding, following a routine overnight check. Takeoff occurred at 08:47:28, with the lifting off about 3,200 feet down the , achieving an initial climb before pitching up excessively, reaching an altitude of to 1,000 feet, and then entering an aerodynamic . Air traffic controllers observed the unusual climb and issued a warning, noting, "That guy’s gonna ," but the did not respond before the descended rapidly and collided with the roof at a speed of approximately 175 knots, exploding into flames. Flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder analyses confirmed the 's attempts to maintain control, but the became uncontrollable in the pitch axis. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation, initiated the same day with a go-team arriving in Charlotte by 15:00, identified the probable cause as the airplane's loss of pitch control during takeoff, resulting from the elevator control system being incorrectly rigged during a recent maintenance check, which restricted downward elevator deflection to about 7 degrees instead of the specified 14 to 15 degrees. This misrigging occurred during a D6 (every 6 years) inspection on January 6–7, 2003, at Huntington, West Virginia, due to skipped procedures, inadequate training, and insufficient oversight by Air Midwest and contractor Raytheon Aerospace personnel. Compounding factors included the aircraft being overweight at an estimated 17,700 pounds (exceeding the 17,120-pound maximum takeoff weight) and having an excessively aft center of gravity at 45.5 percent mean aerodynamic chord (beyond the 40 percent limit), stemming from improper loading and outdated average passenger weight assumptions of 175 pounds per person. The NTSB highlighted human factors akin to the "Dirty Dozen" aviation error categories, such as lack of knowledge, poor communication, and inadequate supervision, which contributed to the maintenance lapses and overall quality assurance failures. Emergency responders from arrived within 1 minute and 42 seconds, extinguishing the fire in about 3 minutes using aqueous film-forming foam, though the intense post-impact blaze complicated victim recovery. The NTSB's public hearing on May 20–21, 2003, in , reviewed evidence from flight recorders, ground tests, and records, leading to 21 recommendations focused on enhanced , oversight, and weight-and-balance programs. In response, the issued Emergency Airworthiness Directive 2003-03-18 on January 27, 2003, mandating immediate inspections of elevator controls on 1900-series aircraft and effectively grounding similar models until compliance, while also directing revisions to carrier weight-and-balance protocols via Notice 8300.112 on May 12, 2003. In 2005, Air Midwest reached a settlement with the victims' families in a wrongful death , which included an unprecedented public apology from the . At a ceremony, representatives expressed condolences and sympathy to the surviving families, acknowledging their roles in the .

Other Events

Air Midwest faced ongoing regulatory scrutiny from the (FAA) regarding its practices and oversight, particularly in the years leading up to its only fatal accident in 2003. In October 2000, an FAA at Air Midwest's headquarters could not be fully completed due to incomplete and non-compliant records, violating 14 CFR 121.371(a) and 121.375; the was required to address these deficiencies by revising its manuals and auditing records by February 1, 2001. A November 2000 FAA letter further highlighted inadequacies in the 's Continuing Analysis and Surveillance System (CASS) program, which lacked reliable data for in . Subsequent audits revealed persistent issues. A 2001 Regional Airline Safety Improvement Program (RASIP) inspection identified deficiencies in the maintenance manual and the absence of required biannual CASS audits. In April 2002, the FAA cited Air Midwest for inadequate infrastructure, unresolved RASIP findings, pilot shortcomings, and poor procedures in its General Maintenance Manual, delaying the airline's planned route expansions. By November 2002, an FAA audit at the maintenance facility (HTS) found insufficient staffing, with only one foreman and one inspector on duty instead of the required two each, prompting a corrective action deadline of December 5, 2002. These problems were compounded by high mechanic turnover rates, averaging about three months per employee at HTS, which hindered consistent and . Following the 2003 accident, the (NTSB) investigation uncovered systemic maintenance oversight failures, including inadequate contractor supervision and inconsistent practices across Air Midwest's operations. Several proposed FAA enforcement actions were either withdrawn or resolved without violations. A January 2003 FAA letter reiterated concerns over training records, shift overlaps, and staffing at HTS, requiring resolutions by February 13, 2003. The NTSB issued recommendations for auditing maintenance personnel training records and ensuring air carrier presence during critical inspections (A-04-10 and A-04-12). No other fatal accidents were recorded during Air Midwest's operations from the through , though the documented maintenance and regulatory issues contributed to heightened FAA oversight. In , parent company ceased Air Midwest operations effective June 30, citing financial pressures from soaring fuel prices, declining demand, and a $52.5 million settlement with , amid challenges with major airline contracts; this shutdown was not directly attributed to new regulatory violations but occurred amid ongoing industry challenges.

References

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  4. https://www.mesa-air.com/our-story
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  6. https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/AAR0401.pdf
  7. https://skybrary.aero/operator/air-midwest
  8. https://wingsoverkansas.com/profiles/a266/
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  10. https://www.cjonline.com/picture-gallery/news/local/2014/12/18/kansan-of-the-year-award/67248336007/
  11. https://repository.law.miami.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2106&context=umialr
  12. https://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1981/803/803-001.pdf
  13. https://www.nytimes.com/1991/02/19/business/mesa-air-sets-midwest-deal.html
  14. https://www.upi.com/Archives/1991/07/12/Mesa-Airlines-merger-with-Air-Midwest-completed/1836679291200/
  15. https://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?do=main.textpost&id=2cda24b2-3ef6-4056-adde-5c276b0a0b3b
  16. https://nmb.gov/NMB_Application/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/30n040.pdf
  17. https://investor.mesa-air.com/static-files/60891f63-4110-41c1-862d-41c67e4159b7
  18. https://www.deseret.com/2008/5/15/20252343/mesa-air-to-close-air-midwest/
  19. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/810332/000113626109000146/form424b3.pdf
  20. https://fearoflanding.com/accidents/accident-reports/the-weight-and-balance-of-air-midwest-5481/
  21. https://www.indleggen.com/post/mesa-buys-air-midwest
  22. https://www.cavalcadeofwings.com/product/air-midwest-fairchild-swearington-sa226-tc-metro-ii/
  23. http://aerobernie.bplaced.net/Air%20Midwest.html
  24. https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Airline-News/Mesa-to-shut-down-subsidized-Air-Midwest-unit-by-June-30
  25. https://fearoflanding.com/accidents/accident-reports/never-just-one-thing-air-midwest-flight-5481-part-2/
  26. https://www.upi.com/Archives/1985/09/10/Business-TodayNEWLNGrowth-spurs-Air-Midwest-expansion/8421495172800/
  27. https://metroairportnews.com/ozark-flies-your-way/
  28. https://simpleflying.com/air-midwest-flight-5481-crash-anniversary/
  29. https://www.wisnerbaum.com/blog/2005/may/companies-publicly-apologize-to-families-of-the/
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