"They're home," Beverly said. MiamiSprings.com is the #1 source for news and events for the Miami Springs and Virginia Gardens community. I number things from 1 to 10, and 10 [is] a plane crash, he said. However, she explained that it was huge and funds were just not raised for that, and we talked about maybe three to four years ago about maybe doing something smaller.. Now, survivors are planning the first memorial marker. Four hours after the accident, the coastguard and rescuers arrived, their efforts hampered by the difficult location and conditions. 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. 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 . "You couldn't even say goodbye to each other, that's how fast it happened, said crash survivor Ron Infantino, whose wife Lily died in the crash. 2022 Miami Herald. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 - Crash Investigation, Findings and Passenger List . Eastern Airlines Flight 401 was one of South Florida's deadliest airline disasters. The 50th Anniversary of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 Memorial Monument will be dedicated in a 1300 EST ceremony on December 29, 2022. Theres another photo Ruiz has analyzed over the years. DALLAS December 29, 2022, will mark a half-century since the fatal crash of Eastern Air Lines (EA) Flight 401. Now the names are there and they will never be forgotten, Ruiz said. But today, for Infantino, is about Lilly and the other lost lives. He couldn't move. People were screaming, and partially clothed dead bodies were face down in the water. We just hit,' she said. 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. The plane descended out of the sky as pilots were distracted over a landing gear warning light. He says he thinks about the crash every day and it has defined the way he looks at life. Shortly before the scheduled landing at about 11:30 that night, Lilly went to the restroom and when she came back they switched seats. Copyright 2023 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. Give or take a word, the announcement is remembered verbatim by virtually every survivor. Definition: Here is something interesting that we discovered during our research. Chapter 4 - Flight 401 Passenger List. The Ghost of Flight 401: Directed by Steven Hilliard Stern. We also informed you that much of the money was going into creating more buildings. . 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. One survivor, certain Marquis carried him to safety, once showed up with a $1,000 check. The crew had previously been encouraged to report every incident pertaining to the flight in the aircraft log books, and many sightings were recorded. 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. Beverly saw a sea of colors before being knocked out. They were surprised to hear the sound of singing in the darkness. "It banked to the left and those engines roared to take off power and we hit. READ MORE: There was another tragedy in Miami after Eastern Flight 401. Eastern Airlines eventually ceased operations early in 1991. 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 survived, she didn't. gadunham@aol.com. Eastern Airlines, mistakenly believing they . He said 401 needs a memorial not only for those who died but for its importance in airline safety. The left wing tip hit first. However, the indicator light failed to show that the landing gear was locked down. And he said the disaster taught him something about life. Beverly also injured her back and cut her foot but managed to crawl out of the swamp. 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. According to the Aviation Safety Network, Eastern Air Lines had 163 passengers and 13 members of crew onboard, totaling 176 occupants altogether. I'm just blessed. Its closure; its been a long time coming, she said. The former flight attendants described one gathering in the Everglades where airboats from around Florida turned up to help commemorate crash victims. Seconds later, the plane crashed into the ground at 227 mph. While the crash has inspired two feature-length movies and numerous documentaries and training films, there is no permanent memorial for Eastern Flight 401. Infantino looks back on the crash when hes frustrated about the inconveniences he faces in his daily life. The flight was largely uneventful, but, on approach to Miami, the flight crew had become fixated on a faulty indication in the cockpit. So when Im stuck in traffic, I say, Ron, What number is this? See the coverage as it happened. He was so weak that doctors opted to operate without anesthesia. 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. 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 happened just west of Miami International Airport. Please review this photograph closely. 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. Crash: Directed by Barry Shear. Bound for Miami, Flight 401 took off from New York's JFK at 9:20 p.m. 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. Survivors - Crew and Eastern Employees. 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). Another time, a captain was asked to check on a passenger in first class who was in a pilot's uniform. Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 was a scheduled flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Miami International Airport. She came across a woman who found an 11-month-old baby as she scouted the wreckage for her son. ", But he was worried about Lilly. Beverly Rapoza had just returned from the cabin, collecting empty dishes and glasses, and was looking forward to some rest. The crash spawned a number of books, films and other media, along with legends of ghost signtings involving crew members who were killed. 