Boeing 727-264 accident near Los Angeles, California, June 1, 1987
On June 1, 1987 at about 6:31 am local time, a Boeing 727-264, registered XAFIE, 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). 2 people were seriously injured and 9 people had minor injuries; 142 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
- June 1, 1987 · about 6:31 am local time
- Place
- Los Angeles, California · Los Angeles Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 9 people had minor injuries; 142 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 727-264 · all 727-264s on the register
- Registration
- XAFIE · no longer on the register · serial 21072
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · foreign airline rules (Part 129)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT LANDED ON RWY 25 LEFT AND WAS HOLDING SHORT OF 25 RIGHT FOR A CROSSING CLEARANCE WHEN THE FLIGHT ENGINEER STARTED THE APU. PASSENGERS SEATED IN THE AREA BETWEEN ROWS 20 AND 22 ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CABIN OBSERVED A 'BRIGHT' YELLOW BLOSSOMING GLOW' EMANATE FROM THE APU DISCHARGE DUCT AND ERRONEOUSLY BELIEVED THIS TO BE A FIRE IN THE RIGHT WING. SEVERAL PASSENGERS SHOUTED 'FIRE,' AND, TWO PASSENGERS RUSHED TO THE 19 LEFT OVER WING EMERGENCY EXIT, OPENED IT AND DOVE OUT ONTO THE WING. OTHER PASSENGERS FOLLOWED THE FIRST TWO OUT ONTO THE WING. THE PANIC SPREAD TO THE FORWARD AND AFT AREAS OF THE CABIN AND THE PASSENGERS BEGAN RUSHING TOWARD THE DOORS. THE CREW HEARD THE SHOUTS OF FIRE AND SUBSEQUENTLY STOPPED THE AIRCRAFT AND ORDERED AN EVACUATION.
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, foreign licence
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,655 hours in all; 119 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 34,794 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 14, 1987; 137 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 142,000 lb
- Seats: 165
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D-17R (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GDL Guadalajara at 3:33 am
- Destination: LAX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 25L, 11,096 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 240° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 am from LAX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 8 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 9 | 134 |
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.