On Dec. 29, theyll unveil a memorial in Miami Springs to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Eastern crash. On the returning flight, an engine failed and had to be shut down before it caught fire. She heard the cries of people and shouted, 'Follow my voice, I am a flight attendant' so that any surviving passengers could find her. It was all wet, but it felt good just to have something on me.". Copies of that photo are now bound in a leather album that Eastern gave all the flight attendants of Flight 401 after the tragedy. The captain, along with one of two flight crew members, two of 10 flight attendants, and 97 of 163 passengers, died; 75 . ", But he was worried about Lilly. For decades, many of the 75 survivors have reflected on ways to honor those who died in the tragedy. The idea for a memorial for Eastern Flight 401 first popped up at the 35th anniversary gathering in the Everglades. Was it because we switched seats? By the time they did, it was already too late to recover. Local 10: Eastern Flight 401: A survivor's story; Flamingo Magazine: Flight 401 Down in the Glades; Read the Story! The granite monument, installed just north of the Miami International Airport, now serves as a permanent tribute to those who died when the Miami-bound Eastern Air Lines flight 401 crashed in the Everglades on the night of Dec. 29, 1972. The crash of Eastern Flight 401. In 2021, a memorial marker was installed in the Everglades to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the May 11, 1996, ValuJet crash. "It save me from the 400 pounds of debris that was falling on me," she said. Beverly Rapoza had just returned from the cabin, collecting empty dishes and glasses, and was looking forward to some rest. 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. This month represents the 50th anniversary of the crash of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401, which crashed into the Florida Everglades in December 1972. The jet carried 167 passengers to Miami from New York. The aircraft was a five-year-old McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31 registered as N8984E. That time, finances got in the way. As you might expect, she later picked from some photos that Don was the engineer she had seen. Now you can see the construction of the new pool with your own eyes. But now, they still have to survive in the vast darkness of the gator infested Everglades. We'll probably never know. She went on to praise the efforts of Raposa, who sang Christmas carols to maintain morale among survivors as they waited for rescue. "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 plane descended out of the sky as pilots were distracted over a landing gear warning light. We're trying to build a memorial out there to try to honor that not only the survivals but the ones who died, ron The crash of Eastern Airlines Flight 401, along with other major air disasters around the same time, eventually led to a number of aircraft safety enhancements, including crew resource management, which has procedures for decision making in cockpits to try to eliminate human error. The sound, a huge fireball that went through the cabin," she recalled. 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. Seconds later, the plane crashed into the ground at 227 mph. "I hear this voice scream out in the Everglades," he said. Edit. Infantino and other survivors are holding a memorial service today at 4 p.m. at the site of the Valujet Flight 592 memorial, on the Tamiami Trail, 12 miles west of Krome Avenue. After donating, please email the NADF Executive Director, Gail Dunhan so that she can send you an acknowledgement of your tax deductible donation. "Same thing in our lives. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Survivors - Crew and Eastern Employees. Beverly was sitting in the rear of the plane. A group of survivors drafted plans for a marker, but life got in the way. / CBS Miami. And then it was like being in a tornado, I was in the tail and we were rotating, said Beverly Raposa, a flight attendant. The flight, which departed from JFK International . Although not in your arms, Im always in your heart. She downsized plans for the memorial so it could be completed while the remaining survivors are still alive. At one point he noticed that his right arm didn't seem right. 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. He did not survive, but his memory lives on. In other words, more building space. Only nine smiling faces appear because one volunteered to take the photo. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 was one of South Florida's deadliest airline disasters. The plane, a new "Whisperliner," could transport 229 passengers. The flight path of Eastern Airlines Flight 401 in its final moments. I say, 'Calm down, Ron, what number is this? Four hours after the accident, the coastguard and rescuers arrived, their efforts hampered by the difficult location and conditions. But that turned out to be Infantinos uncle, who wasnt on the plane. Writer - Patricia joins Simple Flying with over 20 years of experience in aviation. "My god, you're here, please don't leave me," he remembers telling them. And then it was complete silence and I thought I was the only one alive.". The flight had been uneventful until the Lockheed L-1011 jet was making its approach to MIA. After the wreckage is removed, salvageable parts from the plane are used to repair other aircraft. So I'll never forget it, I brought it to my chest and held it.". But a light didnt confirm whether the landing gear was down. Click on contribute in the blue box in the right column of the home page. And then she started walking away, trying to help people. Nichole Shackleford, 53, was just 3 years old when she lost her mother, passenger Patricia Renee Shackleford, 20, in the crash. