They were Stanich and Ghyssels, the two flight attendants who died in the crash. Through five decades, lessons stick with the survivors of 401. The next, he was covered in water up to his chin. The airline still wanted to interview him for an opening that he could start after his health improved. I'm just blessed. Less pool space. Donations are still being accepted no matter what amount. 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. 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. (Photo by Steve Starr/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images), Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. She was six feet above the swamp but released her harness. The helicopters had trouble finding the wreckage but Marquis used his headlamp to help signal them, as he continued to pull survivors from the wreckage. He would later learn the voice came from flight attendant Beverly Raposa, who would later lead survivors in Christmas carols to try to keep their spirits up in the cold night. The flight started in New York. 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. Today's story is one of tragedy, of course, but it's also one of heroism and bravery. Passengers, cabin crew, Pilots, Flight Engineers, even top airline executives, all claimed to have seen 'something' while travelling on some Eastern Airlines aircraft. "The NTSB, when they studied it, they said this crash was unsurvivable, yet 75 miracles came out of there.". Soon passengers and crew on those aircraft report seeing what they believe to be the ghost of the . 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. She asked the flight engineer later about the oven, and he said he hadn't fixed it, and it didn't need to be fixed. Its the holidays. Dedication of a Memorial Monument for the 50th Anniversary of Eastern Flight 401. Earlier this year, Simple Flying took a look at the eight most intriguing examples. Amid the planes wreckage, her cream-colored, company-issued suitcase was the only one that remained intact. one of the deadliest plane crashes in South Floridas history, Were down. Flight 401 crashed in Miami 50 years ago. Total construction cost: $5 MILLION. Ruiz was 28 years old and had been working as a flight attendant for less than three years when the plane went down. 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. Beverly Raposa a survior of Eastern Flight 401 29th December 1972 crash of an L-1011, tail number N310EA explains her experience Eastern Airlines Flight 401 was on its way from New York to Miami on December 29th, 1972, with 13 crew and 163 passengers onboard. Flight 401 - Flight Crew Fatal Photograph. "They were incredible," says Infantino. After placing a seat cushion under Ruizs head, Raposa left to search for other survivors. 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. The crash killed 101 people, including Stanich. Robert Loft, 55; First Officer Albert Stockstill, 39, and Second Officer Donald Repo, 51, all of Miami-Dade. Almost 40 years ago, Eastern Airlines flight 401 crashed. 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. At the start of 2022, Raposa remembered her promise to honor those who lost their lives on the flight. Eventually, all of the salvaged parts were removed from aircraft, and neither Bob nor Don were ever seen again. Bound for Miami, Flight 401 took off from New York's JFK at 9:20 p.m. A look at some of the strange tales that emerged after the accident. "The priest came over and asked me what my religion was," he remembers. Throughout the course of aviation history, there have been several other ghost stories. Why? Marquis would work tirelessly throughout the night and the next day rescuing people. 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. 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 watercraft can easily traverse the swampy conditions of the Everglades and played an integral role in the rescue efforts that followed the crash. . They were surprised to hear the sound of singing in the darkness. Copyright - Florida Web Marketing, Inc. Nestor Suarez is the Publisher of MiamiSprings.com since 1997. Miami, Florida Dec 10, 2022 (Issuewire.com) - Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 was on its final approach into Miami shortly before midnight 50 years ago this month when a single light bulb on the aircraft's instrument panel failed to illuminate.Momentarily distracted, the flight crew failed to notice as the Lockheed L-1011 slowly dropped from the sky and into the blackness of the Everglades below. Raposa said she has flown for over 20 years for business, saying she sleeps like a baby every time she flies. 