Ghosts of PSA Flight 182 *MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY*

*MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY*
VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED
On September 25, 1978 a boeing 727 passenger airliner collided with a small cessna in the sky over San Diego resulting in the most gruesome airline accident in U.S. history at the time. Graphic footage of the crash aftermath compared to how the crash site looks today. The traumatic memories of which will never be forgotten.

In loving memory:

Billy Adams, San Pedro
Judy Allen, Los Angeles
Don Ashcroft, Sacramento
Daniel Lawrence Balson, Encino
Leonard Barr, Loomis
Mary Beard, Sacramento
Frank Becwar, Fair Oaks
Robert Benner, Thousand Oaks
Sue Benner, Thousand Oaks
David Bernard, Santa Monica
Paula Blake, Playa del Rey
Barbara Boisselle, Los Angeles
Bryce Bonner, Los Angeles
Karen Borzewski, San Diego
Charles Bren, Los Angeles
Ronald Henry Burkley, Manhattan Beach
Arnold Lee Califf, Poway
Joseph Reed Canavin, Andover, MA
Hood Cheney, Dallas
Lynnette Cherry, Yakima Valley, WA
Pauleen Colarich, Concord
Martha J. Coleman, San Diego
Alberico Coluzzi, Los Angeles
Richard W. Conway, San Diego
Carol Cook, Rolling Hills
Christine Davie, Carlsbad
Lisa Denise Davis, Lakeside
Olga Robles de Huante, San Diego
Timothy DeLucca, Aptos
Jeri Dickson, Los Angeles
Janet Dolson, Inglewood
James W. Dormer, San Diego
Jay Drotman, Santa Monica
John Dumas, Los Angeles
Kirk C. Dutton, Los Angeles
Amancio R. Elizaga Jr., San Diego
Mario Escalante, Sacramento
Jonathon Falk, Los Angeles
Michael Fitzgerald, San Diego
Perry Flashman, Culver City
Catherine Fons, La Jolla
Gail Michele Forsyth, San Diego
Gary Fox, Culver City
Robert E. Fox, La Mesa
William Francis, Sacramento
James Gallagher, Bakersfield
Maureen Gallagher, Bakersfield
Jay Gilroy, Tacoma
Robert Guerrero, Sacramento
Jacob Joseph Gustincic, Marina Del Rey
Lewis Hayden III, San Diego
Harold Steven Henry, Sacramento
Richard Hight, Citrus Heights
Richard Horne, Glendale
Jack Irwin, Sacramento
Barbara Jackson, Los Angeles
Nellie Jackson, Sacramento
Andrea Jacobson, Belmont Shores
Neil Howard Jagoba, Framingham, MA
George Johnson, Thousand Oaks
Lee H. Johnson, La Jolla
David L. Jolliffe, Los Angeles
Valerie Kantor, Pacific Palisades
Mahmoud Kaffaf, Alshaya, Kuwait
Jimmie Kelley, Savannah, Ga.
Colleen A. Kepler, San Diego
Farrell Kimball, Sacramento
Allan Lebow, Los Angeles
Wayne Allen Levin, Beverly Hills
Robert Levine, San Diego
David Loeb, Santa Monica
Rosalia Lococo, El Cajon
Earl Lohnes, Niantic, CT
Brian T. MacLean, San Diego
Ruben Macias, Hawthorne
Gil A. Marcoux, San Diego
Randolph Martin, Malibu
Louise T. Martin, San Diego
Thomas Masker, Monterey
Deborah McCarthy, Vista
James Edward McFeron, Escondido
Joseph McMasters, Sacramento
Joann Metzler, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
Carl Miller, Davis
Samuel Molinaro, El Segundo
Gary Moore, Sacramento
Wilhelmina Mottola, San Diego
Kenji Nakanishi, Santa Monica
Spencer B. Nelson, Escondido
Betty Nunn, Hayward
Robert Oshiro, Sacramento
Rhona Lynnette Owens, Coronado
Gary Patterson, Highlands
Bernard Perez, Shingle Springs
Jeffrey J. Pesses, Los Angeles
Burt Pierce, Rancho Palos Verdes
Richard Plaskoff, Los Angeles
Anthony Poli, San Diego
Gary Pommells, Citrus Heights
Muhamed Quaffae, Alshwah, Kuwait
Bob Ramirez, Lennox
Leo Reeder, Pacific Palisades
Roni Resnick, Los Angeles
Francis Resnick, Los Angeles
Joseph Rigney, Downey
Randy Ryckman, Santa Monica
Donald St. Germain, San Diego
George Saunders, Rancho Palos Verdes
Marla Scavia, La Mesa
Dave Schmidt, Sacramento
Ralph Schueler, Sacramento
Bennett Schwartz, Culver City
James Seaman, Manhattan Beach
Nerene Faye Seaton, Bakersfield
Gale Shapiro, San Diego
Robert Sinclair Silver, Marina Del Rey
Kirk Smith, Palo Alto
Walter Smith, Citrus Heights
Roger Smith, Waukesha, WI
Herb Leslie Stewart, Monterey
Jim Stinnett, Los Angeles
Michael Sulit, Del Mar
James Michael Taggart, Palos Verdes
Azmi David Taha, Vista
Allen Tetelman, Los Angeles
Betty Maxine Thweatt, Manhattan Beach
Daniel Bruce Urdahl, San Diego
Martin J. Wahne, San Diego
Roger W. Walsh, Solana Beach
William White, Lakeside
Kevin Burke Wholey, Santa Monica
Jane Whyte-Spitz, Bonita
Jeff Wilson, Los Angeles
Lawrence Wilson, Sacramento
Thomas Womack Jr., El Cajon
D’Anne Young, El Cajon
David Lee Boswell, Camp Pendleton, Oceanside
Martin B. Kazy Jr., San Diego
Amy Bolick, San Diego
Nancy Stout, San Diego
Robert Stout, San Diego
Lela Todd, San Diego
Derek Walker, San Diego
Sherry Walker, San Diego
Darlene Watkins, San Diego

