Investigation Summary
The perpetrator, David Burke, had been recently terminated by USAir (which had recently acquired PSA) for the theft of 69 dollars in cocktail receipts. Seeking revenge against his manager, Raymond Thompson, Burke boarded Flight 1771 knowing Thompson was a regular commuter on the route. Because FAA regulations at the time allowed airline employees to bypass security checkpoints, Burke was able to carry a borrowed Smith & Wesson Model 29 revolver onto the aircraft. Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) data indicated that Burke entered the cockpit after shooting Thompson and a flight attendant. He then shot both pilots, incapacitating them. A final shot heard later in the recording is believed to have been directed at an off-duty PSA pilot, Douglas Arthur, who likely attempted to intervene. The aircraft entered a steep dive, reaching speeds estimated at 770 mph (Mach 1.01) before impacting a rocky hillside on the Santa Rita Ranch within the Santa Lucia Mountains.
Final Conclusions
The NTSB and FBI concluded the crash was a mass murder-suicide caused by the intentional actions of a passenger. The investigation highlighted a critical security flaw: the ability of airline employees to bypass passenger screening. The impact was so severe (estimated at 5,000 g) that the aircraft and its occupants were almost completely pulverized, leaving a crater only two feet deep despite the massive energy of the collision.
Photographic Evidence (1)
Video Analysis
The Disgruntled Employee who Crashed a Plane | PSA Flight 1771 — A detailed look at how David Burke bypassed security to commit a mass murder-suicide aboard a BAe 146, leading to major changes in airport security protocols.
If playback is blocked, the owner has disabled embedding — use the link above.
Airframe & Maintenance
Crew Experience
Captain
Gregg Lindamood, age 44. Total hours confirmed by NTSB report.
First Officer
James Howard Nunn, age 48
Systems & Failure Modes
Airport Security Checkpoints
At the time, FAA rules allowed airline employees to bypass screening, which enabled the perpetrator to bring a firearm on board.
Cockpit Door
The perpetrator gained access to the cockpit by shooting a flight attendant and the pilots; the door was not reinforced against forced entry or ballistic threats.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft impacted the ground at a 70-degree angle at supersonic speeds.
- 02Investigators found a fragment of David Burke's fingertip lodged in the trigger of the recovered revolver.
- 03The deceleration at impact was estimated at 5,000 g, causing the aircraft to disintegrate instantly.
- 04Burke used a note written on an airsickness bag to confront his former manager before the shooting started.
- 05Only 11 of the 43 victims were ever positively identified due to the extreme nature of the impact.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Employee Credential Seizure
Federal laws were changed to require the immediate seizure of all airline and airport employee credentials upon termination, resignation, or retirement.
Universal Screening
A new policy was implemented requiring all airline flight crews and airport employees to undergo the same security screening as passengers.
Corporate Travel Policies
Many large corporations implemented policies forbidding multiple high-ranking executives from traveling on the same flight to prevent simultaneous loss of leadership.