He wanted to look further and reportedly found a problem that could have caused a serious accident. In 2021, a memorial marker was installed in the Everglades to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the May 11, 1996, ValuJet crash. We reach over 20,000 people each month. The flight had left JFK Airport in New York en-route to Miami International Airport when it went down shortly before midnight on Dec. 29, 1972, in the swampland some 18 miles west-northwest of the airport. A lack of flashlights amid the poor nighttime visibility in the Everglades impeded the ability of survivors to assist each other. Nonetheless, at one point, efforts appeared to come to a standstill until the beginning of 2022, when Raposa, in a conference call, emphasized a desire for action ahead of the 50th anniversary. . The crash killed 101 people, including Stanich. Only nine smiling faces appear because one volunteered to take the photo. Please enter valid email address to continue. Eventually, all of the salvaged parts were removed from aircraft, and neither Bob nor Don were ever seen again. Against the backdrop of a bright green and quiet golf course, some of the survivors accompanied by Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and Miami Springs officials mourned the dead, prayed for their souls and vowed to always remember them. They described Renee, as they called her, as adventurous, smart, outspoken and a woman who was ahead of her time. Organizers are still seeking donations to cover the cost of the memorial, a bill that stands at about $20,000. He spends most of his vacations in Miami. Was it a burned-out $12 bulb or a faulty landing gear? There was no fear, no panic, no anything. "The tail turned over, the floor opened under me and I went down with 400 pounds of debris on me," she said. Mercedes was thrown from the aircraft, still trapped in her jump seat with injuries to her head and a broken pelvis. Ruiz was 28 years old and had been working as a flight attendant for less than three years when the plane went down. She heard the cries of people and shouted, 'Follow my voice, I am a flight attendant' so that any surviving passengers could find her. His knee was badly dislocated, his shin able to swivel in any direction. "We now dedicate this memorial to the 101 souls who perished that night. It happened just west of Miami International Airport. "I can't see it, it's pitch dark and I throw the little light, I get, ah, nothing," the second officer said, according to the report. The granite marker, engraved with the names of the people who perished, will stand in a median near the Miami Springs Country Club for future generations to see. Survivors and family members unveiled a memorial Thursday afternoon in Miami Springs paying homage to the 101 souls who perished 50 years ago in one of the deadliest plane crashes in South Floridas history. Eastern Airlines, mistakenly believing they . A well-known fatal accident recounted from surviving cabin crew. Those still in a sufficiently usable state were used again on the Eastern Air Lines fleet. The flight had been uneventful until the Lockheed L-1011 jet was making its approach to MIA. If you can hear my voice, dont light a match, flight attendant Beverly Raposa called out as she regained consciousness in the darkness. This is somewhere where I can come to visit her apart from her gravesite, Shackleford said. Raposa said she has flown for over 20 years for business, saying she sleeps like a baby every time she flies. She asked fellow flight attendant Patricia Ghyssels, who sat across from her, what was going on. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 crashed into the Everglades on a moonless night on December 29, 1972. 255153N 803543W. "Brand new, spacious, the seating was gorgeous, there was a beautiful lounge in the back.". With the 50th anniversary comes an opportunity for remembrance and reflection, to honor the lives lost and contemplate the tremendous improvements in aviation safety that followed the accident. Were talking about 75 people who have varying degrees of injuries and now have to navigate an airplane wreckage in the alligator infested swamp. Aircraft and crew The aircraft involved was a five-year-old McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31 registered as N8984E, which was delivered to Eastern Airlines on January 30, 1969. Its not a 10. . "Same thing in our lives. Dozens of people were airlifted to local hospitals from the scene. The aircraft was a five-year-old McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31 registered as N8984E. "It was almost five hours before they even found me, five hours in the same spot, the same spot, I couldn't move, I couldn't get up," he said. This week, there will be a special commemoration of the new monument on Curtiss Parkway in memory of the 101 souls lost fifty years ago on Eastern Airlines Flight 401. We'll probably never know. Edit. It is open to the public. / CBS Miami. The lights of Miami vanished behind them. But it also crept into popular culture through . The plane actually spun in a circle, the floor dropped and I woke up in the water," he recalled. Give or take a word, the announcement is remembered