[quantumdynamic]

Check out the follow up commentary "Ghosts of PSA Flight 182 The Back Story"

[laurarey]

I was there. I was a detective with San Diego PD and spent a week of 12 hour shifts there. You never forget! For years I would get a flashback every time I saw an incoming plane. My name is Tom Rey.

[hermanshm]

Something about the man at 4:02 trying to help with his hose and being told to move back is heartbreaking. I can only imagine how distressing it was to want to help, but inevitably being unable to. Jet fuel fires are no joke. Condolences to everyone who was affected.

[jimsmith]

I remember that day for several reasons. I was a junior at Helix High, when the principal came into my English class. He was very solemn and escorted one of my female classmates out. Her father was the PSA pilot. After class got out, we could see the tower of smoke in the air to the west. When I got home, my dad arrived. He was a SDPD sergeant assigned to the academy at the time. He had been called to the scene with the recruits to assist. I had never seen my dad like this before. He was very quiet and took off his clothes in the garage and asked me to get a trashbag for him. I brought it to him and he stuffed his clothes in it and asked me to throw it away. The clothes smelled of what I would later know to be the smell of death. He had dropped several plastic gloves by accident, all of which were bloody and smelled. He didn't talk much at all that night. Although he had seen combat in the Korean war in 1952, he said he had never seen anything like that crash site. He recalled an elderly woman that was literally catatonic in her home. After they escorted her out, they found an entire seat from the jet, with a deceased passenger still strapped in, that had crashed through the wall of her dining room. he later was involved at the makeshift morgue at St. Augustine High School, the same school he went to as a kid. Some things you never forget. I guarantee you he never forgot that day.

[nowhereman]

I have never forgotten Marla Scavia, a stewardess on that flight. I had such a crush on her through Jr High and high school. She was so beautiful, but I was shy.
I remember seeing the the thick black smoke rise as I went to work that day. Later I found out about the crash. Then, a few days later I saw the passenger and crew list. A terrible feeling came over me that sticks with me to this day.
My family owned a house on the corner of Dwight and 28th street when I was born in 1954. We moved to Fletcher Hills when I was 5 or 6 years old. Eventually I attended Parkway Jr. High, where I met Marla. Then on to Grossmont High.
Never pass up the opportunity to tell someone you love them. I have wished all of these years that I had told Marla. Regardless of the outcome.

