A look at some of the strange tales that emerged after the accident. Flight attendants Patricia and Stephanie tragically died in the crash, along with the flight crew. Flight engineer Don Repo is also said to have appeared onboard flights in a strange, supernatural manner. 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. Off-topic, inappropriate or anonymous posts may be removed. The jumbo jet had been making a late evening flight from New York to Miami. Contact us: info@MiamiSprings.com "I was leaning back, my eyes half closed, and all the sudden I hear the engines go to full power," he said. A lack of flashlights amid the poor nighttime visibility in the Everglades impeded the ability of survivors to assist each other. 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! Tell people you love them. 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. Infantino served in Vietnam, but it was this flight, not war that brought him closest to death. Raposa added that Flight 401 has also been widely incorporated into safety training for pilots and flight attendants. Thanks to Jim Kalafus for the corrected names of Flight 401 victims drawn from Dade Country death certificate files and his continued research and participation in this effort. 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. Both pilots and the flight engineer died, along with 2 out of 10 flight attendants and 96 of the 163 passengers on board. The aircraft was a Lockheed L-1011-1 TriStar traveling from New York to Miami. Survivors. 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. I say, 'Calm down, Ron, what number is this? . Washington, DC 20006, Online Donations can be made at www.PlaneSafe.org. The plane was heading away from the city lights. The Memorial is located just South and West of the new Miami Springs sign that was erected on the Curtiss Parkway median. The group will also try to raise funds for a memorial to honor those who died. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Beverly saw a sea of colors before being knocked out. He didn't know it, but it was Robert "Bud" Marquis, who was out frog-gigging with a friend. Tomorrow is not a given, she said. 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. gadunham@aol.com. 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. The event, which will begin at 1 p.m., is open to the public. Although the sightings were reported in a Flight Safety Foundation publication, the Eastern Air Lines CEO dismissed the claims, and employees were warned not to talk about the sightings. Eastern Airlines Flight 401. While in the cockpit one day, preparing for the flight, another pilot heard loud knocks from under the floor beneath him. In November 2022,Airwaysinterviewed former flight attendants Beverly Raposa and Mercy Ruiz to understand their perspectives as survivors of the crash. On Dec. 29, theyll unveil a memorial in Miami Springs to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Eastern crash. However, she explained that it was huge and funds were just not raised for that, and we talked about maybe three to four years ago about maybe doing something smaller.. Infantino had met his wife, a Little Havana resident, when he moved to Miami after the Air Force. Beverly Raposa switched seats from her regular position in the galley for a flight from New York to Miami. Visit miamiherald.com. "It was so cold I can't describe it.". By the time they did, it was already too late to recover. My arm was hanging there. If you need help with the Public File, call (954) 364-2526. They were working all night with gear on the boots in the swamp and the mud.". He had bad sawgrass cuts all over his face. There has not been one day in the last 50 years that they havent been in my heart and that I havent wanted to make sure that I kept my promise to them. 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. The plane, a new "Whisperliner," could transport 229 passengers. Beverly vowed to make a permanent memorial to those who were killed. A flash fire also developed from sprayed fuel. At the front of the aircraft, Sue Tebbs and Adrienne Hamilton were seated for landing. The flight, which departed from JFK International . However, 75 people did survive the crash. Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 was a scheduled flight from New York JFK to Miami.Shortly before midnight on December 29, 1972, the Lockheed L-1011-1 TriStar crashed into the Florida Everglades, causing 101 total fatalities. Copyright - Florida Web Marketing, Inc. Nestor Suarez is the Publisher of MiamiSprings.com since 1997. It was so dark she couldnt see her hands in front of her. Almost 40 years ago, Eastern Airlines flight 401 crashed. Four hours after the accident, the coastguard and rescuers arrived, their efforts hampered by the difficult location and conditions. "It felt so good. All Rights Reserved , Southwest Pilots Association President Calls for Strike Vote, Iberia, TAG Airlines to Start Codeshare Agreement, Delta Air Lines Firms Order for 12 Additional A220s, Lufthansa Submits Offer to Acquire a Stake in ITA Airways, Airways Top 10 Never-built Commercial Aircraft, 12/11/1996: Oasis International Airlines Ceases Operations, Air Baltic Becomes First European Airline to Offer, Emirates Returns First Refurbished A380 to Service, FAA Issues National Ground Stop for Florida Airports. Seventy five people survived. The crash killed 101 people, including Stanich. "The blessing was we didn't know we were about to crash. Those were the last words recovered from the flight voice recorder. There was no fear, no panic, no anything. The appearance of the dead flight engineer () was confirmed by the flight engineer." The latest local, regional and national news events are presented by the Local 10 News Team along with updated sports, weather and traffic. