Statecharts: A Visual Formalism for Complex Systems (1987) [pdf]

Statecharts were originally developed for the design of in-flight software for fighter aircraft.

Also of interest is David Harel's account of the history and development of Statecharts.[0]

[0] Statecharts in the Making: A Personal Account http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~harel/papers/Statecharts.H...