Survivors now have a message, It gives me and my fellow surviving passengers, crew members and family members of loved ones who perished a time to all come together and remember them since we never had a chance to say goodbye, Raposa said. The plane was heading away from the city lights. Bound for Miami, Flight 401 took off from New York's JFK at 9:20 p.m. 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 save me from the 400 pounds of debris that was falling on me," she said. "He said they found Lilly's body," he said. The crash, another seminal moment in South Florida aviation history, killed all 110 people on board. A look at some of the strange tales that emerged after the accident. In the hospital, Infantino barely survived. Nichole Shackleford, 53, was just 3 years old when she lost her mother, passenger Patricia Renee Shackleford, 20, in the crash. She came back and said, Mercy, I cant. She couldnt see.. The Ghost of Flight 401: Directed by Steven Hilliard Stern. Love aviation history? ", "We're still at two thousand right?" So I'll never forget it, I brought it to my chest and held it.". The couple had two sons. Flight 401 - Flight Crew Fatal Photograph. Beverly Raposa a survior of Eastern Flight 401 29th December 1972 crash of an L-1011, tail number N310EA explains her experience A desperate search and rescue effort began almost immediately. Mysteriously, the log books started to go missing from the aircraft. READ MORE: Were down. Flight 401 crashed in Miami 50 years ago. Eastern employees visited Infantino for a two-hour interview. She has served as cabin crew on flights from economy-class to private jets. "I'm no doctor. Ruiz also described the adoption of shoulder straps on jump seats as another significant safety development that followed the crash of Flight 401. Three days after the crash, Lilly Infantinos body was found. 50 years later, memorial dedicated to survivors, families of Eastern Flight 401 crash. Shortly before the scheduled landing at about 11:30 that night, Lilly went to the restroom and when she came back they switched seats. 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. Now you can see the construction of the new pool with your own eyes. Hjs wife was not with him. Beverly Raposa switched seats from her regular position in the galley for a flight from New York to Miami. Copyright 2023 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. Donations are still being accepted no matter what amount. "My grandfather was a kind, humble, perfectionist. For decades, many of the 75 survivors have reflected on ways to honor those who died in the tragedy. "Next thing I knew, we hit the left wing tip first, everything out of the overheads flew over. In the cockpit: Capt. "I asked why he wanted to know that and I said Catholic. 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 event, which will begin at 1 p.m., is open to the public. - Flight Safety Foundation. The following is a list of survivors and victims of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401. A flash fire also developed from sprayed fuel. 255153N 803543W. Located just across from the Miami Springs Country Club, survivors and families hope this memorial brings comfort 5 decades later. Flashlights also became a standard piece of safety equipment at each jump seat. . Sometimes, it doesnt seem like 50 years.. Ruiz continued her career as a flight attendant, flying for both EA and United (UA) in the years following Flight 401. 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. Remembering EAL Flt. Less pool space. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 crashed into the Everglades on December 29, 1972 as it was descending to land at Miami International Airport. Beverly vowed to make a permanent memorial to those who were killed. Patricia has a master's level postgraduate diploma in Human Factors in Aviation and has written about aviation since 2010. Updated on: December 29, 2022 / 6:57 PM But it also crept into popular culture through . The aircraft was delivered to Eastern Air Lines on 30 January 1969. The aircraft was a five-year-old McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31 registered as N8984E. 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Off-topic, inappropriate or anonymous posts may be removed. "It was beautiful," said Infantino said of the jet. After donating, please email the NADF Executive Director, Gail Dunhan so that she can send you an acknowledgement of your tax deductible donation. The group will also try to raise funds for a memorial to honor those who died. Pieces of the shattered plane lay scattered in the muck and jet fuel stained the inky waters of the Everglades. 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. 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. 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. He reportedly then said, "Watch out for fire in this plane.". On returning to the galley, another flight attendant saw an engineer fixing the oven. DALLAS December 29, 2022, will mark a half-century since the fatal crash of Eastern Air Lines (EA) Flight 401. 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). But what was inside was the real prize: a Kodak Instamatic camera and rolls of film. This month represents the 50th anniversary of the crash of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401, which crashed into the Florida Everglades in December 1972. An aircraft crashes in the Florida Everglades, killing 103 passengers. A lack of flashlights amid the poor nighttime visibility in the Everglades impeded the ability of survivors to assist each other. 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. The plane descended out of the sky as pilots were distracted over a landing gear warning light. 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. Promote your organization with Miami's #1 hyperlocal community website. 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. 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. One survivor, certain Marquis carried him to safety, once showed up with a $1,000 check. 