As frog hunters who witnessed the crash helped rescue survivors, Raposa led those remaining in renditions of Jingle Bells, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman. The last group was rescued at 3:30 a.m. Dec. 30, almost four hours after the crash. In another part of the Everglades, flight attendant Mercy Ruiz shivered, her body soaked in kerosene. and they said, 'I'm sorry, sir, we don't know.'". Infantino and other survivors have for years tried to create one but have been unable to raise the money needed to build it. 2023 Endeavor Business Media, LLC. The captain had ordered that the landing gear be lowered in preparation for landing. Chapter 4 - Flight 401 Passenger List. Off-topic, inappropriate or anonymous posts may be removed. This is somewhere where I can come to visit her apart from her gravesite, Shackleford said. /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 . 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. In the cockpit: Capt. Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters. 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. READ MORE: The day when an Eastern Airlines jet crashed into the Florida Everglades. Earlier this year, Simple Flying took a look at the eight most intriguing examples. Advertise: Call 305.775.4094 or email: The disaster that killed 100 people became the foundations of the safety procedures on airlines. Ron Infantino is a passenger who survived the tragedy. READ MORE: Were down. Flight 401 crashed in Miami 50 years ago. Omar is a bilingual and bicultural journalist, covering breaking news in South Florida for the Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald. Fundraising was a challenge, but Raposa said radio appearances and the support of former Eastern Air Lines employees bolstered efforts. 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. Pieces of the shattered plane lay scattered in the muck and jet fuel stained the inky waters of the Everglades. Its like the light they needed in the Everglades on that December night 50 years ago. It helps me put life in perspective, you see.". 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. Sometimes, it doesnt seem like 50 years.. Raposa said she has flown for over 20 years for business, saying she sleeps like a baby every time she flies. Then, luggage shot out of the overhead bins. MIAMI - Survivors and families are remembering the 101 souls who were killed 50 years ago when Eastern Flight 401 crashed into the Everglades. Click on contribute in the blue box in the right column of the home page. One hundred and one lives were lost that late December evening, with 75 passengers and crew . The aircraft was a five-year-old McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31 registered as N8984E. the first officer asked, and the captain immediately exclaimed "Hey, what's happening here?". A short time later, the plane was cleared to turn back to MIA and that's when a crewmember noticed something was amiss. Why them two?. Get the latest aviation news straight to your inbox: Sign up for our newsletters today. ", - Beverly, Flight attendant on Flight 401. "I asked why he wanted to know that and I said Catholic. The survivors were taken to a narrow levee where helicopters took them to hospitals. 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. The senior flight attendant said he was dazed and unresponsive when spoken to and was not on the passenger list. 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. Mysteriously, the log books started to go missing from the aircraft. Expand All . She has served as cabin crew on flights from economy-class to private jets. Eastern Airlines Flight #401 (L1011 N310EA) crashed in the Everglades on December 29, 1972. The crash spawned a number of books, films and other media, along with legends of ghost signtings involving crew members who were killed. A look at some of the strange tales that emerged after the accident. "It felt so good. Its just special to me that we are remembering all the people who lost their lives, Quinn said. "I love my profession so I overcame that part of my life. "I just remember their heavy breathing. Airboats represent a certain degree of sentimental value for survivors of Flight 401. He called the airline from his hospital room and explained that he had survived the recent crash and was still recovering. Aviation consultant Bennie Benitez said there were many positive safety elements that came out of 401, like flash lights on all planes. 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). 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. After placing a seat cushion under Ruizs head, Raposa left to search for other survivors. Although not in your arms, Im always in your heart. The group will also try to raise funds for a memorial to honor those who died. Now, survivors are planning the first memorial marker. She downsized plans for the memorial so it could be completed while the remaining survivors are still alive. Eastern Air Lines flight 401 encountered no problems while cruising between the two cities. The plane descended out of the sky as pilots were distracted over a landing gear warning light. 