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 76-year-old said his wife of 20 days, Lilly Infantino, died in the crash. An aircraft crashes in the Florida Everglades, killing 103 passengers. Those were the last words recovered from the flight voice recorder. "It save me from the 400 pounds of debris that was falling on me," she said. It's certainly not a ten. Ruiz continued her career as a flight attendant, flying for both EA and United (UA) in the years following Flight 401. The answer was fine, but unfortunately the controller didn't specifically mention the altitude so no one was the wiser. The pair also described takeaways for the public around aviation safety to go along with memorial efforts for Flight 401. She asked fellow flight attendant Patricia Ghyssels, who sat across from her, what was going on. She, too, couldnt move because of a fractured pelvic bone. Days later, the wreckage of the aircraft was retrieved from the swamp, and some of its parts were able to be salvaged, including a galley. 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. The tragedy was also the 2nd deadliest plane crash in US history at the time, although, today, it now ranks in 16th place. Almost immediately, airboat operators who saw the flash responded to the area. Wow, what an experience that was. From there a series of seemingly small mistakes and oversights led to the epic crash. Were gonna wake up.. 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. Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters. Seconds later, the plane crashed into the ground at 227 mph. 101 out of the 176 occupants onboard the aircraft perished. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. On Thursday, she was wearing the same Eastern Air Lines gold wings pin that she wore on the fateful night. One of them was Ron Infantino, an Air Force veteran in Vietnam and aviation aficianado. Washington, DC 20006, Online Donations can be made at www.PlaneSafe.org. Raposa brought the baby to Ruiz, who cradled him to keep warm. A group of survivors drafted plans for a marker, but life got in the way. One hundred and one lives were lost that late December evening, with 75 passengers and crew . Southern Airboat and other organizations also plan to honor Bud and the victims and survivors of Eastern Flight 401 with a service and a barbecue in Miami. The Lockheed L-1011 crashed into the Florida Everglades. "These poor people were still my responsibility. Was it because we switched seats? 401 JFK-MIA Dec. 29, 1972. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 crashed into the Everglades on a moonless night on December 29, 1972. What happened with ValuJet. The sound, a huge fireball that went through the cabin," she recalled. Since the flight was full, he exercised his privilege as an Eastern Airlines employee, and rode in the cockpit jumpseat. (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. All rights reserved, WATCH LIVE: Small Plane Makes Emergency Landing on Roadway in Western Broward. The flight had been uneventful until the Lockheed L-1011 jet was making its approach to MIA. Pieces of the aircraft scattered across the sawgrass. The death toll was, in 1972, the highest of any one-plane accident. "I hear this voice scream out in the Everglades," he said. Shortly before the scheduled landing at about 11:30 that night, Lilly went to the restroom and when she came back they switched seats. "My god, you're here, please don't leave me," he remembers telling them. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The flight crew had taken pictures as a keepsake for what would have been their last trip of the year together. The flight, which departed from JFK International . 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 . He says he thinks about the crash every day and it has defined the way he looks at life. . The flooring of the plane crumbled. Her mothers sister, Sharon Shackleford, 73, and best friend, Angel Sears, 70, were also in attendance. The scene of the wreckage of Eastern Airlines Flight 401 in the Everglades west of Miami International Airport. Eastern Air Lines L-1011 Tristar Airbus, on NYC-Miami flight with 177 persons aboard, crashes into Everglades on Dec 30 while on landing approach to Miami Internatl Airport; early repts indicate . I survived, she didn't. . The investigation into the crash took months. 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. Anyone wishing to donate can write a check payable to the National Air Disaster Foundation or donate online. said Stockstill. 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. Flight Capt. That time, finances got in the way. On another day, a crew was in the cockpit of an aircraft when they were said to have seen Don sitting with them. My arm was hanging there. Eastern Airlines Flight #401 (L1011 N310EA) crashed in the Everglades on December 29, 1972. And she knows what I went through, so you have that same bonding with one another.". This commemorative event in the Everglades represented one of many, which also included smaller meetings among survivors and supporters. One survivor, certain Marquis carried him to safety, once showed up with a $1,000 check. That memory never goes away, he told the Miami Herald 50 years later. A keen amateur photographer, he also recently reached the milestone of flying his 100th sector as a passenger. It helps me put life in perspective, you see.". The cockpit crew, scrambling to identify the problem, got permission from air traffic control to circle the Everglades. Expand All . I try to do that but I'm human so it doesn't always work out.". Flight engineer Don Repo is also said to have appeared onboard flights in a strange, supernatural manner. On duty that day was also Stephanie Stanich, Trudy Smith, Sharon Transue, Beverly Rapoza and Dorothy Warnock. The aircraft was a Lockheed L-1011-1 TriStar traveling from New York to Miami. I know how much you miss me, and I miss you too. In the 1970's, tales of such ghostly apparitions flew around the USA and the airline world. "We did something to the altitude," he said. 