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. The four-month-old L-1011 TriStar jet crashed into the Florida . "They were incredible," says Infantino. The following is a list of survivors and victims of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401. and they said, 'I'm sorry, sir, we don't know.'". the first officer asked, and the captain immediately exclaimed "Hey, what's happening here?". Eastern Airlines Flight 401 was on its way from New York to Miami on December 29th, 1972, with 13 crew and 163 passengers onboard. It was time to leave as each of us will do. Sometimes, it doesnt seem like 50 years.. In other words, more building space. The rescuers, Coast Guard members and Miami-Dade fire fighters and police officers, worked throughout the night finding survivors. She asked fellow flight attendant Patricia Ghyssels, who sat across from her, what was going on. At one point he noticed that his right arm didn't seem right. 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. "You will never be forgotten. 101 out of the 176 occupants onboard the aircraft perished. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 left a mark on the aviation industry and permanent scars for survivors and loved ones of those who died in the crash. 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 . "The priest came over and asked me what my religion was," he remembers. "The crew was so preoccupied with a 50-cent life bulb, they missed the whole picture," 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. The captain was 49-year-old James Edward Reeves, who had been with Eastern Air Lines since 1956. The City of Miami Springs hosted a Beautiful Memorial Ceremony on Thursday, December 29, 2022. Anyone wishing to donate can write a check payable to the National Air Disaster Foundation or donate online. Robert Loft, 55; First Officer Albert Stockstill, 39, and Second Officer Donald Repo, 51, all of Miami-Dade. A lack of flashlights amid the poor nighttime visibility in the Everglades impeded the ability of survivors to assist each other. One of the envelopes was a letter from Eastern requesting an interview. She encouraged them to sing Christmas carols . Infantino, then 26, awoke bobbing in the swamp, unable to move with an injured arm, chest and knee. With William Shatner, Adrienne Barbeau, Brooke Bundy, Christopher Connelly. Although not in your arms, Im always in your heart. . A well-known fatal accident recounted from surviving cabin crew. She and Marquis would be remembered as two of the heroes from that night. Writer - Patricia joins Simple Flying with over 20 years of experience in aviation. 2020 Pennsylvania Ave NW #315 Infantino and three of the flight attendants who survived the crash spoke to NBC Miami as the 39th anniversary of the flight approached. 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." He wasnt rescued until four or five hours later, he remembers reading in his hospital records. Dozens of people were airlifted to local hospitals from the scene. Organizers are still seeking donations to cover the cost of the memorial, a bill that stands at about $20,000. 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. Thus, Raposa continued, It was 101 airboats that actually went out there, and we lost 101 souls. In addition to the airboats, Ruiz described freefalling white flowers from small aircraft overhead. She has served as cabin crew on flights from economy-class to private jets. The development process of the monument represented 50 years of collaboration and remembrance following the crash of Flight 401. You are here with us," said flight attendant Beverly Raposa, who survived the crash. What happened with ValuJet. In any case, it was far from the first time that the deceased pilot had supposedly been spotted after his death. "I just remember their heavy breathing. He was flying from New York that night with his bride of 20 days, Lilly. The flight started in New York. In the hospital, Infantino barely survived. And never go out of the house angry. 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. "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. 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. Today's story is one of tragedy, of course, but it's also one of heroism and bravery. Those are the last moments Ron Infantino, 76, who now lives in The Villages in Central Florida, remembers before blacking out. Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 traveled from New York to Miami. He didn't know it, but it was Robert "Bud" Marquis, who was out frog-gigging with a friend. After the wreckage is removed, salvageable parts from the plane are used to repair other aircraft. "I'm no doctor. "It was beautiful," said Infantino said of the jet. . The captain had ordered that the landing gear be lowered in preparation for landing. . READ MORE: The day when an Eastern Airlines jet crashed into the Florida Everglades. Located just across from the Miami Springs Country Club, survivors and families hope this memorial brings comfort 5 decades later. 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. 2023 Endeavor Business Media, LLC. Almost 40 years ago, Eastern Airlines flight 401 crashed. The plane plunged into the Everglades after taking off from the Miami airport. Amid the planes wreckage, her cream-colored, company-issued suitcase was the only one that remained intact. "We did something to the altitude," he said. Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 departed New York for Miami on December 29, 1972. Copyright - Florida Web Marketing, Inc. Nestor Suarez is the Publisher of MiamiSprings.com since 1997. And the aircraft gradually descended into the mushy swamp from 20,000 feet. "It save me from the 400 pounds of debris that was falling on me," she said. The crash killed 101 people, including Stanich. The video below recounts the moment by moment incident that led to the crash as well as interviews with some of the survivors and witnesses. The official cause of the crash was pilot error, the crew being distracted by a faulty nose gear indicator . The appearance of the dead flight engineer () was confirmed by the flight engineer." They described Renee, as they called her, as adventurous, smart, outspoken and a woman who was ahead of her time. 401 JFK-MIA Dec. 29, 1972. Infantino and other survivors have for years tried to create one but have been unable to raise the money needed to build it. Local 10: Eastern Flight 401: A survivor's story; Flamingo Magazine: Flight 401 Down in the Glades; Read the Story! 