eastern air lines flight 401 survivors

Raposa would spend the next grueling hours fighting for those who survived the crash of Eastern Airlines Flight 401. 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. They were surprised to hear the sound of singing in the darkness. Hjs wife was not with him. ", "We're still at two thousand right?" A short time later, the plane was cleared to turn back to MIA and that's when a crewmember noticed something was amiss. 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. 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. 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. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. He couldn't move. Located just across from the Miami Springs Country Club, survivors and families hope this memorial brings comfort 5 decades later. 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 then it was complete silence and I thought I was the only one alive.". Flight 401 - Flight Crew Fatal Photograph. After placing a seat cushion under Ruizs head, Raposa left to search for other survivors. The left wing tip hit first. Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 traveled from New York to Miami. Infantino served in Vietnam, but it was this flight, not war that brought him closest to death. 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 crash claimed the lives of 101 passengers and crew. Survivors. She asked fellow flight attendant Patricia Ghyssels, who sat across from her, what was going on. Sharon and Adrienne were injured and trapped in their jump seats. The flight was largely uneventful, but, on approach to Miami, the flight crew had become fixated on a faulty indication in the cockpit. 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! Before ValuJet there was Eastern Flight 401. https://new.miamisprings.com/images/news/pool-capture.jpg. A desperate search and rescue effort began almost immediately. After this, sightings started of Bob and Don, standing in the aisle, cockpit, and galley. Featured Image: Eastern Airlines Lockheed L1011 N310EA, the airframe involved in flight 401. The next, he was covered in water up to his chin. Contact us: info@MiamiSprings.com Eastern Airlines eventually ceased operations early in 1991. 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. The idea for a memorial for Eastern Flight 401 first popped up at the 35th anniversary gathering in the Everglades. The rescuers, Coast Guard members and Miami-Dade fire fighters and police officers, worked throughout the night finding survivors. The Memorial is along the Curtiss Parkway median directly across from the driving range. And she knows what I went through, so you have that same bonding with one another.". 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. And because it was pitch dark there were no visual cues outside to tell them they were about to hit the swamp. The plane's capacity . The latest local, regional and national news events are presented by the Local 10 News Team along with updated sports, weather and traffic. After donating, please email the NADF Executive Director, Gail Dunhan so that she can send you an acknowledgement of your tax deductible donation. Aboard were 13 crew members and 163 holiday travelers. "We don't have a home of our own to call our own, 401 doesn't," he said. The Story Of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401. Infantino and other survivors have for years tried to create one but have been unable to raise the money needed to build it. READ MORE: Eastern Flight 401 introduced new safety measures and books, movies and ghost stories. Patricia has a master's level postgraduate diploma in Human Factors in Aviation and has written about aviation since 2010. We reach over 20,000 people each month. To the flight 401 survivors - Franoise Riette December 30, 2020, 5:02 pm. Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 was a scheduled flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Miami International Airport. Please review this photograph closely. "The reports were given by experienced and trustworthy pilots and crew. Fourteen people suffered burns, while 17 had only minor injuries and didn't need to be hospitalized, the NTSB report said. It helps me put life in perspective, you see.". 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 . 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. According to DeWitt, the monument also represents how through a terrible tragedy in Flight 401, the industry eventually put safety first in many ways.. Since the flight was full, he exercised his privilege as an Eastern Airlines employee, and rode in the cockpit jumpseat. When an air traffic controller at MIA noticed they were flying at 900 feet when they should have been at 2000, he contacted the cockpit and asked, "How are things coming along out there?" 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 . After the wreckage is removed, salvageable parts from the plane are used to repair other aircraft. The harrowing tale of three survivors of the 1972 crash of Eastern Airlines flight 401 into the Everglades. 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 answer was fine, but unfortunately the controller didn't specifically mention the altitude so no one was the wiser. It was all wet, but it felt good just to have something on me.". She has served as cabin crew on flights from economy-class to private jets. 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. Now the names are there and they will never be forgotten, Ruiz said. "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. Infantino, then 26, awoke bobbing in the swamp, unable to move with an injured arm, chest and knee. An Eastern Airlines jet heading from New York to Miami crashed in the Everglades 50 years ago. That time, finances got in the way. But no one could hear Infantino yelling for help. Mercy Ruiz, 29, also noticed something strange that night. Writer - Patricia joins Simple Flying with over 20 years of experience in aviation. Mercedes asked her colleague why they seemed to be heading away from the lights of the city. 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. 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 . Only nine smiling faces appear because one volunteered to take the photo. 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. 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. The flight crew had taken pictures as a keepsake for what would have been their last trip of the year together. Both would die in the crash. The crash of Eastern Flight 401. One minute, he was resting in his seat with his arms folded. Click on contribute in the blue box in the right column of the home page. It was the first fatal crash involving not only the Lockheed TriStar, but, indeed, a widebody aircraft of any kind. The other 101 people on Eastern Airlines Flight 401 died quite horribly 98 in the Everglades where the airplane crashed, three later in hospitals. There were 75 at the time, 20 years ago tonight. Edit. 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. They were exhausted. Mysteriously, the log books started to go missing from the aircraft. "It felt so good. Beverly remembers when the flight went down. "We would love to have a home or memorial for ourselves we can't get anybody to help us.". A look at some of the strange tales that emerged after the accident. Patricia commented on the fact that it was the holiday season and maybe they'd earn some overtime. Beverly Raposa a survior of Eastern Flight 401 29th December 1972 crash of an L-1011, tail number N310EA explains her experience Theres another photo Ruiz has analyzed over the years. The flight path of Eastern Airlines Flight 401 in its final moments. 