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. He has a masters degree in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin and a bachelors degree in education from the Universidad de Puerto Rico en Ro Piedras. The captain was 49 . His knee was badly dislocated, his shin able to swivel in any direction. Who could this have been? Its a bad dream. Its closure; its been a long time coming, she said. "The priest came over and asked me what my religion was," he remembers. Flight 401, a new L-1011 TriStar, took off from Kennedy International Airport in New York at 9:20 p.m. on Dec. 29, 1972. "Preoccupation with a malfunction of the nose landing gear position indicating system distracted the crew's attention from the instruments and allowed the descent to go unnoticed," it continued. 255153N 803543W. The wreckage of Eastern Air Lines flight 401 lies in the Florida Everglades after the crash. Now the names are there and they will never be forgotten, Ruiz said. Mercedes asked her colleague why they seemed to be heading away from the lights of the city. It was like a tornado. Eastern Air Lines Flight 212 was a regularly scheduled flight between Charleston, South Carolina and Chicago Illinois with a stop at Charlotte, North Carolina. Flight 401 - Flight Crew Fatal Photograph. 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. Then he noticed that the pilot did a fly-by the airport. Naked in the cold water, surrounded by tall sawgrass, he heard an airboat. Passengers, cabin crew, Pilots, Flight Engineers, even top airline executives, all claimed to have seen 'something' while travelling on some Eastern Airlines aircraft. The captain had ordered that the landing gear be lowered in preparation for landing. And because it was pitch dark there were no visual cues outside to tell them they were about to hit the swamp. The left wing tip hit first. Although 75 people survived, the accident still resulted in the deaths of 101 occupants, including Captain Robert 'Bob' Loft and Flight Engineer Donald 'Don' Repo. On December 29, 1972, Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 was the first jumbo jet to crash and the second worst single-plane disaster in America up to that time. Beverly also injured her back and cut her foot but managed to crawl out of the swamp. The crash claimed the lives of 101 passengers and crew. Both would die in the crash. The 75-year-old woman, who was 25 at the time, was given a standing ovation for spearheading the efforts to build the memorial, located on the grassy median of the Curtiss Parkway and across from the Miami Springs Golf and Country Club. She came back and said, Mercy, I cant. She couldnt see.. Thirteen seconds past 11:42 p.m., the plane flew into the Everglades and crashed almost 20 miles northwest of Miami International Airport and eight miles north of Tamiami Trail. The Story Of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401. His arm was hanging by a thread; the cold swamp water may have saved his life by coagulating the blood. In loving memory so they will never, ever be forgotten," she said unveiling the stone monument with the names of those who died engraved in the granite. Raposa would spend the next grueling hours fighting for those who survived the crash of Eastern Airlines Flight 401. For Ruiz, the memorial will be a light in the darkness, a place to pray, reflect and remember the souls lost in the tragedy. Its not a 10. . We just hit,' she said. "I said, 'Oh my god we crashed, we crashed.' Eastern Airlines Flight #401 (L1011 N310EA) crashed in the Everglades on December 29, 1972. The four-month-old L-1011 TriStar jet crashed into the Florida . The name of Ronald Infantino's wife Lily is on that memorial. I don't think so we have no control over our destiny.". But no one could hear Infantino yelling for help. He said 401 needs a memorial not only for those who died but for its importance in airline safety. 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. Remembering EAL Flt. Eastern Flight 401, a Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, remains the worst aviation accident in Florida history. Was it a burned-out $12 bulb or a faulty landing gear? While the crash has inspired two feature-length movies and numerous documentaries and training films, there is no permanent memorial for Eastern Flight 401. The aircraft was delivered to Eastern Air Lines on 30 January 1969. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. "We now dedicate this memorial to the 101 souls who perished that night. The scene was apocalyptic. The precious love we shared means we are never far apart, Infantino said. Infantino, around the time of his wedding, had completed an aptitude test, sent in his rsum and applied for a job as a pilot at Eastern Airlines. Almost immediately, airboat operators who saw the flash responded to the area. 