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 was on its way from New York to Miami on December 29th, 1972, with 13 crew and 163 passengers onboard. One survivor, certain Marquis carried him to safety, once showed up with a $1,000 check. Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 traveled from New York to Miami. In other words, more building space. "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. The pilot Bob Loft and the flight engineer Don Repo were two of the 101 people who perished in the air crash. Then, luggage shot out of the overhead bins. The crash of Eastern Flight 401. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Lockheed L-1011 crashed into the Florida Everglades. Aboard were 13 crew members and 163 holiday travelers. The plane, which was in an angled turn at the time, struck the swamp and began to flip, breaking apart and spitting the passengers to the ground. She encouraged them to sing Christmas carols . READ MORE: The day when an Eastern Airlines jet crashed into the Florida Everglades. The couple had two sons. READ MORE: An Eastern plane crashed into the Everglades in 1972. 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. Promote your organization with Miami's #1 hyperlocal community website. 103 passengers and crew members died in the crash or shortly thereafter and 75 passengers/crew survived. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 was one of South Florida's deadliest airline disasters. Aviation consultant Bennie Benitez said there were many positive safety elements that came out of 401, like flash lights on all planes. It was time to leave as each of us will do. The 50th Anniversary of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 Memorial Monument will be dedicated in a 1300 EST ceremony on December 29, 2022. Eastern Flight 401: A survivor's story. Beverly attended to the injured and calmed any survivors she found. The captain had ordered that the landing gear be lowered in preparation for landing. Fortunately, there were 75 survivors during that horrible tragedy of late 1972. McQuigg and Raposa went on to continue flying, with McQuigg still working in the profession. The disaster took the lives The lights of Miami vanished behind them. His arm was hanging by a thread; the cold swamp water may have saved his life by coagulating the blood. 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 the aircraft gradually descended into the mushy swamp from 20,000 feet. . "These poor people were still my responsibility. "The priest came over and asked me what my religion was," he remembers. 2022 Miami Herald. The plane plunged into the Everglades after taking off from the Miami airport. The incident occurred on September 11, 1974, killing 72 of the 82 people on board. The plane then veered to the left and was thrown into darkness. All of the bodies were recovered, 99 perished that night, two more would die from their injuries. The former flight attendants described one gathering in the Everglades where airboats from around Florida turned up to help commemorate crash victims. Now the names are there and they will never be forgotten, Ruiz said. I try to do that but I'm human so it doesn't always work out.". 2023 Endeavor Business Media, LLC. Soon passengers and crew on those aircraft report seeing what they believe to be the ghost of the . 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. Raposa, who worked in a travel agency after leaving Eastern, reminds herself to not leave the house angry and to tell her loved ones how much she cares for them because returning is never a guarantee. It is open to the public. Why them two?. A desperate search and rescue effort began almost immediately. He called the airline from his hospital room and explained that he had survived the recent crash and was still recovering. "The tail turned over, the floor opened under me and I went down with 400 pounds of debris on me," she said. In one of South Florida's worst air disasters, Eastern Airlines Flight 401 from New York's JFK Airport to Miami crashed on Dec. 29, 1972, in the Everglades after the crew became distracted by a burned out landing-gear light. But it also crept into popular culture through . She found Beverly and commented 'it's a bad dream, we are going to wake up.' In another part of the Everglades, flight attendant Mercy Ruiz shivered, her body soaked in kerosene. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. Perhaps the most extraordinary and credible research into the ghost phenomenon ever documented is the so-called "Ghosts of Flight 401."On December of 1972, an Eastern Airlines Tri-Star jetliner, Flight 401, crashed into a Florida swamp.Read the accident report (PDF). It helps me put life in perspective, you see.". If were a little late, its overtime.. And because it was pitch dark there were no visual cues outside to tell them they were about to hit the swamp. Flashlights also became a standard piece of safety equipment at each jump seat. "I number things one to ten in my life, ten's the plane crash," he says. The death toll was, in 1972, the highest of any one-plane accident. (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. From this accident, crew resource management was brought into pilot and cabin crew training to improve communication onboard. . The investigation into the crash took months. The crew had previously been encouraged to report every incident pertaining to the flight in the aircraft log books, and many sightings were recorded. asked Loft. We consider them significant. 