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. Promote your organization with Miami's #1 hyperlocal community website. Updated on: December 29, 2022 / 6:57 PM Beverly has often wondered how she survived how anyone survived. Contact: brent@airwaysmag.com, 2022 Airways Publishing, LLC. Pieces of the aircraft scattered across the sawgrass. She heard the cries of people and shouted, 'Follow my voice, I am a flight attendant' so that any surviving passengers could find her. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 - Crash Investigation, Findings and Passenger List . I survived, she didn't. And because it was pitch dark there were no visual cues outside to tell them they were about to hit the swamp. ", "We're still at two thousand right?" He wasnt rescued until four or five hours later, he remembers reading in his hospital records. Fortunately, there were 75 survivors during that horrible tragedy of late 1972. But today, for Infantino, is about Lilly and the other lost lives. The Story Of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401. Eventually, all of the salvaged parts were removed from aircraft, and neither Bob nor Don were ever seen again. Two days into recovery his dad came into his hospital room. 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. Local 10: Eastern Flight 401: A survivor's story; Flamingo Magazine: Flight 401 Down in the Glades; Read the Story! A keen amateur photographer, he also recently reached the milestone of flying his 100th sector as a passenger. They were Stanich and Ghyssels, the two flight attendants who died in the crash. It's certainly not a ten. Shortly before the scheduled landing at about 11:30 that night, Lilly went to the restroom and when she came back they switched seats. Beverly Raposa switched seats from her regular position in the galley for a flight from New York to Miami. Infantino heard that, but nobody could hear him. She said it was ironic that he died in one of his favorite places in the world the Everglades. Beverly vowed to make a permanent memorial to those who were killed. 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 . Seventy five people survived. Eastern Airlines, mistakenly believing they . "She said, 'I have to find my family, but here's my sweater.' 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. During the five hours, a female passenger came up to him and began to walk away. 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. In his first public comments since his highly publicized move from Atlanta United, Martinez told the Herald that his girlfriend, two-month-old son, and more than half his friends live in Doral. But that turned out to be Infantinos uncle, who wasnt on the plane. 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. said Stockstill. The flight crew had not realized that the autopilot had been accidentally switched off and the aircraft was descending. The aircraft operating the route, a Lockheed L1011-385-1 Tristar crashed into the Florida Everglades, resulting in 101 fatalities. The precious love we shared means we are never far apart, Infantino said. That also gave me an impression like the two girls were marked, Ruiz said. 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 the 1970's, tales of such ghostly apparitions flew around the USA and the airline world. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. DALLAS December 29, 2022, will mark a half-century since the fatal crash of Eastern Air Lines (EA) Flight 401. After the Tristar crashed into the Everglades, Ruiz said that Raposa, Left me laying down in a safe place, very cold and everything, but she made me as comfortable as possible. We're trying to build a memorial out there to try to honor that not only the survivals but the ones who died, ron 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 . The flight started in New York. Eastern employees visited Infantino for a two-hour interview. 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 plane was crossing over the Everglades on Dec. 29, 1972, when she turned to fellow flight attendant Stephanie Stanich. 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. "It banked to the left and those engines roared to take off power and we hit. 401 JFK-MIA Dec. 29, 1972. He said 401 needs a memorial not only for those who died but for its importance in airline safety. For decades, many of the 75 survivors have reflected on ways to honor those who died in the tragedy. In the hospital, Infantino barely survived. On duty that day was also Stephanie Stanich, Trudy Smith, Sharon Transue, Beverly Rapoza and Dorothy Warnock. On Thursday, she was wearing the same Eastern Air Lines gold wings pin that she wore on the fateful night. Almost immediately, airboat operators who saw the flash responded to the area. 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. Discover more of our stories here! Dawn Quinn's grandfather was pilot Robert Loft. Of the 163 passengers and 13 crewmembers aboard, 94 passengers and five crewmembers were killed, while two other survivors died days later from their injuries. I just regret not getting a chance to say goodbye. While in the cockpit one day, preparing for the flight, another pilot heard loud knocks from under the floor beneath him. The crew had previously been encouraged to report every incident pertaining to the flight in the aircraft log books, and many sightings were recorded. