Though air traffic was not heavy at Los Angeles airport, the local controller was distracted as Flight 1493 was on final approach by a series of abnormalities, including an aircraft that inadvertently switched off the tower frequency and a misplaced flight progress strip, which resulted in the SkyWest flight being told to taxi into takeoff position while the USAir flight was landing on the same runway without the Metroliner ever being given a takeoff clearance.
Upon landing, the 737 collided with the twin-engine turboprop, continued down the runway with the turboprop crushed beneath it, exited the runway, and caught fire. All 12 people aboard the smaller plane were killed, as well as an eventual total of 23 out of the 89 passengers on the Boeing.
Though air traffic was not heavy at Los Angeles airport, the local controller was distracted as Flight 1493 was on final approach by a series of abnormalities, including an aircraft that inadvertently switched off the tower frequency and a misplaced flight progress strip, which resulted in the SkyWest flight being told to taxi into takeoff position while the USAir flight was landing on the same runway without the Metroliner ever being given a takeoff clearance.
Upon landing, the 737 collided with the twin-engine turboprop, continued down the runway with the turboprop crushed beneath it, exited the runway, and caught fire. All 12 people aboard the smaller plane were killed, as well as an eventual total of 23 out of the 89 passengers on the Boeing.