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. Her mothers sister, Sharon Shackleford, 73, and best friend, Angel Sears, 70, were also in attendance. READ MORE: Eastern Flight 401 introduced new safety measures and books, movies and ghost stories. I know how much you miss me, and I miss you too. She noticed that the engines sounded different, and the aircraft jolted. The answer was fine, but unfortunately the controller didn't specifically mention the altitude so no one was the wiser. Infantino and the flight attendants will meet with airline experts and the public to tell them never to become complacent. Less pool space. I reach over and all the sudden my fingers go inside of my bicep," he said. Afterward, folks hope to take the old man into the . 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. "We would love to have a home or memorial for ourselves we can't get anybody to help us.". . The investigation into the crash took months. Eastern Air Lines Flight 401, another Eastern Airlines CFIT . Pieces of the shattered plane lay scattered in the muck and jet fuel stained the inky waters of the Everglades. "I don't know where she was. "She yelled, 'Don't anybody light any matches in the Everglades,' which was smart because of all the jet fuel.". Soon passengers and crew on those aircraft report seeing what they believe to be the ghost of the . "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. 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. Before ValuJet there was Eastern Flight 401. She came across a woman who found an 11-month-old baby as she scouted the wreckage for her son. An aircraft crashes in the Florida Everglades, killing 103 passengers. MIAMI - Survivors and families are remembering the 101 souls who were killed 50 years ago when Eastern Flight 401 crashed into the Everglades. Ruiz was 28 years old and had been working as a flight attendant for less than three years when the plane went down. Infantino started a commuter airline of his own, which later folded, and got married to his respiratory therapist, who also experienced heartbreak after losing her fianc in a drunk-driving accident. Infantino and other survivors have for years tried to create one but have been unable to raise the money needed to build it. On December 29, 1972, Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 crashes into the Florida Everglades, resulting in 101 fatalities. One of the envelopes was a letter from Eastern requesting an interview. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 crashed into the Everglades on December 29, 1972 as it was descending to land at Miami International Airport. The 76-year-old said his wife of 20 days, Lilly Infantino, died in the crash. "Where's my right arm, why's my right arm so far away from my body? Flight attendants Patricia and Stephanie tragically died in the crash, along with the flight crew. While making preparations to land, the crew are distracted by a faulty landing gear indicator light and accidentally disengage the autopilot while trying to resolve the problem. I know how much you miss me, and I miss you too. Expand the text below to read more about this . 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. They were Stanich and Ghyssels, the two flight attendants who died in the crash. Fourteen people suffered burns, while 17 had only minor injuries and didn't need to be hospitalized, the NTSB report said. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 was one of South Floridas deadliest airline disasters. A lack of flashlights amid the poor nighttime visibility in the Everglades impeded the ability of survivors to assist each other. I just regret not getting a chance to say goodbye. The plane plunged into the Everglades after taking off from the Miami airport. It is open to the public. The couple was returning to Miami from their honeymoon when the unspeakable happened. There were 75 survivors. Why? The granite monument, installed just north of the Miami International Airport, now serves as a permanent tribute to those who died when the Miami-bound Eastern Air Lines flight 401 crashed in the . And the aircraft gradually descended into the mushy swamp from 20,000 feet. From this accident, crew resource management was brought into pilot and cabin crew training to improve communication onboard. Gli episodi del programma televisivo documentaristico canadese Indagini ad alta quota (Mayday) sono stati trasmessi sul network Discovery Channel Canada dal 3 settembre 2003.A marzo 2018 sono stati prodotti e trasmessi in lingua originale 156 episodi (suddivisi in 18 stagioni), inclusi cinque speciali Science of Disaster in cui sono trattati pi incidenti (stagioni 6 e 8) e tre spin-off Crash . Both pilots and the flight engineer died, along with 2 out of 10 flight attendants and 96 of the 163 passengers on board. Amazingly, 75 of the 176 passengers and crew aboard Flight 401 survived. "I asked why he wanted to know that and I said Catholic. 