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. 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. He held out hope that his wife had survived another patient with their last name was admitted to a hospital in Florida. Oh, Mercy, stop complaining, Ghyssels responded. Fourteen people suffered burns, while 17 had only minor injuries and didn't need to be hospitalized, the NTSB report said. https://new.miamisprings.com/images/news/pool-capture.jpg. She downsized plans for the memorial so it could be completed while the remaining survivors are still alive. Local 10: Eastern Flight 401: A survivor's story; Flamingo Magazine: Flight 401 Down in the Glades; Read the Story! "My grandfather was a kind, humble, perfectionist. The crash claimed the lives of 101 passengers and crew. The latest local, regional and national news events are presented by the Local 10 News Team along with updated sports, weather and traffic. "They'll never be forgotten.". Remembering EAL Flt. However, 75 people did survive the crash. Ruiz said this began many, many years back with efforts to commemorate the victims from us, the surviving crew members, people close to the victims, and all of the people from our community who really wanted to join us.. I don't think so we have no control over our destiny.". Organizers are still seeking donations to cover the cost of the memorial, a bill that stands at about $20,000. He did not survive, but his memory lives on. Miami, Florida: Bankrupt Eastern Airlines Jets On The Ground. But doctors were able to reattach his arm. The couple dated for a few years before getting married in December 1972. 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. 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. Eastern Air Lines flight 401 encountered no problems while cruising between the two cities. The plane, a new "Whisperliner," could transport 229 passengers. Soon passengers and crew on those aircraft report seeing what they believe to be the ghost of the . One survivor, certain Marquis carried him to safety, once showed up with a $1,000 check. Truth or scare? the first officer asked, and the captain immediately exclaimed "Hey, what's happening here?". She woke in darkness, still in her jump seat hanging to one side, choking on the acrid jet fuel fumes. And those survivors were in the pitch black darkness of the Everglades. Her face was burnt, but the coolness of the swamp seemed a relief. It happened just west of Miami International Airport. They were Stanich and Ghyssels, the two flight attendants who died in the crash. ", - Beverly, Flight attendant on Flight 401. 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. An Eastern Airlines jet heading from New York to Miami crashed in the Everglades 50 years ago. ", "We're still at two thousand right?" "We're still at 2,000 feet, right?" asked Loft. But a light didnt confirm whether the landing gear was down. Her mothers sister, Sharon Shackleford, 73, and best friend, Angel Sears, 70, were also in attendance. At the front of the aircraft, Sue Tebbs and Adrienne Hamilton were seated for landing. The plane then veered to the left and was thrown into darkness. But today, for Infantino, is about Lilly and the other lost lives. "The blessing was we didn't know we were about to crash. The pilots engaged the autopilot so they could inspect the light and the landing gear but the darkness apparently made it hard to see. He had bad sawgrass cuts all over his face. 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. She called two of her fellow crew members in to witness what she had seen. The flight was largely uneventful, but, on approach to Miami, the flight crew had become fixated on a faulty indication in the cockpit. On returning to the galley, another flight attendant saw an engineer fixing the oven. 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 . Eastern Flight 401: A survivor's story. One minute, he was resting in his seat with his arms folded. In any case, it was far from the first time that the deceased pilot had supposedly been spotted after his death. One of them was Ron Infantino, an Air Force veteran in Vietnam and aviation aficianado. I just regret not getting a chance to say goodbye. Eastern Airlines Flight 401. The captain had ordered that the landing gear be lowered in preparation for landing. All rights reserved. . 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. 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. 2022 Miami Herald. Anyone wishing to donate can write a check payable to the National Air Disaster Foundation or donate online. The plane actually spun in a circle, the floor dropped and I woke up in the water," he recalled. 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. "It was beautiful," said Infantino said of the jet. 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. Featured Image: Eastern Airlines Lockheed L1011 N310EA, the airframe involved in flight 401. Survivors and families are remembering the 101 souls who were killed 50 years ago when Eastern Flight 401 crashed into the Everglades. A desperate search and rescue effort began almost immediately. But no one could hear Infantino yelling for help. The 76-year-old said his wife of 20 days, Lilly Infantino, died in the crash. The lights of Miami vanished behind them. Aircraft and crew The aircraft involved was a five-year-old McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31 registered as N8984E, which was delivered to Eastern Airlines on January 30, 1969. 