PSA flight 182

[PPI Tim]

Today marks the 30th anniversary of the crash of Flight 182.
Over 100 people died both in the plane and on the ground.
Do you remember that day?
Where you here in San Diego?
Events like this brings out the best and worst out of people.
Do you have any stories about the plane crash?
Tim

[Brian Johnson]

I wasn't even alive yet.

[bellalaghoste]

I do not remember how long ago?

[PPI Tim]

2008-30 years ago =1978
It was not a good day to be in North Park.
It was not a good day to be flying Pacific Southwest Airlines.

And when it is time to go, it is your time to go.
Just don't be in a plane when it's the pilot's time to go.

[PPI Brian]

I remember that day. I was a junior in high school. We were out in the field during PE when we heard a huge explosion. We looked north toward North Park and saw a huge black cloud rising above the buildings in the distance. News of the crash traveled fast, and by 6th period everyone was talking about it. 144 people died that day. It is still the worst airline crash in California's history, and the investigation revealed many deficiencies in our air traffic control system.

For those who may not be familiar with PSA, it was a San Diego based airline. Their trademark was a smile painted on the nose of their aircraft. One of the most disturbing photos I saw of the plane as it fell from the sky was on the front page of the Union Tribune. It showed a 727 falling at a steep angle, with the right wing trailing flames and a big smile painted on the aircraft. Here's a link to some articles about the disaster:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PSA_Flight_182

http://www.jetpsa.com/memorial/memorial.html

[PPI Tim]

I remember that day as well.
My brother had friends who went to St. Augustine. They saw the whole thing.
They said everyone looked up, saw the jet on fire heading for the school and were horrified.
I met a man back in 2002 who was one of the first on the scene. He had never seen a site like that in his life.
Bodies were hanging on telephone lines and strewn over parked cars. Houses were on fire. Bodies and pieces of bodies scattered the area.
Wreakage from the jet was everywhere. The smell of jet fuel and things burning was sickening.
I asked him of something that I heard was happening at the crash site.
I had heard that people (ghouls ) were going throughout the crash site picking jewelry and money off the dead.
Upon asking this question, the man's eyes filled with tears as he nodded yes.
He then told me that he personally saw a man removing a watch from a severed arm and then throwing away the arm.
How can people be so sick and disgusting in time like that, I'll never know.

[PPI Brian]

Here's a link to a slide show of pictures taken on that fateful day. They include the image of the smiling plane falling out of the sky with its right wing blazing.

http://photos.signonsandiego.com/080920PSA/PSACrash25Sep1978

As you can see from the arial photos, the jet was destroyed on impact. It took out one block of homes in North Park, killing 7 people on the ground. I have often wondered if any paranormal activity is associated with the area.

[PPI Karl]

My friend Tim Brandsoy purchased the only house remaining standing in that neighborhood.  I visited it many times during the early 90s.  He has since sold the house, but he never once complained about any ghostly activity or paranormal phenomena.  You'd think if anywhere would be haunted, it would be a neighborhood where people died so suddenly--both, residents on the ground and passengers from the air. 

I had a student at Mesa College about ten years ago whose father took him to the scene of the crash when he was just 6 years old.  Apparently, they snuck past the guards patrolling the area, and the kid witnessed horrors unimaginable--bits of body parts tattered and strewn everywhere.  He still had nightmares about it.

What kind of A-hole takes his 6-year-old kid to a site of human carnage?!!! 

[PPI Tracy]

I had a student at Mesa College about ten years ago whose father took him to the scene of the crash when he was just 6 years old.  Apparently, they snuck past the guards patrolling the area, and the kid witnessed horrors unimaginable--bits of body parts tattered and strewn everywhere.  He still had nightmares about it.

What kind of A-hole takes his 6-year-old kid to a site of human carnage?!!! 

Someone who shouldn't be a parent.   >

[Shellshock]

I had no clue about this...
Unbelievable - so sad

[ldwalkup]

I remember it well.  What an awful time.  My brother was called on the scene for SDG&E to get electricity up and running again.  He said is was horrific.  The ground was wet with red mud.  Body parts and luggage all over the place.   He said it was a scene he would never forget.