verbatim by virtually every survivor. Amid the confusion, the distracted crew didnt notice the auto pilot button was switched off. The crash killed 101 people, including Stanich. "I'll be reading names," he said, "and after each name a candle will be lit until 101 candles are lit.". They had not realized that the autopilot was disconnected, which ultimately caused the plane to lose altitude and crash. She, too, couldnt move because of a fractured pelvic bone. She downsized plans for the memorial so it could be completed while the remaining survivors are still alive. Updated on: December 29, 2022 / 6:57 PM And then she started walking away, trying to help people. Almost immediately, airboat operators who saw the flash responded to the area. She called two of her fellow crew members in to witness what she had seen. "The NTSB, when they studied it, they said this crash was unsurvivable, yet 75 miracles came out of there.". The precious love we shared means we are never far apart, Infantino said. His right arm was nearly severed, his left knee broken, his chest crushed. The watercraft can easily traverse the swampy conditions of the Everglades and played an integral role in the rescue efforts that followed the crash. Dawn Quinn, 59, the granddaughter of flight 401 Captain Robert A. Loft, said she was 9 years old when she heard that her grandfathers plane had crashed. Eastern Air Lines flight 401 encountered no problems while cruising between the two cities. Expand All . A group of survivors drafted plans for a marker, but life got in the way. The couple had two sons. But no one could hear Infantino yelling for help. Survivors will unveil a memorial marker on a grassy median of Curtiss Parkway in Miami Springs, across from the country club, on Dec. 29, the anniversary of the crash. Today's story is one of tragedy, of course, but it's also one of heroism and bravery. Who could this have been? Five years ago, Raposa revived the idea and got approval to place it on a plot of public land in Miami Springs. . Controllers gave their OK and told the crew to maintain an altitude of 2,000 feet, as the plane, which had been over the airport turned back over the Everglades. In the cockpit: Capt. Miami Springs, a bedroom community bordering Miami International Airport, was home to many Eastern employees in the 1970s and 80s. "He said they found Lilly's body," he said. . Why them two?. Local 10: Eastern Flight 401: A survivor's story; Flamingo Magazine: Flight 401 Down in the Glades; Read the Story! I didn't know what to do.". There's so many good things, positive things came out of Flight 401, that this plane crash can never happen again with all the safety features put on it, said Infantino. I don't think so we have no control over our destiny.". Theres another photo Ruiz has analyzed over the years. The monument, Ruiz said, represents the thoughts, the prayers, and all the efforts involved in refusing to forget each and every one of the victims. The names of each person who perished on Flight 401 will be engraved on the granite monument. For decades, many of the 75 survivors have reflected on ways to honor those who died in the tragedy. Remembering EAL Flt. And then it was like being in a tornado, I was in the tail and we were rotating, said Beverly Raposa, a flight attendant. Survivors now have a message, It gives me and my fellow surviving passengers, crew members and family members of loved ones who perished a time to all come together and remember them since we never had a chance to say goodbye, Raposa said. Why? "We did something to the altitude," the first officer remarked, and the captain's reply was "What? Those were the last words recovered from the flight voice recorder. The harrowing tale of three survivors of the 1972 crash of Eastern Airlines flight 401 into the Everglades. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 was on its way from New York to Miami on December 29th, 1972, with 13 crew and 163 passengers onboard. DALLAS December 29, 2022, will mark a half-century since the fatal crash of Eastern Air Lines (EA) Flight 401. All of the bodies were recovered, 99 perished that night, two more would die from their injuries. If you need help with the Public File, call (954) 364-2526. - Flight Safety Foundation. The Douglas DC-9-31 carried 78 passengers and four crew members. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Robert Marquis, an airboat captain out hunting frogs that night, witnessed the crash and rushed to the rescue, suffering burns to his face, arms, and legs as he ferried survivors to safety. Raposa had found her. It was the first fatal crash involving not only the Lockheed TriStar, but, indeed, a widebody aircraft of any kind. Beverly had gathered survivors together, seating them back to back to stay warm. READ MORE: Eastern Flight 401 introduced new safety measures and books, movies and ghost stories. An Eastern Airlines jet heading from New York to Miami crashed in the Everglades 50 years ago. Based in Dubai, Ghosts On A Plane? Forty-five years ago, when Officer Gray Leonhard of the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission began a solo night patrol in the Everglades, he was on the lookout for poachers, drug smugglers and maybe even a bullet-riddled corpse. Writer - Patricia joins Simple Flying with over 20 years of experience in aviation. The flight crew had taken pictures as a keepsake for what would have been their last trip of the year together. Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 was a Lockheed L10111 Tristar jet that crashed into the Florida Everglades at 1142pm December 29, 1972, causing 101 fatalities (99 initial crash fatalities, two died shortly afterward). (Ron Infantino) On the 29th of December 1972, an Eastern Air Lines Lockheed L-1011 Tristar landing in Miami, Florida plowed into the Everglades well short of the airport, throwing dozens of survivors into a grisly fight for survival. Eastern Flight 401, a Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, remains the worst aviation accident in Florida history. Infantino, then 26, awoke bobbing in the swamp, unable to move with an injured arm, chest and knee. The couple dated for a few years before getting married in December 1972. The plane was heading away from the city lights. Although not in your arms, Im always in your heart. Throughout the course of aviation history, there have been several other ghost stories. Seventy five people survived. It helps me put life in perspective, you see.". For Ruiz, the memorial will be a light in the darkness, a place to pray, reflect and remember the souls lost in the tragedy. They were Stanich and Ghyssels, the two flight attendants who died in the crash. The plane then veered to the left and was thrown into darkness. Fourteen people suffered burns, while 17 had only minor injuries and didn't need to be hospitalized, the NTSB report said. The scene of the wreckage of Eastern Airlines Flight 401 in the Everglades west of Miami International Airport. At one point he noticed that his right arm didn't seem right. MIAMI - Survivors and families are remembering the 101 souls who were killed 50 years ago when Eastern Flight 401 crashed into the Everglades. The flooring of the plane crumbled. Miami, Florida Dec 10, 2022 (Issuewire.com) - Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 was on its final approach into Miami shortly before midnight 50 years ago this month when a single light bulb on the aircraft's instrument panel failed to illuminate.Momentarily distracted, the flight crew failed to notice as the Lockheed L-1011 slowly dropped from the sky and into the blackness of the Everglades below. The event, which will begin at 1 p.m., is open to the public. But doctors were able to reattach his arm. We consider them significant. "The blessing was we didn't know we were about to crash. The bottom line was that the pilot and crew became so concerned about a burnt-out lightbulb that they neglected to notice the altitude dropping. The memorial monument will be accessible by foot and car, with parking and benches located nearby. Literally you were inside a tornado.". Eastern Air Lines Flight 401: 28 May 2008 () On 29 December 1972, Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 is on a flight to Miami International Airport. In November 2022,Airwaysinterviewed former flight attendants Beverly Raposa and Mercy Ruiz to understand their perspectives as survivors of the crash. The crash of Eastern Flight 401. According to the Official Eastern Airlines Flight 401 history website, the passengers that survived the flight are: In addition to the passengers, the following crew members and Eastern Airlines employees also survived the crash: To visit the Memorial, just head towards the Miami Springs Golf and Country Club and park at the southern edge of the parking along Curtiss Parkway or at the Driving Range. So when Im stuck in traffic, I say, Ron, What number is this? Pin. In addition to commemorating Flight 401, the creative talent behind the exhibit is seeking to help survivors raise the funding needed to create a permanent large-scale memorial to Flight 401's victims and survivors in the City of Miami Springs, once home to a thriving Eastern Air Lines community. Although not in your arms, Im always in your heart. One survivor, certain Marquis carried him to safety, once showed up with a $1,000 check. All the survivors were injured; 60 received serious injuries and 17 suffered minor injuries that did not require . Eastern employees visited Infantino for a two-hour interview. Looking back, Ruiz, now 78, who worked at Eastern until the company stopped flying in 1991, sees signs in the events of Dec. 29, 1972. Was it because we switched seats? The cockpit crew, scrambling to identify the problem, got permission from air traffic control to circle the Everglades. "She yelled, 'Don't anybody light any matches in the Everglades,' which was smart because of all the jet fuel.". Before ValuJet there was Eastern Flight 401. Passengers, cabin crew, Pilots, Flight Engineers, even top airline executives, all claimed to have seen 'something' while travelling on some Eastern Airlines aircraft. The City of Miami Springs hosted a Beautiful Memorial Ceremony on Thursday, December 29, 2022. Truth or scare? Fatal Flight: Eastern Airlines Flight 401 50 Years Later, Now Open: Self-Help Credit Union Opens in Miami Springs, How to Find a Reputable