Investigation Summary
The perpetrator, Francisco Gonzales, was a former Olympic sailor for the Philippines who had become deeply depressed due to financial and marital issues. Before the flight, he purchased a Smith & Wesson Model 27 .357 Magnum and $105,000 in life insurance. After a night of gambling in Reno, he boarded the return flight to San Francisco. Approximately 10 minutes after departing a scheduled stop in Stockton, Gonzales forced his way into the cockpit. He shot Captain Ernest Clark and First Officer Ray Andress, causing the aircraft to enter a high-speed dive. A final radio transmission captured the First Officer's last words: 'Skipper's shot! We've been shot! I was trying to help!' The aircraft briefly climbed as the wounded co-pilot attempted to regain control before a final fatal dive into the Contra Costa County hills.
Final Conclusions
The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) determined the probable cause was the shooting of the captain and first officer by a passenger during flight. The FBI confirmed Gonzales as the shooter after finding the weapon in the wreckage and tracing his movements and statements prior to the flight.
Photographic Evidence (1)
Video Analysis
The First Cockpit Intrusion Murder | Pacific Air Lines Flight 773 — A detailed look at the 1964 murder-suicide that changed aviation security forever, leading to the requirement for locked cockpit doors.
If playback is blocked, the owner has disabled embedding — use the link above.
Airframe & Maintenance
Crew Experience
Captain
Ernest A. Clark, age 52
First Officer
Ray E. Andress, age 31
Systems & Failure Modes
Cockpit Door
At the time of the accident, cockpit doors were not required to be locked, allowing the passenger easy access to the flight deck.
Flight Data Recorder
Used by investigators to track the aircraft's erratic altitude changes and final high-speed descent.
Interesting Facts
- 01The shooter, Francisco Gonzales, was a 1960 Summer Olympics sailor for the Philippines.
- 02A Smith & Wesson Model 27 .357 Magnum revolver with six spent shells was recovered from the wreckage.
- 03The aircraft struck the ground at a near 90-degree angle at approximately 400 mph.
- 04Gonzales had purchased $105,000 in life insurance at the airport before the flight.
- 05The flight data recorder showed a sharp climb to 3,200 feet after an initial dive, indicating a struggle for control.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Mandatory Cockpit Door Locking
Effective August 6, 1964, the FAA implemented amendments requiring that doors separating the passenger cabin from the crew compartment be kept locked during flight. While these amendments had been passed by the FAA prior to the crash of Flight 773, the event highlighted the urgent need for their implementation.