[RMTStudios]

Somewhere in all that carnage is my cousin. She was an EMT, and this scene messed her up for the rest of her life. PTSD until she ended it. So tragic for all those involved.

[shamrock]

Finally, a video that doesn't blur out or cover up the reality of the situation. Too many people live inside their protective little bubble thinking things like this only happen in the movies

[mikemorris]

I lost two friends on that flight: R. Hood Cheney and Bryce Bonner. They had both recently moved to LA to begin new lives. They knew each other from Dallas but it was only an unfortunate coincidence they were both on that flight. May they rest in eternal peace.

[grumpy]

I’m sorry you have so much fear. I have been flying since 1981 and am currently a captain at an airline. Your video made me cry for those people. We all know the seriousness of our jobs. We all know that we’re sheepdogs that keep everyone safe. Luckily everything we do now has prevented so many needless deaths. The industry is nothing like it was back then. You wouldn’t recognize it because of the multiple layers of safety. I know we see stuff in the news. But compared to what it was, we’re worlds away from that now.

[bonzomcduffy]

I'm happy this channel isn't afraid to show history instead of blurring out. Thank you.

[marstondavis]

The last words out of the PSA's pilot's mouth were, "I love you, mom". Chilling.

[CRuf-qwyv]

I have been a military based responder to a few crashes. Seen much what is like in this film. One of the hardest was when one of our jets collided with a private airraft. almost 49 years ago, I see the scalp of a beautiful red-haired lady that we recovered. She was on the private plane and the FBI interviewed me and showed me her in-life photos. It always lives with you.

Just a terrible reminder of what 150-200 mph does to a human body on impact. The only consolation is the fact death is instantaneous. RIP to all.

[jerryemt]

I was 17 when this occurred. I recall there were reports of people stealing valuables from the remains. I remember how stunned I was to learn that people can be so heartless.

[triggerpointtechnology]

As a commercial pilot, the last words of the First Officer will always haunt me:
“Ma, I love you”
Facing eternity, I’ve given some thought as to what my own words might be.

[jazzguitarman]

Everyone in San Diego then can remember exactly where they were when this happened. It was a really hot Santa Ana day and you could smell the burning jet fuel miles away. My boss in 1979 had worked for PSA in 1978 and volunteered to help cleanup. He remembered seeing a body strapped into their seat wearing an expensive Brooks Brothers suit, but was missing his head and feet. I’m sure he’s never forgotten that. My wife’s friend just missed this flight and caught the next one, only to fly right over the crash site an hour later.

[davidgarbersr.]

All that air space. 2 planes, cesna, air liner. Taking up the same air space at the same moment. Chilling, sad, heart breaking. So many lives lost. So many lives affected forever. RIP

[rickholland]

Such tragedies are heartbreaking and affect so many people. My wife, Penny and I were EMT/Paramedic partners working on the ambulance together for many years (decades).
This video reminds me of the never-ending carnage, chaos, suffering and death we had to deal with on almost a daily basis.
Critical Incident Stress and PTSD are most definitely real. If they are not managed correctly, it can literally destroy your life.
I remember Penny saying " you hope the fond memories of those you hepled/saved, outweigh the nightmares of those you couldn't".
I knew Penny for 43 great years. Unfortunately she passed away suddenly in 2020. She had over 53 years in service. I still work in EMS, 48 years so far. I hope to exceed her time in service.
I love and miss you, my wonderful wife. But life goes on.

[davidlarson]

Weird seeing my brother in this video. He was the first city employee on scene. Yes, he was traumatized by the event. So was my brother in law. He was a PSA employee who scheduled air crews. He lost several friends in the crash. His trauma cost him his health and life less than 3 years later. I still have the plaque Mayor Pete Wilson awarded to my brother for his involvement in the carnage.

[dennisrohatyn]

One of my students was on that flight. His name was Kirk Smith. He took the first
flight out of LA that morning so that he could get to class on time. He was only in
his third week of college as a freshman, and I was his advisor. I lived about three
miles from the crash site, so I knew immediately where it had happened, as did
many of my colleagues, who lived nearby in Hillcrest, or close to 30th & University.
Whenever I'm in the neighborhood, I stop at Dwight & Boundary to pay my respects.
I wish I'd gotten to know him better. But I will never forget Kirk Smith. Thank you.