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. Washington, DC 20006, Online Donations can be made at www.PlaneSafe.org. He had 8,876 flight hours, including 3,856 hours on the DC-9. Those were the last words recovered from the flight voice recorder. I just regret not getting a chance to say goodbye. A group of survivors drafted plans for a marker, but life got in the way. It was the first fatal crash involving not only the Lockheed TriStar, but, indeed, a widebody aircraft of any kind. "It banked to the left and those engines roared to take off power and we hit. Throughout the course of aviation history, there have been several other ghost stories. "I'm one person in the midst of all this," Marquis told NBC News back in 2007. "It was so cold I can't describe it.". Total construction cost: $5 MILLION. 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 . While the crash has inspired two feature-length movies and numerous documentaries and training films, there is no permanent memorial for Eastern Flight 401. He was offered the job. The survivors were taken to a narrow levee where helicopters took them to hospitals. During the five hours, a female passenger came up to him and began to walk away. I can also come here to feel her and be close to her.. It was time to leave as each of us will do. Definition: Here is something interesting that we discovered during our research. He couldn't move. His right arm was nearly severed, his left knee broken, his chest crushed. 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. When the flight crew on Eastern Air Lines 401 noticed a possible issue with their aircraft, they immediately went into troubleshooting mode to ensure the problem could be fixed. At the front of the aircraft, Sue Tebbs and Adrienne Hamilton were seated for landing. 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. 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. Only nine smiling faces appear because one volunteered to take the photo. Sharon and Adrienne were injured and trapped in their jump seats. The flight crew had not realized that the autopilot had been accidentally switched off and the aircraft was descending. After this, sightings started of Bob and Don, standing in the aisle, cockpit, and galley. That memory never goes away, he told the Miami Herald 50 years later. 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. The former flight attendants described one gathering in the Everglades where airboats from around Florida turned up to help commemorate crash victims. https://new.miamisprings.com/images/news/pool-capture.jpg. "You will never be forgotten. 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. Aviation consultant Bennie Benitez said there were many positive safety elements that came out of 401, like flash lights on all planes. The crash was a result of the flight crew's failure to recognize a deactivation of the autopilot during their attempt . gadunham@aol.com. They were surprised to hear the sound of singing in the darkness. He says he thinks about the crash every day and it has defined the way he looks at life. Before ValuJet there was Eastern Flight 401. Sharon Shackleford said it has been painful to go on without her sister but that the memorial brings her peace. 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. "The blessing was we didn't know we were about to crash. 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. "I asked, 'Where's my wife?' Crash: Directed by Barry Shear. The investigation into the crash took months. / CBS Miami. He was very dedicated," she said. She encouraged them to sing Christmas carols . He didn't know it, but it was Robert "Bud" Marquis, who was out frog-gigging with a friend. 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. 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. The captain had ordered that the landing gear be lowered in preparation for landing. The sound, a huge fireball that went through the cabin," she recalled. Ruiz also described the anniversary as an opportunity to reflect on the lives lost in the crash. "On the wreath I put, 'To our fellow brothers and sisters, in loving memory.' Its not a 10. . "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. Based in Dubai, Ghosts On A Plane? "I don't know where she was. 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. On December 29, 1972, Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 crashes into the Florida Everglades, resulting in 101 fatalities. Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 was a scheduled flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Miami International Airport. She found Beverly and commented 'it's a bad dream, we are going to wake up.' The Memorial is along the Curtiss Parkway median directly across from the driving range. . People were screaming, and partially clothed dead bodies were face down in the water. After a few minor issues were resolved, the plane was cleared for a 9 p.m. departure to Miami, as Flight 401 with 176 passengers aboard. The Douglas DC-9-31 carried 78 passengers and four crew members. You are here with us," said flight attendant Beverly Raposa, who survived the crash. Those still in a sufficiently usable state were used again on the Eastern Air Lines fleet. This week, there will be a special commemoration of the new monument on Curtiss Parkway in memory of the 101 souls lost fifty years ago on Eastern Airlines Flight 401. She, too, couldnt move because of a fractured pelvic bone. The official cause of the crash was pilot error, the crew being distracted by a faulty nose gear indicator . Miami, Florida: Bankrupt Eastern Airlines Jets On The Ground. Her message on life: Never take anything for granted. "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. 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 . There were 67 survivors. I reach over and all the sudden my fingers go inside of my bicep," he said. . A ball of fire erupted in the cabin and the aircraft cartwheeled and broke into pieces. Flight attendants Mercedes Ruiz and Patricia McQuigg were working at the rear of the aircraft. "They were incredible," says Infantino. 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. Everglades on December 29, 2022, will mark a half-century since the fatal crash involving not only Lockheed. Cabin and the aircraft was descending to land at Miami International Airport in 101 fatalities `` my grandfather was scheduled! Impeded the ability of survivors and families hope this memorial brings comfort 5 decades later but that landing... The wreath I put, 'To our fellow brothers and sisters, in loving memory. a faulty gear! 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