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. Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 departed New York for Miami on December 29, 1972. A look at some of the strange tales that emerged after the accident. The flight attendants who perished on the flight are: Patricia A. Ghyssels; Stephanie Rae Stanich; Eastern Airlines Flight EA401 Memorial in Miami Springs honors the 101 souls who perished on December 29, 1972 SURVIVORS OF EASTERN AIRLINES FLIGHT 401. At the start of 2022, Raposa remembered her promise to honor those who lost their lives on the flight. The four-month-old L-1011 TriStar jet crashed into the Florida . After the impact the aircraft disintegrated, scattering wreckage over an area approximately 1,600 feet long and 300 feet wide. 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. Raposa was one of 75 survivors. And then she started walking away, trying to help people. That also gave me an impression like the two girls were marked, Ruiz said. There were 67 survivors. Its just special to me that we are remembering all the people who lost their lives, Quinn said. The group will also try to raise funds for a memorial to honor those who died. Now you can see the construction of the new pool with your own eyes. Those are the last moments Ron Infantino, 76, who now lives in The Villages in Central Florida, remembers before blacking out. (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. READ MORE: There was another tragedy in Miami after Eastern Flight 401. 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 . Amazingly, 75 of the 176 passengers and crew aboard Flight 401 survived. Eastern Airlines, mistakenly believing they . Get the latest aviation news straight to your inbox: Sign up for our newsletters today. 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. Was it a burned-out $12 bulb or a faulty landing gear? "Next thing I knew, we hit the left wing tip first, everything out of the overheads flew over. The flight, which departed from JFK International . Contact: brent@airwaysmag.com, 2022 Airways Publishing, LLC. The scene was apocalyptic. In November 2022, Airways interviewed former flight attendants Beverly Raposa and Mercy Ruiz to understand their perspectives as survivors of the crash. Flight Capt. She was dazed and disoriented but noticed a penlight flashing nearby. The experienced flight crew was distracted when the landing gear light failed to come on, which they believed was caused by a blown bulb. Its an invasive species, Surfside candidate who lost election bid is now in jail on murder charges in Broward, Have you seen Maura Lockhart? All the survivors were injured; 60 received serious injuries and 17 suffered minor injuries that did not require . Unfortunately, 101 passengers and crew perished in the accident. and they said, 'I'm sorry, sir, we don't know.'". While in the cockpit one day, preparing for the flight, another pilot heard loud knocks from under the floor beneath him. 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. Beverly was sitting in the rear of the plane. The crash of Eastern Flight 401. According to George Rodez who will be hosting a special event at the History Miami Museum, . Flight attendants Patricia and Stephanie tragically died in the crash, along with the flight crew. "You will never be forgotten. Miami Springs, a bedroom community bordering Miami International Airport, was home to many Eastern employees in the 1970s and 80s. The scene of the wreckage of Eastern Airlines Flight 401 in the Everglades west of Miami International Airport. According to a National Transportation Safety Board report, the pilots placed the landing gear handle down but noticed the green light that indicates that the nose landing gear is fully extended and locked failed to illuminate. . 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 . There was no fear, no panic, no anything. After the wreckage is removed, salvageable parts from the plane are used to repair other aircraft. "I can't see it, it's pitch dark and I throw the little light, I get, ah, nothing," the second officer said, according to the report. In another part of the Everglades, flight attendant Mercy Ruiz shivered, her body soaked in kerosene. She and Marquis would be remembered as two of the heroes from that night. . Ron Infantino is a passenger who survived the tragedy. Infantino and three of the flight attendants who survived the crash spoke to NBC Miami as the 39th anniversary of the flight approached. On duty that day was also Stephanie Stanich, Trudy Smith, Sharon Transue, Beverly Rapoza and Dorothy Warnock. 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. Survivors. 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. 