Staffing Agency in Miami, Famous Flamingos Fly to Familiar Refuge Each Night, Lowest Number of New COVID Cases Since October, COVID-19 Cases Unexpectedly Increased Last Week, Gazette Publisher Should Do Comprehensive Investigative Reporting, How to Create a Dating App Like Tinder and Succeed, Charles B. Stafford: The Only Miami Springs Police Officer Killed in the Line of Duty, Christina Aguilera Premiers Video Filmed at Curtiss Mansion, Narcotics Arrest at NW 36th Street and LeJeune, Councilwoman Bravo Signals No Confidence in City Attorney. "It felt so good. "The reports were given by experienced and trustworthy pilots and crew. "You couldn't even say goodbye to each other, that's how fast it happened, said crash survivor Ron Infantino, whose wife Lily died in the crash. Raposa was among 75 "miracle survivors." Another 101 died. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. It all happened so quickly that he couldnt turn to check on his wife of 20 days, Lilly Infantino, who sat beside him on the flight from New York to Miami. . Please review this photograph closely. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 - Crash Investigation, Findings and Passenger List . Dawn Quinn's grandfather was pilot Robert Loft. Hjs wife was not with him. In the hospital, Infantino barely survived. Get the latest aviation news straight to your inbox: Sign up for our newsletters today. Aviation consultant Bennie Benitez said there were many positive safety elements that came out of 401, like flash lights on all planes. She said it was ironic that he died in one of his favorite places in the world the Everglades. "I hear this voice scream out in the Everglades," he said. Then, luggage shot out of the overhead bins. Bound for Miami, Flight 401 took off from New York's JFK at 9:20 p.m. Multiple Emmy award winning journalist Ted Scouten has been the familiar face at the scene of international stories that have affected South Florida since 1998. Seconds later, the plane crashed into the ground at 227 mph. Raposa was one of 75 survivors. The Memorial is located just South and West of the new Miami Springs sign that was erected on the Curtiss Parkway median. Through five decades, lessons stick with the survivors of 401. Promote your organization with Miami's #1 hyperlocal community website. Southern Airboat and other organizations also plan to honor Bud and the victims and survivors of Eastern Flight 401 with a service and a barbecue in Miami. The scene was apocalyptic. I said, 'I know what you're going through because I lost somebody too.' "On the wreath I put, 'To our fellow brothers and sisters, in loving memory.' "It save me from the 400 pounds of debris that was falling on me," she said. She has served as cabin crew on flights from economy-class to private jets. My arm was hanging there. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 was one of South Florida's deadliest airline disasters. The appearance of the dead flight engineer () was confirmed by the flight engineer." Here today, we hope that everyone, myself included, will find peace with this memorial monument.. North Miami Beach, FL (PRWEB) December 7, 2007 On Monday, December 3, 2007 survivors of Eastern Airlines Flight 401, gathered at the Metro-Dade Firefighters Memorial Building, in Doral (Miami), Florida, to remember the 101 passengers and crew, who lost their lives in the fateful crash of a Lockheed L-1011, jumbo-jet in the Florida Everglades, December 29, 1972, while en route from New York to . Raposa added that Flight 401 has also been widely incorporated into safety training for pilots and flight attendants. Its an invasive species, Surfside candidate who lost election bid is now in jail on murder charges in Broward, Have you seen Maura Lockhart? On another flight, a flight attendant is said to have seen Don's face on the oven door. Pieces of the shattered plane lay scattered in the muck and jet fuel stained the inky waters of the Everglades. Love aviation history? . Tomorrow is not a given, she said. "Next thing I knew, we hit the left wing tip first, everything out of the overheads flew over. Josef El Rey Martinez was officially introduced as the newest member of Inter Miami on Wednesday morning, but the Venezuelan forward and former MLS MVP is hardly a newcomer to South Florida. And he said the disaster taught him something about life. Former flight attendant Beverly Raposa, one of 75 people who survived after the plane crashed with 176 people on board, said that she has never forgotten the passengers and crew members who died. A flash fire also developed from sprayed fuel. Patricia McQuigg, Beverly Raposa, and Mercy Ruiz joined Infantino this week at a program to teach airline experts and passengers the lessons learned from a dark night in the Everglades. Eastern Air Lines Flight 401, another Eastern Airlines CFIT . Definition: Here is something interesting that we discovered during our research. How could this have happened? To the flight 401 survivors - Franoise Riette December 30, 2020, 5:02 pm. The Story Of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401, took a look at the eight most intriguing examples. The death toll was, in 1972, the highest of any one-plane