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. He opened the trap door to see a vision of Don looking at him, which then promptly disappeared. The City of Miami Springs, Raposa emphasized, provided intense, intense support with the involvement of the mayor, the city manager, and the municipal public relations team. 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. The City of Miami Springs hosted a Beautiful Memorial Ceremony on Thursday, December 29, 2022. Naked in the cold water, surrounded by tall sawgrass, he heard an airboat. After the impact the aircraft disintegrated, scattering wreckage over an area approximately 1,600 feet long and 300 feet wide. We just hit,' she said. While the plane was on final approach, the crew became distracted by an apparent problem. I know how much you miss me, and I miss you too. She recalls the terrifying moments afterward. Please review this photograph closely. Raposa was one of 75 survivors. / CBS Miami. "And it was just hanging off. As you might expect, she later picked from some photos that Don was the engineer she had seen. Survivors will unveil a memorial marker on a grassy median of Curtiss Parkway in Miami Springs, across from the country club, on Dec. 29, the anniversary of the crash. ", - Beverly, Flight attendant on Flight 401. They were exhausted. Tell people you love them. If were a little late, its overtime.. She called two of her fellow crew members in to witness what she had seen. "I number things one to ten in my life, ten's the plane crash," he says. READ MORE: Eastern Flight 401 introduced new safety measures and books, movies and ghost stories. How could this have happened? The event, which will begin at 1 p.m., is open to the public. "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. Omar is a bilingual and bicultural journalist, covering breaking news in South Florida for the Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald. "It went completely dark so I knew we were doing another go-round, not knowing what was going on," he said. Survivors now have a message, Venezuelan Josef Martinez opens up on move to Inter Miami, love of Doral and arepas, DeSantis wants to permanently ban COVID vaccine, mask requirements for Florida workers, Odd armored fish seen hanging from mouth of Florida heron. A flash fire also developed from sprayed fuel. the first officer asked, and the captain immediately exclaimed "Hey, what's happening here?". Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 was a Lockheed L-1011-1 Tristar jet that crashed into the Florida Everglades at 11:42 pm December 29, 1972, causing 101 fatalities (99 initial crash fatalities, two died shortly afterward). 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). I number things from 1 to 10, and 10 [is] a plane crash, he said. The group will also try to raise funds for a memorial to honor those who died. Operated by a Lockheed L-1011-385-1 TriStar (N310EA), the aircraft crashed into the Florida Everglades on a nighttime approach to Miami International Airport (MIA) on December 29, 1972. Amazingly, 75 of the 176 passengers and crew aboard Flight 401 survived. It happened just west of Miami International Airport. 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. One minute, he was resting in his seat with his arms folded. He was so weak that doctors opted to operate without anesthesia. 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." Aboard were 13 crew members and 163 holiday travelers. 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. . The Story Of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 was one of South Florida's deadliest airline disasters. The jet carried 167 passengers to Miami from New York. Click on contribute in the blue box in the right column of the home page. The couple was returning to Miami from their honeymoon when the unspeakable happened. "They'll never be forgotten.". There were 75 survivors, including a 23-year-old flight . Was it a burned-out $12 bulb or a faulty landing gear? Flight attendants Patricia and Stephanie tragically died in the crash, along with the flight crew. Then I knew how bad I was.". One of the envelopes was a letter from Eastern requesting an interview. 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. Were talking about 75 people who have varying degrees of injuries and now have to navigate an airplane wreckage in the alligator infested swamp. But a light didnt confirm whether the landing gear was down. Love aviation history? 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. Proudly serving the community since 1997. 