On December 29, 1972, Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 crashes into the Florida Everglades, resulting in 101 fatalities. But that turned out to be Infantinos uncle, who wasnt on the plane. The plane was heading away from the city lights. . All rights reserved, WATCH LIVE: Small Plane Makes Emergency Landing on Roadway in Western Broward. The 50th Anniversary of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 Memorial Monument will be dedicated in a 1300 EST ceremony on December 29, 2022. One survivor, certain Marquis carried him to safety, once showed up with a $1,000 check. . "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. We just hit,' she said. She downsized plans for the memorial so it could be completed while the remaining survivors are still alive. This story was originally published December 29, 2022 7:10 PM. "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. Was it because we switched seats? Flight attendants Mercedes Ruiz and Patricia McQuigg were working at the rear of the aircraft. Its not a 10. . 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. That memory never goes away, he told the Miami Herald 50 years later. Writer - Patricia joins Simple Flying with over 20 years of experience in aviation. The U.S. Coast Guard had been quickly notified by the tower at MIA and had helicopters airborne almost immediately from their station in Opa-locka. Her message on life: Never take anything for granted. Raposa emphasized that those who died that fateful day are gone but never, ever forgotten., The developmental process of the monument represented both a commemoration of the Flight 401 victims and decades of collaboration among survivors. Later, he recognized that the pilot he'd been speaking to was, in fact, Bob. After the wreckage is removed, salvageable parts from the plane are used to repair other aircraft. Get the latest aviation news straight to your inbox: Sign up for our newsletters today. He had 8,876 flight hours, including 3,856 hours on the DC-9. "She said, 'I have to find my family, but here's my sweater.' 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. They didn't find her body until two days later," he said. The jumbo jet had been making a late evening flight from New York to Miami. The Story Of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401, took a look at the eight most intriguing examples. Definition: Here is something interesting that we discovered during our research. While Flight 401 came with intense loss, Ruiz emphasized that it spurred many significant safety developments in the aviation industry, from the advent of cockpit resource management (CRM) to the adoption of ground proximity warning system (GPWS) devices in commercial airliners. I put the sweater around me under the water. It was like a tornado. And the aircraft gradually descended into the mushy swamp from 20,000 feet. No, they dont, Raposa, now 75, recalls telling Stanich. Beverly Raposa a survior of Eastern Flight 401 29th December 1972 crash of an L-1011, tail number N310EA explains her experience I survived, she didn't. Five years ago, Raposa revived the idea and got approval to place it on a plot of public land in Miami Springs. (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. The lights of Miami vanished behind them. The watercraft can easily traverse the swampy conditions of the Everglades and played an integral role in the rescue efforts that followed the crash. The plane actually spun in a circle, the floor dropped and I woke up in the water," he recalled. People were screaming, and partially clothed dead bodies were face down in the water. What none of the passengers in the plane knew was that the light for the nose gear wasn't working. The aircraft was delivered to Eastern Air Lines on 30 January 1969. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. She woke in darkness, still in her jump seat hanging to one side, choking on the acrid jet fuel fumes. The Ghost of Flight 401: Directed by Steven Hilliard Stern. 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 didn't know what to do.". 255153N 803543W. At that moment Infantino was resting in his seat. He was very dedicated," she said. Fundraising was a challenge, but Raposa said radio appearances and the support of former Eastern Air Lines employees bolstered efforts. And he is delighted he will get to dine more often at one of his favorite restaurants, Kamiko Sushi Bar in Doral. The airline still wanted to interview him for an opening that he could start after his health improved. "Same thing in our lives. 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.. I have a beautiful family, and I got my wings back, and I just keep moving forward, said McQuigg. Beverly has often wondered how she survived how anyone survived. ", But he was worried about Lilly. The cockpit crew, scrambling to identify the problem, got permission from air traffic control to circle the Everglades. She heard the cries of people and shouted, 'Follow my voice, I am a flight attendant' so that any surviving passengers could find her. 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. Now the names are there and they will never be forgotten, Ruiz said. There were 75 survivors. We also informed you that much of the money was going into creating more buildings. As you might expect, she later picked from some photos that Don was the engineer she had seen. Passengers, cabin crew, Pilots, Flight Engineers, even top airline executives, all claimed to have seen 'something' while travelling on some Eastern Airlines aircraft. The experienced flight crew was distracted when the landing gear light failed to come on, which they believed was caused by a blown bulb. 