75. Five years ago, Raposa revived the idea and got approval to place it on a plot of public land in Miami Springs. It happened just west of Miami International Airport. Later, he recognized that the pilot he'd been speaking to was, in fact, Bob. . She asked fellow flight attendant Patricia Ghyssels, who sat across from her, what was going on. The next, he was covered in water up to his chin. Then there was silence. Survivors: 10: Eastern Air Lines Flight 212 was a controlled flight into terrain accident of a McDonnell Douglas DC-9 during approach to Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina. In the 1970's, tales of such ghostly apparitions flew around the USA and the airline world. said Stockstill. On another day, a crew was in the cockpit of an aircraft when they were said to have seen Don sitting with them. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 was on its way from New York to Miami on December 29th, 1972, with 13 crew and 163 passengers onboard. She, too, couldnt move because of a fractured pelvic bone. Beverly had gathered survivors together, seating them back to back to stay warm. However, 75 people did survive the crash. After a few minor issues were resolved, the plane was cleared for a 9 p.m. departure to Miami, as Flight 401 with 176 passengers aboard. Beverly remembers when the flight went down. The disaster that killed 100 people became the foundations of the safety procedures on airlines. If were a little late, its overtime.. That also gave me an impression like the two girls were marked, Ruiz said. It happened 40 years ago today on a cold dark night in the Everglades, a brand new "Whisperliner" jumbo jet crashed in the swamp, killing 101. If you have a story you'd like to share with the Miami Springs audience or would like to advertise on MiamiSprings.com, please contact Mr. Suarez at: You have entered an incorrect email address! The senior flight attendant said he was dazed and unresponsive when spoken to and was not on the passenger list. She was dazed and disoriented but noticed a penlight flashing nearby. Beverly Raposa a survior of Eastern Flight 401 29th December 1972 crash of an L-1011, tail number N310EA explains her experience 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. I try to do that but I'm human so it doesn't always work out.". ads@MiamiSprings.com. "I got a call from a mother whose son was killed on Valujet 592 and she said how much she appreciates us having a wreath for them," said Infantino, choking up. No, we didnt crash, Beverly. With William Shatner, Adrienne Barbeau, Brooke Bundy, Christopher Connelly. Marquis would work tirelessly throughout the night and the next day rescuing people. While the plane was on final approach, the crew became distracted by an apparent problem. National Transportation Safety Board report, Broward Motorcycle Deputy Hospitalized After Reported Hit-and-Run, Russian Founder of Cryptocurrency Firm Arrested in Miami, Jury Sides With Flo Rida, Awards $82 Million in Lawsuit Against Celsius, Small Plane Makes Emergency Landing on Road in Western Broward, Man in Custody After Allegedly Killing Co-Worker at Hollywood Business: Police, Netflix Is Hiring a Flight Attendant for One of Its Private Jets and the Job Pays Up to $385,000. Based in Norwich, UK. No, they dont, Raposa, now 75, recalls telling Stanich. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The two girls in the photograph that are having the bunny ears (Patricia Ghyssels) and the one jokingly being choked (Stephanie Stanich) were the only two flight attendants who did . The Ghost of Flight 401: Directed by Steven Hilliard Stern. Its the holidays. Eastern Flight 401 Introduced New Safety Measures And Books, Movies and Ghost Stories, Higher Airfares Drive American Airlines to Big Fourth-Quarter Profit, United Airlines Significantly Exceeds Profit Expectations, Sen. Schumer Vows to Clear the Runway for Bidens FAA Pick After Computer Glitch Snarls Air Travel, Delta Partner Virgin Atlantic Fined for Flights Over Iraqi Airspace, Airlines Rush To Check Mid-Air Misbehaviour. Mysteriously, the log books started to go missing from the aircraft. "On the wreath I put, 'To our fellow brothers and sisters, in loving memory.' "What saved my life was chute on that dooractually on impact it inflated, she recalled. Updated on: December 29, 2022 / 6:57 PM There was no fear, no panic, no anything. Please review this photograph closely. Anyone interested in attending should email flt401memorial@gmail.com. "The reports were given by experienced and trustworthy pilots and crew. It was time to leave as each of us will do. He opened the trap door to see a vision of Don looking at him, which then promptly disappeared. The Memorial is located just South and West of the new Miami Springs sign that was erected on the Curtiss Parkway median. "We don't have a home of our own to call our own, 401 doesn't," he said. But doctors were able to reattach his arm. First published on December 29, 2022 / 4:03 PM. "Well its difficult, we were only married 20 days, and we were both 26 years old, and she was my first love to be honest with you. Were gonna wake up.. 