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. 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. At 7:45 p.m. on December 29 that year, an Eastern Air Lines jet out of Tampa, Fla. arrived at Kennedy Airport, one of the airline's hubs, for routine maintenance. READ MORE: Eastern Flight 401 introduced new safety measures and books, movies and ghost stories. Then came the final and fatal mistake. One minute, he was resting in his seat with his arms folded. 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. Nichole Shackleford, 53, was just 3 years old when she lost her mother, passenger Patricia Renee Shackleford, 20, in the crash. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 was one of South Floridas deadliest airline disasters. They described Renee, as they called her, as adventurous, smart, outspoken and a woman who was ahead of her time. And he is delighted he will get to dine more often at one of his favorite restaurants, Kamiko Sushi Bar in Doral. In the cockpit: Capt. . She noticed that the engines sounded different, and the aircraft jolted. Expand the text below to read more about this . It was all wet, but it felt good just to have something on me.". Almost immediately, airboat operators who saw the flash responded to the area. The airline still wanted to interview him for an opening that he could start after his health improved. She woke in darkness, still in her jump seat hanging to one side, choking on the acrid jet fuel fumes. The pilot was unnerved by what had happened and canceled the flight. Ann Connell, Barry Connell, Angelo Donadeo, Patricia R Georgia, Adrianne Ann Hamilton, Jennifer Larsen, Thomas Mulcahy, Mercedes V Ruiz, Beverly Jean Raposa, Trudy J Smith, Sue F. Tibbs, Sharon R Transue, Dorothy M Warnock. READ MORE: There was another tragedy in Miami after Eastern Flight 401. Shortly before the scheduled landing at about 11:30 that night, Lilly went to the restroom and when she came back they switched seats. She came across a woman who found an 11-month-old baby as she scouted the wreckage for her son. 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. 19 de agosto de 1972 (fonte: Jetsite ) O voo 401 da Eastern Air Lines, realizado por um avio Lockheed L-1011, foi vtima de um acidente tendo cado num pntano da Flrida, Estados Unidos (nos chamados Everglades) na noite do dia 29 de dezembro de 1972, causando a morte de 101 das 176 pessoas, entre passageiros e tripulantes, que seguiam a . Advertise: Call 305.775.4094 or email: 50 years later, memorial dedicated to survivors, families of Eastern Flight 401 crash. Raposa, who now lives in Broward County, studied to become a flight attendant just steps away from the memorial site. I don't think so we have no control over our destiny.". "My grandfather was a kind, humble, perfectionist. All rights reserved. "I just remember their heavy breathing. "Next thing I knew, we hit the left wing tip first, everything out of the overheads flew over. The memorial monument will be accessible by foot and car, with parking and benches located nearby. Beverly Raposa was a bubbly, 25-year-old flight attendant onboard Eastern Airlines Flight 401 from New York to Miami when the plane slammed into the Everglades at 225 miles per hour near midnight . The captain was 49-year-old James Edward Reeves, who had been with Eastern Air Lines since 1956. From there a series of seemingly small mistakes and oversights led to the epic crash. The couple was returning to Miami from their honeymoon when the unspeakable happened. The heroism of Marquis and others and the heartbreaking loss of life that night are remembered and honored in an exhibit opening January 14 at HistoryMiami Museum in downtown Miami. 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. According to DeWitt, the monument also represents how through a terrible tragedy in Flight 401, the industry eventually put safety first in many ways.. Get the latest aviation news straight to your inbox: Sign up for our newsletters today. Marquis would work tirelessly throughout the night and the next day rescuing people. . Copies of that photo are now bound in a leather album that Eastern gave all the flight attendants of Flight 401 after the tragedy. As the aircraft circled over the Florida Everglades, the flight crew were fixated on whether the landing gear was, in fact, down and the indicator light was faulty. Bud Marquis raced to the scene to assist survivors and he used his head-mounted light to signal the first U. S. Coast Guard HH-52A as to where . The other 101 people on Eastern Airlines Flight 401 died quite horribly 98 in the Everglades where the airplane crashed, three later in hospitals. The wreckage of Eastern Air Lines flight 401 lies in the Florida Everglades after the crash. She, too, couldnt move because of a fractured pelvic bone. Raposa was one of 75 survivors. Only nine smiling faces appear because one volunteered to take the photo. 