My friend's son was killed in the AeroMexico crash in Cerritos around 30 years ago.  Another terrible crash.  Does anyone remember that one?  He was in one of the  houses the plane crashed on.  All they found of him were some of his teeth and jewelry.

Sometimes it makes a person nervous to fly.  But, when I fly, I am resolved that if it's time to go, I'm ready.

[bellalaghoste]

sorry was not born yet

[PPI Brian]

Found this old TV commercial for PSA on Youtube, and thought some of you might remember them. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJRmbcsUGug&feature=related

KUSI ran a very powerful and moving feature on the anniversary of Flight 182's demise. Part 1 even has a paranormal slant...

Part 1:
http://www.kusi.com/home/29744229.html?video=pop&t=a&randpre=29240084

Part 2:
http://www.kusi.com/home/29771864.html?video=pop&t=a&randpre=29243524

And last but not least, a video clip regarding the PSA Flight 182 memorial:
http://www.kusi.com/home/29775954.html?video=YHI&t=a&randpre=29239854

[PPI Brian]

Sometimes it makes a person nervous to fly.  But, when I fly, I am resolved that if it's time to go, I'm ready.

Hi Linda,

I've been on some really hairy flights too, but thankfully we had great pilots. A majority of commercial airline pilots are former military pilots, and they know how to fly "by the seat of their pants". Perhaps this youtube video will illustrate my point:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oKdJVtvMX8&feature=related

by the way, the footage of the 767 aircraft turning sideways before aborting the landing was taken at Ontario International Airport in Ontario, CA during a Santa Ana. You can see the snow in the San Bernardino mountains in the background. 

[PPI Tim]

Cool youtube Brian.
Thank God I don't have to fly anywhere soon.
Tim

[ldwalkup]

Pilots!  You gotta love and appreciate them.

[Brian Johnson]

How would you like to be on this flight?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwUIOpOuBuk&feature=related

[PPI Tim]

That is a pants filler!
What's the airline in that clip?
That is a airline don't want to fly.

[ldwalkup]

Whoo hoo!  What a ride!  Wonder how many seats they had to clean off.   They say flying is still the safest way to go.

[PPI Brian]

I've had landings like that! 

Guess it could be worse, eh? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6VWdM573Ek&NR=1

[Brian Johnson]

That would be fun to do, landing on a highway!

Check this one out, I would hate to live where these people do, for more than one reason.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txPg4JwimE0&feature=related

[Shellshock]

How would you like to be on this flight?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwUIOpOuBuk&feature=related

I would of had a panic attack and passed out. Not even joking. That looked crazy. 

[PPI Tim]

That plane could have been hit by a thrown baseball.

[Brian Johnson]

How about this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_Iphl5g8XI&feature=related

or this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiWJJulBLjA&feature=related


Those should make you feel queezy.

[PPI Tim]

Hello,
This is your captain speaking,
We'll be dragging our ass on the runway shortly.
Please have your trays in the upright position
and your barf bag securely clinched in your right hand.
In case of a rough landing, we also suggest depend undergarmets
being secured firmly on your ass.
Thank you for fearing OMG Airlines.

[Shellshock]

TIMMEH!!!!

[PPI Glenn]

Oh, I'd love to be right underneath one of these!!

How about this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_Iphl5g8XI&feature=related

or this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiWJJulBLjA&feature=related


Those should make you feel queezy.

[Brian Johnson]

Me too! I love the smell of jet fuel in the morning!

[PPI Tim]

Oh, I'd love to be right underneath one of these!!

How about this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_Iphl5g8XI&feature=related

or this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiWJJulBLjA&feature=related


Those should make you feel queezy.

Glenn,
Was that crashing or landing that you would like to be right under? 

[PPI Glenn]

Uh, er... the landing, thank you!

Oh, I'd love to be right underneath one of these!!

How about this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_Iphl5g8XI&feature=related

or this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiWJJulBLjA&feature=related


Those should make you feel queezy.

Glenn,
Was that crashing or landing that you would like to be right under?