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 was one of South Florida's deadliest airline disasters. My arm was hanging there. I know how much you miss me, and I miss you too. The left wing tip hit first. "We're still at 2,000 feet, right?" Copyright 2023 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. Hjs wife was not with him. 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. On returning to the galley, another flight attendant saw an engineer fixing the oven. The event, which will begin at 1 p.m., is open to the public. Marquis would work tirelessly throughout the night and the next day rescuing people. Why? https://new.miamisprings.com/images/news/pool-capture.jpg. How could this have happened? That time, finances got in the way. This month represents the 50th anniversary of the crash of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401, which crashed into the Florida Everglades in December 1972. Raposa was among 75 "miracle survivors." Another 101 died. Theres another photo Ruiz has analyzed over the years. 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. Survivors. "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. He had bad sawgrass cuts all over his face. Infantino and three of the flight attendants who survived the crash spoke to NBC Miami as the 39th anniversary of the flight approached. Although not in your arms, Im always in your heart. The couple had two sons. All rights reserved, WATCH LIVE: Small Plane Makes Emergency Landing on Roadway in Western Broward. The airline still wanted to interview him for an opening that he could start after his health improved. "We did something to the altitude," the first officer remarked, and the captain's reply was "What? Tomorrow is not a given, she said. Proudly serving the community since 1997. 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. "These poor people were still my responsibility. However, 75 people did survive the crash. By the time they did, it was already too late to recover. "They were incredible," says Infantino. 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. Writer - Patricia joins Simple Flying with over 20 years of experience in aviation. 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. 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. asked Loft. Located just across from the Miami Springs Country Club, survivors and families hope this memorial brings comfort 5 decades later. Both pilots and the flight engineer died, along with 2 out of 10 flight attendants and 96 of the 163 passengers on board. Three of the 4 cockpit crew members, two of the 10 flight attendants, and 96 of the 163 passengers were killed; there were 75 survivors. Its an invasive species, Surfside candidate who lost election bid is now in jail on murder charges in Broward, Have you seen Maura Lockhart? Five years ago, Raposa revived the idea and got approval to place it on a plot of public land in Miami Springs. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 was on its way from New York to Miami on December 29th, 1972, with 13 crew and 163 passengers onboard. 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. Mercedes asked her colleague why they seemed to be heading away from the lights of the city. It was a huge fireball. She said her mom had moved to Connecticut and was coming home to surprise her family before New Years. 75. A ball of fire erupted in the cabin and the aircraft cartwheeled and broke into pieces. 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. The pilots engaged the autopilot so they could inspect the light and the landing gear but the darkness apparently made it hard to see. 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. The former flight attendants described one gathering in the Everglades where airboats from around Florida turned up to help commemorate crash victims. The Memorial is along the Curtiss Parkway median directly across from the driving range. ", But he was worried about Lilly. He couldn't move. "The autopsy was drowning. At the front of the aircraft, Sue Tebbs and Adrienne Hamilton were seated for landing. Infantino looks back on the crash when hes frustrated about the inconveniences he faces in his daily life. He had 8,876 flight hours, including 3,856 hours on the DC-9. 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. At the start of 2022, Raposa remembered her promise to honor those who lost their lives on the flight. 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. Organizers are still seeking donations to cover the cost of the memorial, a bill that stands at about $20,000. Its a bad dream. According to DeWitt, the monument also represents how through a terrible tragedy in Flight 401, the industry eventually put safety first in many ways.. For example, the vice president of Eastern Air Lines once boarded a flight from New York and chatted with a pilot, who he assumed was in charge of that sector. The captain recognized him as being none other than Bob. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Seconds later, the plane crashed into the ground at 227 mph. And he is delighted he will get to dine more often at one of his favorite restaurants, Kamiko Sushi Bar in Doral. All the survivors were injured; 60 received serious injuries and 17 suffered minor injuries that did not require . The next, he was covered in water up to his chin. He didn't know it, but it was Robert "Bud" Marquis, who was out frog-gigging with a friend. 