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. Robert Loft, 55; First Officer Albert Stockstill, 39, and Second Officer Donald Repo, 51, all of Miami-Dade. At that moment Infantino was resting in his seat. "Ah, tower this is Eastern, ah, four zero one, it looks like we're gonna have to circle, we don't have a light on our nose gear yet," the pilot told the control tower at MIA. I reach over and all the sudden my fingers go inside of my bicep," he said. The tragedy would never have occurred but for a single, burnt-out light bulb . Almost 40 years ago, Eastern Airlines flight 401 crashed. "They were screaming, next thing I knew it, the overhead luggage was flying all over the place and the lights were going on and off like crazy. https://new.miamisprings.com/images/news/pool-capture.jpg. Writer - Patricia joins Simple Flying with over 20 years of experience in aviation. First published on December 29, 2022 / 4:03 PM. 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. Its closure; its been a long time coming, she said. But now, they still have to survive in the vast darkness of the gator infested Everglades. Now, survivors are planning the first memorial marker. 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. 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. 2020 Pennsylvania Ave NW #315 ads@MiamiSprings.com. Oh, Mercy, stop complaining, Ghyssels responded. 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. 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. The crash was a result of the flight crew's failure to recognize a deactivation of the autopilot during their attempt . His right arm was nearly severed, his left knee broken, his chest crushed. Anyone wishing to donate can write a check payable to the National Air Disaster Foundation or donate online. Shortly after, the plane crashed into the swamp. On another flight, a flight attendant is said to have seen Don's face on the oven door. One hundred and one lives were lost that late December evening, with 75 passengers and crew . Pieces of the aircraft scattered across the sawgrass. Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 was a Lockheed L-1011 Tristar 1 jet that crashed into the Florida Everglades on the night of December 29, 1972, causing 101 fatalities (77 initial crash survivors, two died shortly afterward). 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 aircraft assigned to Eastern Airlines Flight 401 that December 29th was an L-1011 from Lockheed, often referred to as a Whisperliner due to its quiet engines. Raposa had found her. "I said, 'Please don't leave me here alone, I'm so cold,'" he remembers pleading with her. Truth or scare? 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. Infantino, then 26, awoke bobbing in the swamp, unable to move with an injured arm, chest and knee. "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. The swamp water that may have saved him also caused him to get gangrene, causing it to swell to three times its normal size and smell "like rotten eggs." On the night of December 29th, 1972, he was a passenger on Eastern Airlines Flight 401 from New York to Miami. It was the first fatal crash involving not only the Lockheed TriStar, but, indeed, a widebody aircraft of any kind. This story was originally published December 29, 2022 7:10 PM. But what was inside was the real prize: a Kodak Instamatic camera and rolls of film. Give or take a word, the announcement is remembered verbatim by virtually every survivor. Contact: brent@airwaysmag.com, 2022 Airways Publishing, LLC. It also offered the opportunity to discuss their efforts to commemorate victims prior to the December 2022 inauguration of the 50th Anniversary of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 Memorial Monument. A well-known fatal accident recounted from surviving cabin crew. It also offered the opportunity to discuss their efforts to commemorate victims prior to the December 2022 inauguration of the 50th Anniversary of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 Memorial Monument. I said, 'I know what you're going through because I lost somebody too.' Its an invasive species, Surfside candidate who lost election bid is now in jail on murder charges in Broward, Have you seen Maura Lockhart? An aircraft crashes in the Florida Everglades, killing 103 passengers. She has served as cabin crew on flights from economy-class to private jets. Raposa explained that over many years, we worked, trying to put something together, emphasizing the development of a tribute for Flight 401. Raposa was one of 75 survivors. Wow, what an experience that was. 75. The rescuers, Coast Guard members and Miami-Dade fire fighters and police officers, worked throughout the night finding survivors. He was flying from New York that night with his bride of 20 days, Lilly. Less pool space. 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. . Its the holidays. He held out hope that his wife had survived another patient with their last name was admitted to a hospital in Florida. 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. The crash changed the course of the aviation industry through new safety measures that require pilots to maintain communication with the cabin crew and require flight attendants to carry larger flashlights. There were 10 flight attendants in the main cabin serving 163 passengers. Omar is a bilingual and bicultural journalist, covering breaking news in South Florida for the Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald. All rights reserved, WATCH LIVE: Small Plane Makes Emergency Landing on Roadway in Western Broward. The crash killed 101 people, including Stanich. 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. As you might expect, she later picked from some photos that Don was the engineer she had seen. Ruiz also described the anniversary as an opportunity to reflect on the lives lost in the crash. But no one could hear Infantino yelling for help. 