accident. But before we begin this spooky tale, we must first go back to December 29, 1972 on board Eastern . She said her mom had moved to Connecticut and was coming home to surprise her family before New Years. Proudly serving the community since 1997. The latest local, regional and national news events are presented by the Local 10 News Team along with updated sports, weather and traffic. (Photo by Steve Starr/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images), Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. . The idea for a memorial for Eastern Flight 401 first popped up at the 35th anniversary gathering in the Everglades. The jet carried 167 passengers to Miami from New York. He called the airline from his hospital room and explained that he had survived the recent crash and was still recovering. The group wanted to balance their pose, so they stood in two lines of four with one of the flight attendants stretching out over the top of a closet. The flight attendants' reports after the accident helped to change safety equipment onboard, including the use of shoulder harnesses on all jump seats, which was not the case at the time. Eastern Air Lines Flight 401, 50 Years On, Aviation journalist and Daily Caller contributor who counts playing and teaching golf among his many hobbies, follow him on Twitter @realBrentFoster. Ruiz continued her career as a flight attendant, flying for both EA and United (UA) in the years following Flight 401. The plane, a new "Whisperliner," could transport 229 passengers. I have a beautiful family, and I got my wings back, and I just keep moving forward, said McQuigg. Infantino and other survivors have for years tried to create one but have been unable to raise the money needed to build it. According to a National Transportation Safety Board report, the pilots placed the landing gear handle down but noticed the green light that indicates that the nose landing gear is fully extended and locked failed to illuminate. It was a huge fireball. The Lockheed L-1011 was the pride of the Eastern fleet and the first of a new generation of wide-body jumbo jets to crash. I just regret not getting a chance to say goodbye. Woman, 66, has been missing for weeks, Miami cops say, Date night: Ivanka Trump posts picture with Jared Kushner at this Miami hot spot, Miami to Palm Beach lawyers email trouble, aggravated battery, fighting disbarment, DeSantis appoints a Lourdes Academy staffer to the Miami-Dade School Board, Former state Rep. Grieco should have law license temporarily suspended, report says, A Coral Gables attorney suspended in 2020, disbarred in 2022 wants to be back by July, Suspect arrested after Miami gas station clerk is stabbed multiple times. All are South Florida survivors of the crash of Eastern Flight #401 now trying . But now, they still have to survive in the vast darkness of the gator infested Everglades. Two days into recovery his dad came into his hospital room. 2022 Miami Herald. With Ernest Borgnine, Gary Lockwood, Tina Chen, Kim Basinger. Discover more of our stories here! "I asked, 'Where's my wife?' On the night of December 29th, 1972, he was a passenger on Eastern Airlines Flight 401 from New York to Miami. Total construction cost: $5 MILLION. Had we had flashlights that night, Ruiz continued, every person that was ambulatory could have helped. Flashlights eventually came to flight attendant crew stations ten years after the crash. Another time, a captain was asked to check on a passenger in first class who was in a pilot's uniform. One of the worst air disasters in South Florida history happened exactly 50 years ago Thursday, when Eastern Airlines Flight 401 slammed into the Florida Everglades, killing more than 100 people and leading to the implementation of several aviation safety measures. Raposa was one of 75 survivors. He would later learn the voice came from flight attendant Beverly Raposa, who would later lead survivors in Christmas carols to try to keep their spirits up in the cold night. Patricia commented on the fact that it was the holiday season and maybe they'd earn some overtime. Her face was burnt, but the coolness of the swamp seemed a relief. A desperate search and rescue effort began almost immediately. While in the cockpit one day, preparing for the flight, another pilot heard loud knocks from under the floor beneath him. The crash of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 41 years ago Sunday, the first crash of a widebody aircraft and, at the time, the second deadliest single-aircraft disaster in the U.S., led to wide-ranging changes in on board safety that continue to positively affect air travel today. He said 401 needs a memorial not only for those who died but for its importance in airline safety. She was dazed and disoriented but noticed a penlight flashing nearby. Before ValuJet there was Eastern Flight 401. Almost 40 years ago, Eastern Airlines flight 401 crashed. It was a picture no one was supposed to see, and instead, it has been all over the world, known for being taken right before the disaster. ", "We're still at two thousand right?" Three days after the crash, Lilly Infantinos body was found. 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