A pilot issued a heartbreaking message to his mom in his final moments before his plane crashed.
In 1978, Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA) Flight 182 crashed and killed 144 people in what was then labelled as America‘s deadliest plane crash.
Those who died included passengers on the plane, as well as crew members and people on the ground.
Against the odds: Routine flight turns deadly
On the clear September day in 1978, it was a ‘perfect’ day for flying and, while there’s said to be around a 1 in 1.2 million chance of a plane crash taking place, this aircraft happened to be that one.
The crash happened in 1978. (SDASM Archives/Flickr)
The PSA flight collided with another aircraft – Cessna Skyhawk N7711G.
Following the collision, the two planes crashed in San Diego.
The moments leading up to the fatal day were recorded via the cockpit.
Disaster strikes
Local flight controllers had warned the Boeing 727 crew to stay aware of the Cessna that was also in the area. But disaster struck when they lost sight of it.
The pilots presumed that the smaller plane was behind them when they could no longer see it; however, it was just below them.
Pacific Southwest Airlines Boeing 727 crash site. (SDASM Archives/Flickr)
The Cessna proceeded to crash into the PSA plane’s right wing and exploded on impact, killing pilots Martin Kazy Jr and David Boswell.
The large Boeing plane stayed airborne, but ultimately ended up crashing into the ground at speeds of 300mph.
Heartbreaking final moments
All 135 people on board died, with only four of their bodies being found intact.
Prior to hitting the ground, Captain James McFeron, 42, told passengers to ‘brace themselves’.
“Tower, we’re going down, this is PSA,” he proceeded to tell air traffic controllers, adding: “This is it, baby!”
Then an unidentified voice in the cockpit – thought to be McFeron, first officer Robert Eugene Fox, or flight engineer Martin J. Wahne – issued a message to their mom knowing that their death was imminent.
More than 100 people lost their lives on the fateful day in 1978. (SDASM Archives/Flickr)
“Ma, I love ya,” he says.
Horror crash site
The crash site was compared to something from an apocalyptic movie, with many of the deceased’s bodies being dismembered.
“One alley was filled with just arms, legs and feet,” said Gary Jaus, who was still in training at San Diego Police Academy at the time, to San Diego Magazine.
“I worked at Clairemont Mortuary before I became a cop – I was no stranger to dead bodies, but I wasn’t ready to see the torso of a stewardess slammed against a car.”
Other body parts were reported to have landed in trees and on rooftops.
Seven people were killed on the ground, while around 22 houses were damaged or destroyed from the impact.