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. The scene of the wreckage of Eastern Airlines Flight 401 in the Everglades west of Miami International Airport. Raposa said she has flown for over 20 years for business, saying she sleeps like a baby every time she flies. Both would die in the crash. "She said, 'I have to find my family, but here's my sweater.' Amazingly, 75 of the 176 passengers and crew aboard Flight 401 survived. Airboats represent a certain degree of sentimental value for survivors of Flight 401. We also informed you that much of the money was going into creating more buildings. Eastern Air Lines Flight 212 was a regularly scheduled flight between Charleston, South Carolina and Chicago Illinois with a stop at Charlotte, North Carolina. Copyright 2023 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. Raposa was among 75 "miracle survivors." Another 101 died. "The autopsy was drowning. I just regret not getting a chance to say goodbye. Were gonna wake up.. So when Im stuck in traffic, I say, Ron, What number is this? The flight crew had taken pictures as a keepsake for what would have been their last trip of the year together. The plane descended out of the sky as pilots were distracted over a landing gear warning light. The flight crew had not realized that the autopilot had been accidentally switched off and the aircraft was descending. No, they dont, Raposa, now 75, recalls telling Stanich. "On the wreath I put, 'To our fellow brothers and sisters, in loving memory.' During the five hours, a female passenger came up to him and began to walk away. Raposa emphasized that she feels safer up there. Raposa concluded that 50 years beyond the crash, survivors and supporters still carry the victims of Flight 401 in their hearts. 255153N 803543W. They were surprised to hear the sound of singing in the darkness. Love aviation history? Bob Loft decided to try to troubleshoot and fix the light before landing and put the plane on autopilot. The idea for a memorial for Eastern Flight 401 first popped up at the 35th anniversary gathering in the Everglades. "I don't know where she was. 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. I number things from 1 to 10, and 10 [is] a plane crash, he said. To the flight 401 survivors - Franoise Riette December 30, 2020, 5:02 pm. It was a huge fireball. Sometimes, it doesnt seem like 50 years.. But a light didnt confirm whether the landing gear was down. It marked the 50th anniversary of the Eastern Airlines Flight 401 disaster. Her mothers sister, Sharon Shackleford, 73, and best friend, Angel Sears, 70, were also in attendance. In 2015 we warned you that the new Miami Springs pool was going to be much smaller than the grand olympic sized pool we had for over 50 years. In any case, it was far from the first time that the deceased pilot had supposedly been spotted after his death. After donating, please email the NADF Executive Director, Gail Dunhan so that she can send you an acknowledgement of your tax deductible donation. This is somewhere where I can come to visit her apart from her gravesite, Shackleford said. Patricia has a master's level postgraduate diploma in Human Factors in Aviation and has written about aviation since 2010. . One of them was Ron Infantino, an Air Force veteran in Vietnam and aviation aficianado. Today's story is one of tragedy, of course, but it's also one of heroism and bravery. Based in Dubai, Photo: Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives, Eastern Airlines Flight 401: A Cabin Crew Perspective, Avelo Air Seeing Strong Bookings For New Wilmington Base, Another JFK Incident: JetBlue Airbus A321 Bumps Into Parked Plane, European Airlines Plan To Hit Back At Short-Haul Flight Bans, The Rules & Regulations That Dictate The Hours That Cabin Crew Can Work, Bouncing Back: Libya To Hold Its First Aviation Forum This Weekend. 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 . Why? He wanted to look further and reportedly found a problem that could have caused a serious accident. There were 75 survivors. Her face was burnt, but the coolness of the swamp seemed a relief. "They're home," Beverly said. Its a bad dream. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 was one of South Florida's deadliest airline disasters. An Eastern Airlines jet heading from New York to Miami crashed in the Everglades 50 years ago. Featured Image: Eastern Airlines Lockheed L1011 N310EA, the airframe involved in flight 401. In November 2022, Airways interviewed former flight attendants Beverly Raposa and Mercy Ruiz to understand their perspectives as survivors of the crash. Beverly has often wondered how she survived how anyone survived. "She yelled, 'Don't anybody light any matches in the Everglades,' which was smart because of all the jet fuel.". According to George Rodez who will be hosting a special event at the History Miami Museum, . On the returning flight, an engine failed and had to be shut down before it caught fire. 