ASN Aircraft accident British Aerospace BAe-146-200 N350PS Paso Robles, CA
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Monday 7 December 1987
Time:16:16
Type:Silhouette image of generic B462 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
British Aerospace BAe-146-200
Operator:Pacific Southwest Airlines - PSA
Registration: N350PS
MSN: E2027
First flight: 1984-11-24 (3 years )
Total airframe hrs:8571
Engines: 4 Lycoming ALF502R-3
Crew:Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5
Passengers:Fatalities: 38 / Occupants: 38
Total:Fatalities: 43 / Occupants: 43
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Aircraft fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:ca 19 km SW of Paso Robles, CA (   United States of America)
Phase: En route (ENR)
Nature:Domestic Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:Los Angeles International Airport, CA (LAX/KLAX), United States of America
Destination airport:San Francisco International Airport, CA (SFO/KSFO), United States of America
Flightnumber:1771
Narrative:
A British Aerospace BAe-146-200 passenger jet, registered N350PS, was destroyed when it impacted the ground near Paso Robles, CA. All five crew members and 38 passengers on board were killed. Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 1771 hade departed Los Angeles International Airport, CA (LAX) on a domestic flight to San Francisco International Airport, CA (SFO).
A recently discharged USAir employee boarded the flight after bypassing security. He carried a borrowed 44 caliber pistol. His former supervisor was on board the flight.
At 16:13, the pilot reported to Oakland ARTCC that he had an emergency and that gunshots had been fired in the airplane. Within 25 seconds, Oakland CTR controllers observed that PSA1771 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 cvr 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.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE:
control interference .. intentional .. passenger
sabotage .. intentional .. passenger
emotional reaction .. passenger

CONTRIBUTING FACTORS:
security .. inadequate .. company/operator management
procedure inadequate .. company/operator management
insuff standards/requirements,operation/operator .. FAA(organization)

Accident investigation:

cover
Investigating agency: NTSB
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year
Accident number: DCA88MA008
Download report: Summary report

Classification:
Pilot or passenger suicide
Loss of control

Sources:
» ICAO Adrep Summary 6/89 (#14)
» NTSB


Photos

photo of BAe-146-200-N350PS
accident date: 07-12-1987
type: BAe-146-200
registration: N350PS
 

Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Los Angeles International Airport, CA to San Francisco International Airport, CA as the crow flies is 540 km (337 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.

This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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BAe-146

  • 391 built
  • The first loss
  • The first fatal accident
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 United States of America
  • 62nd worst accident (at the time)
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