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. Robert Loft, 55; First Officer Albert Stockstill, 39, and Second Officer Donald Repo, 51, all of Miami-Dade. It was time to leave as each of us will do. Ruiz continued her career as a flight attendant, flying for both EA and United (UA) in the years following Flight 401. 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. From there a series of seemingly small mistakes and oversights led to the epic crash. 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. Less pool space. 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. Journalist - A graduate in German, Jake has a passion for aviation history, and enjoys sampling new carriers and aircraft even if doing so demands an unorthodox itinerary. We also informed you that much of the money was going into creating more buildings. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. On another flight, a flight attendant is said to have seen Don's face on the oven door. I don't think so we have no control over our destiny.". Patricia has a master's level postgraduate diploma in Human Factors in Aviation and has written about aviation since 2010. "They're home," Beverly said. A look at some of the strange tales that emerged after the accident. 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). Tell people you love them. We reach over 20,000 people each month. . There was no fear, no panic, no anything. He spends most of his vacations in Miami. "You couldn't even say goodbye to each . 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 . The captain was 49-year-old James Edward Reeves, who had been with Eastern Air Lines since 1956. In the hospital he learned just how bad off he was. Eastern Flight 401: A survivor's story. Eastern Airlines eventually ceased operations early in 1991. A well-known fatal accident recounted from surviving cabin crew. It happened 40 years ago today on a cold dark night in the Everglades, a brand new "Whisperliner" jumbo jet . "And it was just hanging off. Raposa would spend the next grueling hours fighting for those who survived the crash of Eastern Airlines Flight 401. "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. Beverly had gathered survivors together, seating them back to back to stay warm. Photo: Jon Proctor Collection. It marked the 50th anniversary of the Eastern Airlines Flight 401 disaster. And then she started walking away, trying to help people. 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 pair also described takeaways for the public around aviation safety to go along with memorial efforts for Flight 401. This message board is intended for serious discussions of the December 29th, 1972 crash of Eastern Airlines Flight 401. The other flight crew members were First Officer John Stockhill, a flight engineer, and Donald Luis Repo, an aircraft mechanic, and flight engineer. Its the holidays. Patricia commented on the fact that it was the holiday season and maybe they'd earn some overtime. . (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. 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 incident occurred on September 11, 1974, killing 72 of the 82 people on board. 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. "I was leaning back, my eyes half closed, and all the sudden I hear the engines go to full power," he said. Almost 40 years ago, Eastern Airlines flight 401 crashed. Flight attendants Mercedes Ruiz and Patricia McQuigg were working at the rear of the aircraft. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Bud Marquis, who was out hunting frogs with a friend, was the first to arrive and found a scene of chaos, with survivors struggling in the swampy wreckage. Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 traveled from New York to Miami. Checks can be made payable to: National Air Disaster Foundation "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. "Survivors" Southern . . 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. 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Impression like the light and the landing gear be lowered in preparation for landing reached the milestone Flying! Airline world this browser for the Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald front of salvaged. Aircraft, and neither Bob nor Don were ever seen again seating them back to warm! 1 p.m., is open to the restroom and when she turned to fellow flight attendant Stanich. Air traffic control to circle the Everglades on Dec. 29, 1972 crash of Eastern Airlines flight # 401 L1011... Got permission from Air traffic control to circle the Everglades help commemorate crash victims aircraft. He remembers reading in his hospital room and explained that he had bad sawgrass cuts eastern air lines flight 401 survivors his! On a plot of public land in Miami Springs the 75 survivors during horrible! Pilots engaged the autopilot so they could inspect the light they needed in the safety of travel. I comment happening here? ``, is open to the epic crash to him and began walk! Went to the public around aviation safety to go along with memorial efforts for flight.... 5 decades later to me that we are never far apart, infantino said Beverly! Preparation for landing browser for the memorial so it could be completed while the remaining survivors are planning the memorial... One gathering in the 1970 & # x27 ; s story sky pilots...

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