Air Crash-Gunman Killed Crew Plus Executive

Picher · March 18, 2013, 04:40 PM

Today, on the Smithsonian Channel, Aircraft Disasters Program, Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 1771 crash investigation showed a handgun barrel being recovered from the crash scene, then the frame and cylinder. I hope it was just a bad reinaction and not the official revolver parts recovered. Why? Because the barrel was from a 44 magnum double-action with full-underlug, but the frame and cylinder was from another handgun with 6 empties, very obviously a Single Action. I couldn't determine the brand/models of each for sure, but the double-action barrel looked like a Taurus. The scene looked like it may have been reconstructed also. The commentator indicated that they were from the same weapon.

There was a piece of flesh from a finger caught in the trigger guard, from which a finger print was lifted, identifying a ground crew employee who had just been fired for theft and a bunch of other infractions. They determined that the guy who fired him was on the flight and it was known that he took the flight on certain days to go back home. The killer still had his I.D. and was able to get on the plane by using the employee bypass to the screening.

The killer wasted the boss, then a stewardess, then the crew. He then pushed the control yoke forward and flew the jet straight down to the ground in a field.

Anyone else seen this show?

lowercase · March 18, 2013, 06:48 PM

It's on youtube. That's where I saw it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByjrOuuAfes

David13 · March 18, 2013, 07:20 PM

I was familiar with the crash, but I have not seen this episode of that show.
I have seen numerous of their other episodes, tho'.
I think the show is titled "Air Disasters". And then maybe some subtitles.
There is also an interesting website, if you are interested in that type of thing (air crashes). The site is airdisaster.com
dc

PetahW · March 18, 2013, 08:30 PM

FWIW, the revolver used in the video, shown in the aircraft's toilet/mirror looks exactly like a stainless L-Frame S&W; and the "recovered" evidence is a silver single-action revolver with a mainspring I've never seen before - a central coil type, with two opposing legs, much like a clothespin spring.

"Artistic license" one could presume, and nowhere near the truth.

.

Picher · March 19, 2013, 06:08 AM

It seems that the investigators could have "manufactured" evidence to close the case. It seems just too "fortunate" to have a 10 or 12 inch piece of flight recorder tape, enough finger to get a finger print, and a note that escaped destruction. Call me a skeptic.

At the very least, we know that there were either two guns, or the re-creation was flawed. Even the earth disturbance looked fake, more like a swimming pool excavation. No bodies, no blood?

Oh well; more sensationalized disaster programming. About as close to reality as "Survivor" and other pseudo-reality shows.

dayman · March 19, 2013, 06:19 AM

It seems extremely unlikely that any of the set was actual debris/evidence from the crash. It also seems safe to assume that - since most of the viewing public wouldn't notice or care - that the production manager simply got "revolver parts" without paying much attention to where they came from.
It wouldn't be worth the time or energy to get authentic parts just to placate the 5-10 people that would notice.
So, I wouldn't read too much into it.

**Spats McGee** · March 19, 2013, 08:26 AM

While interesting, this thread is much more about accuracy in re-enactments than firearms. Accordingly, I'm going to go ahead and close it.

March 18, 2013, 04:40 PM	#1
Picher Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2004 Location: Maine Posts: 3,694	Air Crash-Gunman Killed Crew Plus Executive Today, on the Smithsonian Channel, Aircraft Disasters Program, Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 1771 crash investigation showed a handgun barrel being recovered from the crash scene, then the frame and cylinder. I hope it was just a bad reinaction and not the official revolver parts recovered. Why? Because the barrel was from a 44 magnum double-action with full-underlug, but the frame and cylinder was from another handgun with 6 empties, very obviously a Single Action. I couldn't determine the brand/models of each for sure, but the double-action barrel looked like a Taurus. The scene looked like it may have been reconstructed also. The commentator indicated that they were from the same weapon. There was a piece of flesh from a finger caught in the trigger guard, from which a finger print was lifted, identifying a ground crew employee who had just been fired for theft and a bunch of other infractions. They determined that the guy who fired him was on the flight and it was known that he took the flight on certain days to go back home. The killer still had his I.D. and was able to get on the plane by using the employee bypass to the screening. The killer wasted the boss, then a stewardess, then the crew. He then pushed the control yoke forward and flew the jet straight down to the ground in a field. Anyone else seen this show?

March 18, 2013, 06:48 PM	#2
lowercase Senior Member Join Date: August 30, 2012 Posts: 287	It's on youtube. That's where I saw it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByjrOuuAfes Last edited by lowercase; March 18, 2013 at 06:56 PM.

March 19, 2013, 06:19 AM	#6
dayman Senior Member Join Date: April 18, 2011 Location: The Woods Posts: 1,197	It seems extremely unlikely that any of the set was actual debris/evidence from the crash. It also seems safe to assume that - since most of the viewing public wouldn't notice or care - that the production manager simply got "revolver parts" without paying much attention to where they came from. It wouldn't be worth the time or energy to get authentic parts just to placate the 5-10 people that would notice. So, I wouldn't read too much into it. __________________ si vis pacem para bellum

March 19, 2013, 08:26 AM	#7
Spats McGee Staff Join Date: July 28, 2010 Location: Arkansas Posts: 8,821	While interesting, this thread is much more about accuracy in re-enactments than firearms. Accordingly, I'm going to go ahead and close it. __________________ I'm a lawyer, but I'm not your lawyer. If you need some honest-to-goodness legal advice, go buy some.

March 18, 2013, 07:20 PM	#3
David13 Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2012 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 243	I was familiar with the crash, but I have not seen this episode of that show. I have seen numerous of their other episodes, tho'. I think the show is titled "Air Disasters". And then maybe some subtitles. There is also an interesting website, if you are interested in that type of thing (air crashes). The site is airdisaster.com dc

March 18, 2013, 08:30 PM	#4
PetahW Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2008 Posts: 4,678	FWIW, the revolver used in the video, shown in the aircraft's toilet/mirror looks exactly like a stainless L-Frame S&W; and the "recovered" evidence is a silver single-action revolver with a mainspring I've never seen before - a central coil type, with two opposing legs, much like a clothespin spring. "Artistic license" one could presume, and nowhere near the truth. .

March 19, 2013, 06:08 AM	#5
Picher Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2004 Location: Maine Posts: 3,694	It seems that the investigators could have "manufactured" evidence to close the case. It seems just too "fortunate" to have a 10 or 12 inch piece of flight recorder tape, enough finger to get a finger print, and a note that escaped destruction. Call me a skeptic. At the very least, we know that there were either two guns, or the re-creation was flawed. Even the earth disturbance looked fake, more like a swimming pool excavation. No bodies, no blood? Oh well; more sensationalized disaster programming. About as close to reality as "Survivor" and other pseudo-reality shows.