September 25, 1978: Pacific Southwest Airlines / Gibbs Flite Center, Boeing 727 (N533PS) / Cessna 172 (N7711G) Mid-Air Collision, San Diego, CA

Clear skies and light winds were in the forecast on the morning of September 25, 1978 as a Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA) Boeing 727-214 operating as PSA Flight 182 departed Los Angeles International Airport bound for San Diego. On board was a crew of 7 and 128 passengers, of which 30 were PSA airline employees "deadheading" to work in San Diego.

As PSA Flight 182 approached San Diego's Lindbergh Field, numerous aircraft were in the area including a Cessna 172 Skyhawk practicing instrument approaches. On board the Cessna was a Flight Instructor and a Student Pilot wearing a view limiting hood that obstructed his outside vision. After completing two instrument approaches, the Cessna was instructed to maintain VFR at or below 3,500 feet and fly a heading of 070 degrees, shortly after which the Cessna began a turn to 090 degrees and into the path of the descending Boeing 727. Twice, the approach controller notified PSA Flight 182 of the Cessna and both times Flight 182 responded with traffic in sight. A cockpit voice recording taken from Flight 182 would later reveal that the flight crew was not sure of the actual position of the Cessna.

At 9:01:28 AM, a conflict alert warning sounded at the San Diego Approach Control Facility, but was largely ignored as controllers assumed the crew of Flight 182 had visual contact of the Cessna. A final warning of traffic was issued to the Cessna with the collision occurring at the same moment at 9:01:47 AM.

The descending Boeing 727 overtook the much slower and climbing Cessna 172. The Cessna broke up and exploded after colliding with the Boeing's right wing. Both aircraft crashed into San Diego's residential neighborhood of North Park. It was the worst civil aviation accident in the U.S. at the time with 144 persons killed in both aircraft and on the ground.

This accident, as well as the similar mid-air collision that occurred over Cerritos, California during 1986 was instrumental in the implementation of on-board air traffic avoidance systems known as "TCAS". The accident also brought out the inadequacies of air traffic control in San Diego which led to the development of a TCA surrounding Lindbergh Field (now Class "B" Airspace). The accident is still used today in flight training classes to emphasize the importance of accurate and effective communication between pilots and air traffic controllers.

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Growing up in Southern California, I remember this accident well. The iconic photos of the crashing 727 were displayed prominently on every newspaper front page and was the main story on every television station. This tragic event would later have me ask "How?" and "Why?" as I began my career in aviation.

A visit to this crash would be much different than any other I have researched. Instead of using topographic maps and coordinates to locate the site, I would use a street map and road signs. There would be no remaining wreckage to mark this air disaster, just a few recently constructed homes, freshly planted trees, and lawns would provide the clues.

I used historic photos and newspaper reports to guide me through the area affected by the crash. The contrast of the older and newer homes was evident on the corner of Dwight and Nile Streets where debris and burning fuel had destroyed many structures.

Other physical evidence of the disaster was found at the site. I located the Boeing 727's impact point using an aerial photograph of the accident scene. The impact crater had been filled-in and re-surfaced, but the concrete and pavement was noticeably still cracked due to settling below the surface. I also noted a sidewalk on Dwight Street that was repaired after the accident had a notation of the disaster scrawled in the wet cement.

Today, there is an effort to place a memorial plaque at the impact site of PSA Flight 182. For more information on this project and to voice your support, please visit their page on Facebook at "PSA Flight 182 Memorial".