Boeing 747-236B accident near Los Angeles, California, February 27, 1987
On February 27, 1987 at about 5:35 am local time, a Boeing 747-236B, registered GBDXK, was involved in an accident near Los Angeles, California (Los Angeles Intl airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under foreign airline rules (Part 129). 1 person was seriously injured and 11 people had minor injuries; 375 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 27, 1987 · about 5:35 am local time
- Place
- Los Angeles, California · Los Angeles Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 11 people had minor injuries; 375 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 747-236B · all 747-236Bs on the register
- Registration
- GBDXK · no longer on the register · serial 22303
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · foreign airline rules (Part 129)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A BOEING 747-236B CREW EVACUATED ALL OCCUPANTS VIA ESCAPE SLIDES AFTER RETURNING TO LOS ANGELES AFTER RECEIVING A SPECIFIC BOMB THREAT. ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURY DURING THE EVACUATION. ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, THE 370 PASSENGERS EVACUATED THE ACFT IN APRX 52 SEC THROUGH 8 EXITS AND USING THE ESCAPE SLIDES. THE TWO UPPER DECK EXITS WERE NOT USED AND THE TWO OVER THE WING EXITS HAD BEEN BLOCKED TO ACCOMMODATE MORE PASSENGER SEATS. THE SERIOUSLY INJURED PASSENGER SUSTAINED A BROKEN ANKLE FROM A COLLISION WITH ANOTHER PASSENGER ON THE SLIDE. ACCORDING TO ONE OF THE CABIN CREWMEMBERS, THE INJURED PASSENGER WAS HIT FROM THE REAR AS SHE WAS GETTING OFF THE BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE AND SHE FELL ONTO THE AIRPORT'S ASPHALT RAMP SURFACE. SHE WAS TREATED AT THE LAX MEDICAL CENTER AND RELEASED. SHE ELECTED TO CONTINUE HER TRAVEL ON THE NEXT AVAILABLE FLIGHT.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,400 hours in all; 5,589 in this make and model; 37 in the last 30 days; 6,826 as pilot in command; 1,637 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16,621 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 793,580 lb
- Seats: 410
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rolls-Royce RB-211 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: EGLL London, Of
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 24L, 10,285 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 320° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:00 am from LAX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 6 | 11 | ||
| Passengers | 1 | 5 | 364 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.