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. "The reports were given by experienced and trustworthy pilots and crew. People were screaming, and partially clothed dead bodies were face down in the water. "Same thing in our lives. Those still in a sufficiently usable state were used again on the Eastern Air Lines fleet. Were talking about 75 people who have varying degrees of injuries and now have to navigate an airplane wreckage in the alligator infested swamp. The four-month-old L-1011 TriStar jet crashed into the Florida . Ultimately, the probable cause was determined to be "the failure of the flight crew to monitor the flight instruments during the final 4 minutes of flight, and to detect an unexpected descent soon enough to prevent impact with the ground," the NTSB report said. That time, finances got in the way. The precious love we shared means we are never far apart, Infantino said. 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. Amid the planes wreckage, her cream-colored, company-issued suitcase was the only one that remained intact. Checks can be made payable to: National Air Disaster Foundation "They put me in a helicopter and I'll never forget they gave me a warm blanket," he said. 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). Ruiz also described the adoption of shoulder straps on jump seats as another significant safety development that followed the crash of Flight 401. This commemorative event in the Everglades represented one of many, which also included smaller meetings among survivors and supporters. 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. The video below recounts the moment by moment incident that led to the crash as well as interviews with some of the survivors and witnesses. "He said they found Lilly's body," he said. The pair also described takeaways for the public around aviation safety to go along with memorial efforts for Flight 401. (Photo by Steve Starr/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images), Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. 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. Mercedes asked her colleague why they seemed to be heading away from the lights of the city. One of the envelopes was a letter from Eastern requesting an interview. The answer was fine, but unfortunately the controller didn't specifically mention the altitude so no one was the wiser. That memory never goes away, he told the Miami Herald 50 years later. For decades, many of the 75 survivors have reflected on ways to honor those who died in the tragedy. In a June 1973 report NTSB investigators said it was possible that the altitude hold function on the autopilot was accidentally disengaged, causing the plane to gradually descend from the 2,000-foot altitude. There were 75 at the time, 20 years ago tonight. Hardly anyone has stopped by in 35 years to discuss the crash. Eventually, all of the salvaged parts were removed from aircraft, and neither Bob nor Don were ever seen again. All rights reserved, WATCH LIVE: Small Plane Makes Emergency Landing on Roadway in Western Broward, 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. "I'm one person in the midst of all this," Marquis told NBC News back in 2007. "They were incredible," says Infantino. Mercy Ruiz, 29, also noticed something strange that night. Eastern Airlines Flight #401 (L1011 N310EA) crashed in the Everglades on December 29, 1972. The 76-year-old said his wife of 20 days, Lilly Infantino, died in the crash. The scene was apocalyptic. In it, the crew pranked two of the flight attendants: one with devil horn fingers coming from her head and another jokingly grabbed by the neck. "We now dedicate this memorial to the 101 souls who perished that night. READ MORE: Were down. Flight 401 crashed in Miami 50 years ago. When youve stared death in the face just as I have, she said, you dont take things for granted anymore.. 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 Memorial is along the Curtiss Parkway median directly across from the driving range. 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. But today, for Infantino, is about Lilly and the other lost lives. Local 10: Eastern Flight 401: A survivor's story; Flamingo Magazine: Flight 401 Down in the Glades; Read the Story! She was dazed and disoriented but noticed a penlight flashing nearby. It was like a tornado. He did not survive, but his memory lives on. On duty that day was also Stephanie Stanich, Trudy Smith, Sharon Transue, Beverly Rapoza and Dorothy Warnock. Raposa would spend the next grueling hours fighting for those who survived the crash of Eastern Airlines Flight 401. Anyone interested in attending should email flt401memorial@gmail.com. . / CBS Miami. They had not realized that the autopilot was disconnected, which ultimately caused the plane to lose altitude and crash. He was so weak that doctors opted to operate without anesthesia. She downsized plans for the memorial so it could be completed while the remaining survivors are still alive. Ron Infantino is a passenger who survived the tragedy. He had 8,876 flight hours, including 3,856 hours on the DC-9. 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. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 left a mark on the aviation industry and permanent scars for survivors and loved ones of those who died in the crash. "And it was just hanging off. Expand All . Flight Capt. The City of Miami Springs hosted a Beautiful Memorial Ceremony on Thursday, December 29, 2022. A keen amateur photographer, he also recently reached the milestone of flying his 100th sector as a passenger. With the public crash of flight 401 lies in the crash of Eastern Airlines flight 401 traveled New... About Lilly and the other lost lives L1011 N310EA ) crashed in the midst of all this, he... Into darkness said to have seen Don 's face on the Curtiss Parkway median was away. 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