Originally Posted by jlemon

[B]tonywestsider]: - I agree with you. I did a bit more research into the airline service at PMD. Air West (RW) operated F27s there. Pacific Airlines might also have operated prop equipment there as well. It seems logical that no mainline jet service was provided at PMD because the airport is considered a "hot, high" airport, which makes it difficult to have pure jet operations there.[/I]

I am reminded of a terrible accident that occurred at LAX on February 1, 1991 involving a SkyWest Metroliner turboprop that was departing for Palmdale (PMD). And I had connected through LAX to a SkyWest flight that very evening just hours before the accident occurred......

SkyWest 5569 (which I believe was being operated as a Delta Connection codeshare flight) was cleared for an intersection departure by the LAX tower. By using such an intersection departure, the SkyWest Metroliner was cleared onto the runway over 2000 feet from the threshold. Such intersection departures were common at LAX at that time back when many of the regional airlines primarily operated small turboprop airliners such as the Metro that did not require the full length of the long runways at LAX for take offs. I experienced many such intersection departures at LAX flying on board Metros, Beech 99s and EMB-110 "Bandits" back in the day when I would fly home to the San Luis Obispo area (SBP) via a LAX connection.

However, the tower then mistakenly cleared a USAir B737-300 to land on same runway the SkyWest Metro flight crew had been instructed to taxi onto in preparation for take off. It was dark and the flight crew of USAir flight did not see the Metro sitting on the runway just over 2000 feet from the threshold. I also seem to recall that the ground radar at LAX was not operating correctly that evening. And so USAir 1493 slammed into the SkyWest Metro, killing both pilots and all ten passengers on board the turboprop. 21 persons including the USAir Capt. on board the 733 also died.

As stated above, I boarded a SkyWest Metro operating as a DL Connection flight at LAX just hours before the accident occurred that evening on my way to SBP. And yes, we took off via an intersection departure.

I believe that intersection departures are no longer allowed at LAX.