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. Eastern Airlines Flight #401 (L1011 N310EA) crashed in the Everglades on December 29, 1972. Raposa would spend the next grueling hours fighting for those who survived the crash of Eastern Airlines Flight 401. She was dazed and disoriented but noticed a penlight flashing nearby. 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. 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. Its just special to me that we are remembering all the people who lost their lives, Quinn 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. ", "We're still at two thousand right?" Raposa said a turning point came when supporter Shannon DeWitt offered to help coordinate fundraising and construction efforts for a monument, a pivot from the original idea of a tribute. The investigation into the crash took months. He held out hope that his wife had survived another patient with their last name was admitted to a hospital in Florida. The crash claimed the lives of 101 passengers and crew. The incident occurred on September 11, 1974, killing 72 of the 82 people on board. With Ernest Borgnine, Gary Lockwood, Tina Chen, Kim Basinger. Flight attendants Patricia and Stephanie tragically died in the crash, along with the flight crew. "The crew was so preoccupied with a 50-cent life bulb, they missed the whole picture," he said. I can also come here to feel her and be close to her.. 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 . Now you can see the construction of the new pool with your own eyes. I know how much you miss me, and I miss you too. Checks can be made payable to: National Air Disaster Foundation gadunham@aol.com. Wow, what an experience that was. In another part of the Everglades, flight attendant Mercy Ruiz shivered, her body soaked in kerosene. The list of passengers who perished on Eastern Airlines flight EA401 and honored on the Memorial are: The list of pilots who perished on Eastern Airlines flight EA401 are: The flight attendants who perished on the flight are: Fortunately, there were 75 survivors during that horrible tragedy of late 1972. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 was on its way from New York to Miami on December 29th, 1972, with 13 crew and 163 passengers onboard. "It felt so good. the first officer asked, and the captain immediately exclaimed "Hey, what's happening here?". "We don't have a home of our own to call our own, 401 doesn't," he said. In the hospital he learned just how bad off he was. "It banked to the left and those engines roared to take off power and we hit. The captain had ordered that the landing gear be lowered in preparation for landing. It's certainly not a ten. The Story Of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401. He says he thinks about the crash every day and it has defined the way he looks at life. He did not survive, but his memory lives on. She said her mom had moved to Connecticut and was coming home to surprise her family before New Years. The idea for a memorial for Eastern Flight 401 first popped up at the 35th anniversary gathering in the Everglades. 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. To the flight 401 survivors - Franoise Riette December 30, 2020, 5:02 pm. The following is a list of survivors and victims of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401. In November 2022,Airwaysinterviewed former flight attendants Beverly Raposa and Mercy Ruiz to understand their perspectives as survivors of the crash. "I don't know where she was. Off-topic, inappropriate or anonymous posts may be removed. It happened just west of Miami International Airport. After placing a seat cushion under Ruizs head, Raposa left to search for other survivors. Shortly after, the plane crashed into the swamp. 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. The sound, a huge fireball that went through the cabin," she recalled. Raposa was one of 75 survivors. While the crash has inspired two feature-length movies and numerous documentaries and training films, there is no permanent memorial for Eastern Flight 401. Updated on: December 29, 2022 / 6:57 PM He reportedly then said, "Watch out for fire in this plane.". Then, luggage shot out of the overhead bins. His knee was badly dislocated, his shin able to swivel in any direction. Fourteen people suffered burns, while 17 had only minor injuries and didn't need to be hospitalized, the NTSB report said. She encouraged them to sing Christmas carols to keep their spirits up, a mark of courage and stoicism in the face of a dire situation. Beverly remembers when the flight went down. "My god, you're here, please don't leave me," he remembers telling them. Literally you were inside a tornado.". Before ValuJet there was Eastern Flight 401. "I love my profession so I overcame that part of my life. Before ValuJet there was Eastern Flight 401. 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. But before we begin this spooky tale, we must first go back to December 29, 1972 on board Eastern . We'll probably never know. Infantino and other survivors have for years tried to create one but have been unable to raise the money needed to build it. Today Infantino will present two wreaths, one for Flight 401 and the other for Valujet, the 1996 Everglades crash that killed all 110 on board. 