Students play on athletic field where tragedy stalked year ago today
Alternative Title
Valley Times Photo Collection;
Contributor
This project was supported in whole or in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian Made accessible through a grant from the John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation and Photo Friends
On January 31, 1957, a Douglas DC-7B transport plane crashed into the school yard of Pacoima Junior High School, 9919 Laurel Canyon Boulevard, after colliding with a Northrop F-89J Scorpion jet trainer plane. Debris was also strewn across the grounds of Terra Bella Elementary School, adjacent to the junior high, and Pacoima Congregational Church, next door to the school. Three students and five airmen died and many more students were injured. The radarman aboard the jet was the only airman who survived. See images 00147115 through 00147134 for all photos in this series. Photograph caption dated January 31, 1958 reads, "End of death plunge - Still smoldering from its death plunge, this engine from DC-7B airliner forms crater in basketball court at Pacoima Junior High School shortly after passenger ship collided with F-89J Scorpion Jet five miles above San Fernando Valley and then fell raining fire and debris over athletic area of school one year ago today. Three students, four crewmen were killed and 74 other youngsters were injured in crash, worst in Valley history. Jet crashed into hills abounding La Tuna Canyon where other crewmen died." Same photograph (image 00147091) originally ran on February 1, 1957. See image 00147124 for additional photo in this series.
Pacoima Middle School (Los Angeles, Calif.) Pacoima Middle School (Los Angeles, Calif.)--Students Middle schools--California--Pacoima (Los Angeles) Schools--California--Los Angeles Playgrounds--California--Los Angeles Dwellings--California--Pacoima (Los Angeles) Aircraft accidents--California--Los Angeles Accident victims--California--Los Angeles Airplanes--California--Los Angeles Spectators--California--Los Angeles Men--California--Los Angeles Scorpion (Jet fighter plane) Pacoima (Los Angeles, Calif.)
If you're wondering about permissions and what you can do with this item, a good starting point is the "rights information" on this page. See our terms of use for more tips.
Share your story
Has Calisphere helped you advance your research, complete a project, or find something meaningful? We'd love to hear about it; please send us a message.
