Debra Watterson Vuylsteke was among the 43 people killed when Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 1771 crashed near Cayucos, California, on December 7, 1987. The flight from Los Angeles to San Francisco was taken over by David Burke, a terminated former employee of USAir, who carried a concealed firearm, shot the pilots and several passengers — including his former supervisor — and then caused the plane to crash. All aboard perished.

The attack exposed security gaps that allowed a weapon to be smuggled onto the aircraft and prompted a wide legal response from victims’ families against USAir and Pacific Southwest Airlines, as well as changes in airline screening and security procedures. The crash remains one of California’s deadliest mass murders and a reminder of the consequences of workplace grievance turned violent.

If anyone knew Debra Watterson Vuylsteke or has information about her life and the people she was with, please share what you can.