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 . Naked in the cold water, surrounded by tall sawgrass, he heard an airboat. A series of errors brought down the plane that December night, between Christmas and New Years. Ruiz said that the NTSB interviewed herself and other surviving crew members as part of the official accident report, each of whom agreed that flashlights represented one item they wished they possessed on the night of the crash. The couple was returning to Miami from their honeymoon when the unspeakable happened. Survivors. "They put me in a helicopter and I'll never forget they gave me a warm blanket," he said. It was a huge fireball. Truth or scare? There were also reports of Bob having been seen doing his pre-flight checks of the aircraft and telling the ground staff he'd already completed them. Almost 40 years ago, Eastern Airlines flight 401 crashed. Tell people you love them. By the time they did, it was already too late to recover. (Photo by Steve Starr/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images), Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Meanwhile, a flight attendant on a New York to Miami flight (the very route of the December 1972 crash) opened an overhead locker to find Bob's face peering out at her. Dozens of people were airlifted to local hospitals from the scene. I just regret not getting a chance to say goodbye. Then I knew how bad I was.". The 76-year-old said his wife of 20 days, Lilly Infantino, died in the crash. Almost 40 years ago, Eastern Airlines flight 401 crashed. Patricia has a master's level postgraduate diploma in Human Factors in Aviation and has written about aviation since 2010. 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. A look at some of the strange tales that emerged after the accident. 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. Amid the confusion, the distracted crew didnt notice the auto pilot button was switched off. and they said, 'I'm sorry, sir, we don't know.'". 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. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 was one of South Florida's deadliest airline disasters. "Survivors" Southern . 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. He heard alligators and snakes splash around him as whirring airboats and helicopters searched for survivors. "What saved my life was chute on that dooractually on impact it inflated, she recalled. But now, they still have to survive in the vast darkness of the gator infested Everglades. A ball of fire erupted in the cabin and the aircraft cartwheeled and broke into pieces. 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. Organizers are still seeking donations to cover the cost of the memorial, a bill that stands at about $20,000. Washington, DC 20006, Online Donations can be made at www.PlaneSafe.org. Based in Norwich, UK. READ MORE: Eastern Flight 401 introduced new safety measures and books, movies and ghost stories. 2020 Pennsylvania Ave NW #315 Only nine smiling faces appear because one volunteered to take the photo. The crash of Eastern Flight 401. "They were incredible," says Infantino. The name of Ronald Infantino's wife Lily is on that memorial. An aircraft crashes in the Florida Everglades, killing 103 passengers. Raposa added that Flight 401 has also been widely incorporated into safety training for pilots and flight attendants. On another day, a crew was in the cockpit of an aircraft when they were said to have seen Don sitting with them. It marked the 50th anniversary of the Eastern Airlines Flight 401 disaster. Raposa said that 103 airboats were scheduled to show up but that two of the airboats would not start, due to last-minute mechanical difficulties. "It was so cold I can't describe it.". 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 . Raposa explained that over many years, we worked, trying to put something together, emphasizing the development of a tribute for Flight 401. And those survivors were in the pitch black darkness of the Everglades. 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. His right arm was nearly severed, his left knee broken, his chest crushed. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 was one of South Floridas deadliest airline disasters. 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. A well-known fatal accident recounted from surviving cabin crew. Eastern Flight 401, a Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, remains the worst aviation accident in Florida history. While in the cockpit one day, preparing for the flight, another pilot heard loud knocks from under the floor beneath him. One minute, he was resting in his seat with his arms folded. It is open to the public. Eastern Air Lines Flight 212 was a regularly scheduled flight between Charleston, South Carolina and Chicago Illinois with a stop at Charlotte, North Carolina. /24-7PressRelease/ - MIAMI, FL, December 07, 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 . An Eastern Airlines jet heading from New York to Miami crashed in the Everglades 50 years ago. The pilot was unnerved by what had happened and canceled the flight. The Lockheed L-1011 crashed into the Florida Everglades.
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