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. "You couldn't even say goodbye to each . The captain was 49-year-old James Edward Reeves, who had been with Eastern Air Lines since 1956. Those are the last moments Ron Infantino, 76, who now lives in The Villages in Central Florida, remembers before blacking out. Its a bad dream. It also marked the first the first jumbo jet to crash. "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. Infantino looks back on the crash when hes frustrated about the inconveniences he faces in his daily life. "They were incredible," says Infantino. 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. Then I knew how bad I was.". "Survivors" Southern . Who could this have been? 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. Its just special to me that we are remembering all the people who lost their lives, Quinn said. 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. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 was one of South Florida's deadliest airline disasters. The jet carried 167 passengers to Miami from New York. Discover more of our stories here! "We're still at 2,000 feet, right?" On another flight, a flight attendant is said to have seen Don's face on the oven door. The plane was heading away from the city lights. "I just remember their heavy breathing. 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. In the 1970's, tales of such ghostly apparitions flew around the USA and the airline world. Raposa was one of 75 survivors. All are South Florida survivors of the crash of Eastern Flight #401 now trying . I'm just blessed. The crash spawned a number of books, films and other media, along with legends of ghost signtings involving crew members who were killed. We also informed you that much of the money was going into creating more buildings. "My god, you're here, please don't leave me," he remembers telling them. But today, for Infantino, is about Lilly and the other lost lives. Washington, DC 20006, Online Donations can be made at www.PlaneSafe.org. In other words, more building space. Was it because we switched seats? "The crew was so preoccupied with a 50-cent life bulb, they missed the whole picture," he said. 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. 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. 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. It was time to leave as each of us will do. It is open to the public. The captain was 49 . In November 2022,Airwaysinterviewed former flight attendants Beverly Raposa and Mercy Ruiz to understand their perspectives as survivors of the crash. 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. I said, 'I know what you're going through because I lost somebody too.' A look at some of the strange tales that emerged after the accident. "It was so cold I can't describe it.". For decades, many of the 75 survivors have reflected on ways to honor those who died in the tragedy. In any case, it was far from the first time that the deceased pilot had supposedly been spotted after his death. The jumbo jet had been making a late evening flight from New York to Miami. "I love my profession so I overcame that part of my life. In November 2022, Airways interviewed former flight attendants Beverly Raposa and Mercy Ruiz to understand their perspectives as survivors of the crash. Marquis would work tirelessly throughout the night and the next day rescuing people. Flight engineer Don Repo is also said to have appeared onboard flights in a strange, supernatural manner. Donations are still being accepted no matter what amount. On the returning flight, an engine failed and had to be shut down before it caught fire. Survivors - Crew and Eastern Employees. The plane plunged into the Everglades after taking off from the Miami airport. They had not realized that the autopilot was disconnected, which ultimately caused the plane to lose altitude and crash. I put the sweater around me under the water. There's so many good things, positive things came out of Flight 401, that this plane crash can never happen again with all the safety features put on it, said Infantino. This month represents the 50th anniversary of the crash of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401, which crashed into the Florida Everglades in December 1972. The group will also try to raise funds for a memorial to honor those who died. Beverly attended to the injured and calmed any survivors she found. READ MORE: Eastern Flight 401 introduced new safety measures and books, movies and ghost stories. She encouraged them to sing Christmas carols . 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. Infantino heard that, but nobody could hear him. 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. I know how much you miss me, and I miss you too. 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). MIAMI - Survivors and families are remembering the 101 souls who were killed 50 years ago when Eastern Flight 401 crashed into the Everglades. Anyone wishing to donate can write a check payable to the National Air Disaster Foundation or donate online. The pilots engaged the autopilot so they could inspect the light and the landing gear but the darkness apparently made it hard to see. But what was inside was the real prize: a Kodak Instamatic camera and rolls of film. Before ValuJet there was Eastern Flight 401. Copyright 2023 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. He did not survive, but his memory lives on. Later, he recognized that the pilot he'd been speaking to was, in fact, Bob. Eastern Flight 401: A survivor's story. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. In the hospital, Infantino barely survived. 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. And those survivors were in the pitch black darkness of the Everglades. They were working all night with gear on the boots in the swamp and the mud.". 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. 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. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Throughout the course of aviation history, there have been several other ghost stories. "My grandfather was a kind, humble, perfectionist. 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. From this accident, crew resource management was brought into pilot and cabin crew training to improve communication onboard. Checks can be made payable to: National Air Disaster Foundation Raposa brought the baby to Ruiz, who cradled him to keep warm. She freed herself, then went to work saving others. Now, survivors are planning the first memorial marker. We consider them significant. According to the Aviation Safety Network, Eastern Air Lines had 163 passengers and 13 members of crew onboard, totaling 176 occupants altogether. McQuigg and Raposa went on to continue flying, with McQuigg still working in the profession. At the front of the aircraft, Sue Tebbs and Adrienne Hamilton were seated for landing. Its an invasive species, Surfside candidate who lost election bid is now in jail on murder charges in Broward, Have you seen Maura Lockhart? She and Marquis would be remembered as two of the heroes from that night. Naked in the cold water, surrounded by tall sawgrass, he heard an airboat. 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. 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. She came across a woman who found an 11-month-old baby as she scouted the wreckage for her son.