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 bottom line was that the pilot and crew became so concerned about a burnt-out lightbulb that they neglected to notice the altitude dropping. Promote your organization with Miami's #1 hyperlocal community website. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. All are South Florida survivors of the crash of Eastern Flight #401 now trying . The idea for a memorial for Eastern Flight 401 first popped up at the 35th anniversary gathering in the Everglades. During the five hours, a female passenger came up to him and began to walk away. It's certainly not a ten. It happened just west of Miami International Airport. "I asked, 'Where's my wife?' Raposa was one of 75 survivors. The pilot Bob Loft and the flight engineer Don Repo were two of the 101 people who perished in the air crash. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 was on its way from New York to Miami on December 29th, 1972, with 13 crew and 163 passengers onboard. It was the first fatal crash involving not only the Lockheed TriStar, but, indeed, a widebody aircraft of any kind. After placing a seat cushion under Ruizs head, Raposa left to search for other survivors. (Photo by Steve Starr/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images), Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Although not in your arms, Im always in your heart. Miami, Florida: Bankrupt Eastern Airlines Jets On The Ground. Off-topic, inappropriate or anonymous posts may be removed. A desperate search and rescue effort began almost immediately. Through five decades, lessons stick with the survivors of 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. Mercedes asked her colleague why they seemed to be heading away from the lights of the city. We reach over 20,000 people each month. The disaster took the lives 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 crash killed 101 people, including Stanich. The death toll was, in 1972, the highest of any one-plane accident. Visit miamiherald.com. "Hey, what's happening here?" Five years ago, Raposa revived the idea and got approval to place it on a plot of public land in Miami Springs. He held out hope that his wife had survived another patient with their last name was admitted to a hospital in Florida. 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?" Miami, Florida: A young survivor of an Eastern Airlines Tristar jet which crashed in the Everglades near Miami is helped from a helicopter by hospital personnel in Miami. The couple dated for a few years before getting married in December 1972. The captain was 49 . 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Throughout the course of aviation history, there have been several other ghost stories. "My god, you're here, please don't leave me," he remembers telling them. On another day, a crew was in the cockpit of an aircraft when they were said to have seen Don sitting with them. Both pilots and the flight engineer died, along with 2 out of 10 flight attendants and 96 of the 163 passengers on board. This month represents the 50th anniversary of the crash of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401, which crashed into the Florida Everglades in December 1972. 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. 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. A look at some of the strange tales that emerged after the accident. Less pool space. 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. The crash of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 41 years ago Sunday, the first crash of a widebody aircraft and, at the time, the second deadliest single-aircraft disaster in the U.S., led to wide-ranging changes in on board safety that continue to positively affect air travel today. He read a poem in her honor from her perspective as if she were speaking to him from the heavens above. Aviation consultant Bennie Benitez said there were many positive safety elements that came out of 401, like flash lights on all planes. From there a series of seemingly small mistakes and oversights led to the epic crash. "Well its difficult, we were only married 20 days, and we were both 26 years old, and she was my first love to be honest with you. The airline still wanted to interview him for an opening that he could start after his health improved. In the 1970's, tales of such ghostly apparitions flew around the USA and the airline world. Five years ago, Raposa revived the idea and got approval to place it on a plot of public land in Miami Springs. 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 . Then I knew how bad I was.". Love aviation history? While making preparations to land, the crew are distracted by a faulty landing gear indicator light and accidentally disengage the autopilot while trying to resolve the problem. Beverly Raposa a survior of Eastern Flight 401 29th December 1972 crash of an L-1011, tail number N310EA explains her experience 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. 75. One hundred and one lives were lost that late December evening, with 75 passengers and crew . I said, 'I know what you're going through because I lost somebody too.' 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. Eastern Air Lines Flight 401, another Eastern Airlines CFIT . Raposa brought the baby to Ruiz, who cradled him to keep warm. All of the bodies were recovered, 99 perished that night, two more would die from their injuries. Marquis would work tirelessly throughout the night and the next day rescuing people. Shelley and Steve Rubin and their unborn baby boy - Sandy Shapiro December 30, 2020 . The flight crew had taken pictures as a keepsake for what would have been their last trip of the year together. 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 . 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