Boeing 767-201 accident near Los Angeles, California, April 3, 1989
On April 3, 1989 at about 8:17 am local time, a Boeing 767-201, registered N645US, was involved in an accident near Los Angeles, California (Los Angeles airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 219 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FIRST OFFICER DID NOT PROPERLY EVACUATE THE AIRPLANE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 3, 1989 · about 8:17 am local time
- Place
- Los Angeles, California · Los Angeles · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 219 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 767-201 · all 767-201s on the register
- Registration
- N645US · no longer on the register · serial 23897
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DUE TO THE SUSPICIOUS BEHAVIOR OF A PASSENGER THAT ELECTED TO DEPLANE BEFORE THE FLIGHT DEPARTED AND WAS LATER QUESTIONED BY AUTHORITIES, THE CAPTAIN ELECTED TO RETURN AND LAND. DURING AN EMERGENCY EVACUATION, THE FIRST OFFICER OPTED TO EVACUATE THE AIRPLANE VIA THE EMERGNECY ROPE LOCATED IN THE COCKPIT. THE FIRST OFFICER DID NOT FULLY EXTEND THE ROPE FROM THE STOWED POSITON. WHEN HIS WEIGHT WAS PUT ON THE ROPE IT UNRAVELLED RAPIDLY. THE FIRST OFFICER WAS UNABLE TO HANG ON AND DROPPED TO THE GROUND SUSTAINING SERIOUS INJURY. ONE OTHER PASSENGER BROKE HER ANKLE DURING THE 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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 17,500 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,071 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 19, 1989; 149 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 351,000 lb
- Seats: 221
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CF6-80C2 (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Operator: Piedmont Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: LAX Los Angeles CA
- Destination: BWI Baltimore MD
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 260° at 7 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 8 | ||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 | 211 |
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.