Los Angeles – San Francisco

On December 7, 1987 at 04:16 PM, Los Angeles – San Francisco experienced a crash involving BAe 146, operated by Pacific Southwest Airlines - PSA, with the event recorded near San Luis Obispo California.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was flight at a plain, valley crash site.

43 people were known to be on board, 43 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 5, crew fatalities: 5, passengers on board: 38, passenger fatalities: 38, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is terrorism act, hijacking, sabotage. A recently discharged USAir employee boarded PSA flight 1771 after having left a goodbye message with friends. He bypassed security and carried aboard a borrowed 44 caliber pistol. A note written by this passenger, found in the wreckage, threatened his former supervisor at USAir, who was aboard the flight. At 1613, the pilot reported to Oakland ARTCC that he had an emergency and that gunshots had been fired in the airplane. Within 25 seconds, Oakland control controllers observed that PSA 1771 had begun a rapid descent from which it did not recover. Witnesses on the ground said the airplane was intact and there was no evidence of fire before the airplane struck the ground in a steep nose-down attitude. The cover tape revealed the sounds of a scuffle and several shots which were apparently fired in or near the cockpit. The pistol was found in the wreckage with 6 expended rounds. FAA rules permitted airline employees to bypass security checkpoints. All 43 occupants were killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration N350PS, MSN E2027, year of manufacture 1984.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 35.3540°, -120.3757°.