Post Description

On 7 December 1987, an angry former USAir employee by the name of David Burke boarded PSA Flight 1771 en route to San Francisco. Burke incapacitated the pilots after taking off. Shortly, thereafter the plane crashed in a cattle ranch at the speed of sound in San Luis Obispo County, California. All 43 people on board, including Burke, were killed. Investigators from the FBI found out that David Burke's motive was to kill Ray Thomson after being fired from his job days earlier. USAir was in the process of merging with PSA at the time of the crash.
 
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Type of aircraft: BAe 146-200

 Cause of disaster: Pilot incapacitation due to suicide attack; Burke's intent was to kill his former boss, Raymond Thomson.