San Diego Midair Crash Triggers Disaster Plan
World photo.
After a jetliner and a small private plane collided in midair, the San Diego Fire Department put its disaster plan into operation to control the resultant four-alarm fire that spread over several blocks.
The collision of a Pacific Southwest Airlines Boeing 727 with 136 Persons aboard and a Cessna 172 occurred on September 25 east of Lindbergh Field in San Diego.
The PSA flight, commanded by Captain James McFeron, had been handed off from the FA A controllers at the regional center at Miramar Naval Air Station to the Lindbergh tower approach control around 9 a.m. on that clear September day.
At the same time, an experienced pilot, a Marine sergeant, was taking instrument training on the Cessna. Both the B-727 and Cessna pilots were alerted to look for other aircraft in the vicinity. Both pilots apparently acknowledged the warnings and the PSA crew indicated it had the traffic in sight. Apparently it did not.
’We’re going down’
At 9:02 a.m. the B-727 captain told Lindbergh tower, “we’re going down,” following the midair collision 4 miles east of the airport at 2600-3000 feet.
The controller replied simply: “We’ll send the equipment.”
The tower controller did not see the collision. Therefore, he did not know the specific location.
The tower notified San Diego Fire Communications Center by direct hot line of the incident, but dispatchers had to wait approximately three minutes until more specific information came by telephone and from other sources.
Five blocks away from the collision area, Captain Gary Easton and his three men from Engine 14 were running in a park as part of the department’s physical conditioning program.
World photo.
The firemen heard the noise, looked up in the sky, and saw the aftermath of the collision. Easton thought the engine falling was the other plane.
The captain and his men ran for their engine and began to respond toward the site of the explosion where the 727 hit the ground at a 60-degree angle at Dwight and Niles. The Cessna hit at 30th and Polk, about a mile north.
Two blocks totally involved
As Engine 14 arrived, the captain found a two-block area totally involved in flames, with approximately 12 houses burning. The flames were larger than normal because of the 900 gallons of jet fuel involved. Power lines were down and gas connections were broken.
The hydrant Engine 14 wanted to use was out of service and under repair. The unit had to back down Boundary Street to Landis to hook up to a hydrant and lay to the fire. A 2⅛ and a 1½ -inch line were put into operation at once, attacking from the west.
The area was littered with broken, battered bodies from the jet—an appalling scene!
At the fire alarm center, Battalion Chief Wes Kilcrease said all nine fire lines lit up and numerous calls reported the location. Engine 17, in addition to 14, reported the crash by radio and responded.
Crash response made
A second-alarm aircraft crash response was dispatched, including Engines 14 and 18 (already en route), 17, 19, 11 and 5; Trucks 9, 2 and 7; Rescue 14; Rescue 5 (Oshkosh crash truck); Battalions 4 and 2; and Captain Barry Trehy with Echo 3, San Diego County’s mobile command van.
Second-in Engine 18 had to lay 800 feet of 2½-inch hose to the hydrant because of damaged hydrants as this unit joined the attack from the west side.
First-in Battalion Chief Ed Cooper checked for survivors of the collision and after satisfying himself there could be none, decided to concentrate on containing the fire spread and protecting exposures.
Engine 19 arrived and four hand lines went into operation. As other units moved in, people who had seen the crash flocked to the scene, hampering the movement of fire and rescue operations. Seven engine companies were used at the scene to shuttle and provide water for the pumping units.
Takes command
Fire Chief Dee Rogers was the senior San Diego official in the city and took overall command. He was responsible for coordinating police, fire utility, and medical operations at the scene.
—Wide World photo.
Assistant Chief Bill V. Kent was put in command of the fire and at 9:23 ordered a third alarm, bringing in Engines 26, 12, 28 and 10 and Truck 3.
The major disaster plan was put into action with chiefs assigned to plans, logistics, liaison, command staff, and suppression and rescue.
“It worked well because of our plans,” Rogers said.
Deputy Chief Rogers Phillips had charge of suppression and rescue work and Deputy Chief Ben Holman directed the battalion chiefs commanding sector. Other assignments were: Deputy Chief Don Farney, police liaison; Deputy Chief Charles Van Rickie, logistics; and Chief George, staff assistant.
Buildings searched
As additional engine companies and personnel—including many off-duty fire fighters from San Diego and other departments—arrived, all buildings were searched for casualties. Dozens of ambulances responded, but there were few victims to transport. All 136 persons on the jetliner were dead. Eight died on the ground. A morgue was set up in a nearby school gymnasium.
Rogers said there was virtually no extension of the fire after units arrived. The chief reported no problems during the aggressive attack.
“Our men responded well,” he added.
At 10 a.m., a request was made for the California Department of Forestry’s airborne fire crew, which flew in its 14-passenger helicopter.
At 10:13, a fourth alarm was requested. Engines 31, 20, 36 and 6, Truck 5, and Battalion 6 responded, primarily to relieve first-in units and recover bodies. Relief was necessary because of the temperature of about 104 degrees and the horror of the burned bodies, many of them headless or dismembered.
Fire contained
Rogers reported that by 10:15 the fire was contained and crews went inside the perimeter to extinguish piles of debris and houses.
The fire department reached about 3000 gpm during the attack with 10 2 ½ and five 1 ½ -inch lines.
Twenty-two duplex and single-family houses were damaged and 12 others were destroyed.
Some fire fighters and other rescue personnel suffered deep, mental anguish from working amidst the carnage.
Approximately 60 percent of the city’s fire forces were committed at the peak of the emergency, and mutual aid companies covered San Diego stations.
Total response from San Diego included 119 suppression personnel, 18 staff people, 20 engines, seven trucks, an airport crash rig, a light unit, three utility trucks, a mobile command vehicle and a mobile canteen.
United Press International photo