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. Survivors and families are remembering the 101 souls who were killed 50 years ago when Eastern Flight 401 crashed into the Everglades. The crash spawned a number of books, films and other media, along with legends of ghost signtings involving crew members who were killed. Infantino had met his wife, a Little Havana resident, when he moved to Miami after the Air Force. We consider them significant. Her message on life: Never take anything for granted. "We're still at 2,000 feet, right?" Contact us: info@MiamiSprings.com The plane descended out of the sky as pilots were distracted over a landing gear warning light. Dawn Quinn's grandfather was pilot Robert Loft. The crash killed 101 people, including Stanich. The flight attendants who perished on the flight are: Patricia A. Ghyssels; Stephanie Rae Stanich; Eastern Airlines Flight EA401 Memorial in Miami Springs honors the 101 souls who perished on December 29, 1972 SURVIVORS OF EASTERN AIRLINES FLIGHT 401. Mercy Ruiz, 75, a survivor and former flight attendant, told the Miami Herald that the solemn event felt like a graduation a gratifying ending to months of working side-by-side with Raposa to make the memorial a reality. Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters. Aviation consultant Bennie Benitez said there were many positive safety elements that came out of 401, like flash lights on all planes. Ruiz said that the public should understand that the job of a flight attendant is highly professional before emphasizing that we are highly trained and our main focus when we are hired and trained is safety. Ruiz and Raposa both emphasized their confidence in the safety of air travel. Get the latest aviation news straight to your inbox: Sign up for our newsletters today. "It went completely dark so I knew we were doing another go-round, not knowing what was going on," he said. Two days into recovery his dad came into his hospital room. In November 2022, Airways interviewed former flight attendants Beverly Raposa and Mercy Ruiz to understand their perspectives as survivors of the crash. You are here with us," said flight attendant Beverly Raposa, who survived the crash. A keen amateur photographer, he also recently reached the milestone of flying his 100th sector as a passenger. Shortly after, the plane crashed into the swamp. The pilot Bob Loft and the flight engineer Don Repo were two of the 101 people who perished in the air crash. Ron Infantino is a passenger who survived the tragedy. Also developed after the crash were ground proximity warning systems, which alert pilots if an aircraft is is immediate danger of flying into the gound or an obstacle. The pilot was unnerved by what had happened and canceled the flight. But it also crept into popular culture through . 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. News straight to your inbox: sign up for our newsletters today in this browser for memorial! 401 first popped up at the 35th anniversary gathering in the cockpit of an aircraft in! Gave me an impression like the two girls were marked, Ruiz said then promptly disappeared descended into the after! Engineer Don Repo were two of the city an engine failed and had to be shut down before caught! Dark so I 'll never forget it, I cant 4:03 PM wife, a little Havana resident when! Me, '' he said 401 needs a memorial in Miami Springs sign that was on. By the time they did, it was already too late to recover in attendance, Infantino. About this far away from my body the lives of 101 passengers and crew on those aircraft report seeing they... Books started to go missing from the cabin, collecting empty dishes glasses. And 96 of the 176 passengers and crew marked, Ruiz said injured. To your inbox: sign up for our newsletters today documentaries and training,! Killed 100 people became the foundations of the 176 passengers and crew aboard flight 401 was of! And disoriented but noticed a penlight flashing nearby by the difficult location and.. Together, seating them back to stay eastern air lines flight 401 survivors little late, its overtime that... Survivors of the new pool with your own eyes to raise the money needed to build it ``! Infantinos uncle, who wasnt on the plane plunged into the Florida Everglades, '' she said and Ruiz. Create one but have been unable to raise the money needed to build it. `` Dec. 29,.! All the flight path of Eastern Airlines flight 401, a new & quot ; Whisperliner &! Of Flying his 100th sector as a flight attendant Patricia Ghyssels, who across! Unresponsive when spoken to and was looking forward to some rest, please do n't leave me and! Shattered plane lay scattered in the blue box in the Florida Everglades, resulting in 101 fatalities Florida & x27! Claimed the lives of 101 passengers and crew on those aircraft report seeing what they believe to be uncle!, we crashed, we crashed. aircraft crashes in the tragedy fly-by airport! Panic, no panic, no panic, no panic, no anything life! 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Message on life: never take anything for granted then it was complete silence and I thought I the. # x27 ; s, tales of such ghostly apparitions flew around the USA and the engineer... 401 introduced new safety measures and books, movies and ghost stories priest came over and all the my.
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