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 . He had bad sawgrass cuts all over his face. The couple dated for a few years before getting married in December 1972. Checks can be made payable to: National Air Disaster Foundation 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 . 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 . Patricia has a master's level postgraduate diploma in Human Factors in Aviation and has written about aviation since 2010. Copyright 2023 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. "I just remember their heavy breathing. "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. 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. The plane was crossing over the Everglades on Dec. 29, 1972, when she turned to fellow flight attendant Stephanie Stanich. "It was so cold I can't describe it.". The survivors were taken to a narrow levee where helicopters took them to hospitals. That time, finances got in the way. 2020 Pennsylvania Ave NW #315 You are here with us," said flight attendant Beverly Raposa, who survived the crash. The plane actually spun in a circle, the floor dropped and I woke up in the water," he recalled. His arm was hanging by a thread; the cold swamp water may have saved his life by coagulating the blood. READ MORE: An Eastern plane crashed into the Everglades in 1972. The flight path of Eastern Airlines Flight 401 in its final moments. A ball of fire erupted in the cabin and the aircraft cartwheeled and broke into pieces. With William Shatner, Adrienne Barbeau, Brooke Bundy, Christopher Connelly. "The crew was so preoccupied with a 50-cent life bulb, they missed the whole picture," he said. Remembering EAL Flt. As the crew crossed over the Florida Everglades, they were trying to lower the landing gear. Beverly also injured her back and cut her foot but managed to crawl out of the swamp. Beverly had gathered survivors together, seating them back to back to stay warm. Miami Springs, a bedroom community bordering Miami International Airport, was home to many Eastern employees in the 1970s and 80s. She and Marquis would be remembered as two of the heroes from that night. She went on to praise the efforts of Raposa, who sang Christmas carols to maintain morale among survivors as they waited for rescue. Pieces of the shattered plane lay scattered in the muck and jet fuel stained the inky waters of the Everglades. The crew had previously been encouraged to report every incident pertaining to the flight in the aircraft log books, and many sightings were recorded. "I remember hitting, I woke up and I was in a sitting position water up to my chin, no clothes on, everything was stripped right off me except the rims of my socks," said Infantino. Sharon and Adrienne were injured and trapped in their jump seats. ", "We're still at two thousand right?" 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. He didn't know it, but it was Robert "Bud" Marquis, who was out frog-gigging with a friend. In November 2022, Airways interviewed former flight attendants Beverly Raposa and Mercy Ruiz to understand their perspectives as survivors of the crash. While the crash has inspired two feature-length movies and numerous documentaries and training films, there is no permanent memorial for Eastern Flight 401. At one point he noticed that his right arm didn't seem right. 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. "We now dedicate this memorial to the 101 souls who perished that night. Three days after the crash, Lilly Infantinos body was found. Beverly Rapoza had just returned from the cabin, collecting empty dishes and glasses, and was looking forward to some rest. . A desperate search and rescue effort began almost immediately. With Ernest Borgnine, Gary Lockwood, Tina Chen, Kim Basinger. 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. 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). 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. I can also come here to feel her and be close to her.. On another flight, a flight attendant is said to have seen Don's face on the oven door. "I said, 'Oh my god we crashed, we crashed.' Its like the light they needed in the Everglades on that December night 50 years ago. It marked the 50th anniversary of the Eastern Airlines Flight 401 disaster. I didn't know what to do.". Eastern Airlines eventually ceased operations early in 1991. DALLAS December 29, 2022, will mark a half-century since the fatal crash of Eastern Air Lines (EA) Flight 401. READ MORE: Eastern Flight 401 introduced new safety measures and books, movies and ghost stories. Nichole Shackleford, 53, was just 3 years old when she lost her mother, passenger Patricia Renee Shackleford, 20, in the crash. Contact: brent@airwaysmag.com, 2022 Airways Publishing, LLC. Another time, a captain was asked to check on a passenger in first class who was in a pilot's uniform. The Memorial is located just South and West of the new Miami Springs sign that was erected on the Curtiss Parkway median. The aircraft was delivered to Eastern Air Lines on 30 January 1969. There were 75 survivors. 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