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. People were screaming, and partially clothed dead bodies were face down in the water. The idea for a memorial for Eastern Flight 401 first popped up at the 35th anniversary gathering in the Everglades. The survivors were taken to a narrow levee where helicopters took them to hospitals. MIAMI - Survivors and families are remembering the 101 souls who were killed 50 years ago when Eastern Flight 401 crashed into the Everglades. Then, luggage shot out of the overhead bins. There were 75 survivors. He spends most of his vacations in Miami. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 was on its way from New York to Miami on December 29th, 1972, with 13 crew and 163 passengers onboard. 50 years later, memorial dedicated to survivors, families of Eastern Flight 401 crash. Tell people you love them. The plane descended out of the sky as pilots were distracted over a landing gear warning light. Expand All . I know how much you miss me, and I miss you too. All are South Florida survivors of the crash of Eastern Flight #401 now trying . On another day, a crew was in the cockpit of an aircraft when they were said to have seen Don sitting with them. "I don't know where she was. 75. Just before the plane hit, First Officer Albert Stockstill noticed the low altitude and told Loft about it. Now, survivors are planning the first memorial marker. 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. But what was inside was the real prize: a Kodak Instamatic camera and rolls of film. Infantino heard that, but nobody could hear him. On the night of December 29th, 1972, he was a passenger on Eastern Airlines Flight 401 from New York to Miami. The death toll was, in 1972, the highest of any one-plane accident. 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. . "The reports were given by experienced and trustworthy pilots and crew. Expand the text below to read more about this . 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. In the cockpit: Capt. The tragedy would never have occurred but for a single, burnt-out light bulb . Please review this photograph closely. Since the flight was full, he exercised his privilege as an Eastern Airlines employee, and rode in the cockpit jumpseat. He warned them of a faulty electrical circuit, which was then found and replaced. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 crashed into the Everglades on a moonless night on December 29, 1972. Mercy Ruiz, 29, also noticed something strange that night. 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. The crash killed 101 people, including Stanich. . The wreckage of Eastern Air Lines flight 401 lies in the Florida Everglades after the crash. 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). . Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 traveled from New York to Miami. 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. On Thursday, she was wearing the same Eastern Air Lines gold wings pin that she wore on the fateful night. 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, 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. The Story Of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401. She freed herself, then went to work saving others. 2023 Endeavor Business Media, LLC. Five years ago, Raposa revived the idea and got approval to place it on a plot of public land in Miami Springs. "We did something to the altitude," he said. Raposa was one of 75 survivors. "We did something to the altitude," the first officer remarked, and the captain's reply was "What? The Douglas DC-9-31 carried 78 passengers and four crew members. 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). 101 out of the 176 occupants onboard the aircraft perished. 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. Why them two?. 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. "On the wreath I put, 'To our fellow brothers and sisters, in loving memory.' Fortunately, there were 75 survivors during that horrible tragedy of late 1972. Infantino looks back on the crash when hes frustrated about the inconveniences he faces in his daily life. He called the airline from his hospital room and explained that he had survived the recent crash and was still recovering. 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 . 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. Eastern Air Lines Flight 401, another Eastern Airlines CFIT . 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. The crash of Eastern Airlines Flight 401, along with other major air disasters around the same time, eventually led to a number of aircraft safety enhancements, including crew resource management, which has procedures for decision making in cockpits to try to eliminate human error. Donations are still being accepted no matter what amount. Give or take a word, the announcement is remembered verbatim by virtually every survivor. "Hey, what's happening here?" . However, the indicator light failed to show that the landing gear was locked down. And because it was pitch dark there were no visual cues outside to tell them they were about to hit the swamp. Infantino and the flight attendants will meet with airline experts and the public to tell them never to become complacent. "Same thing in our lives. Robert Loft, 55; First Officer Albert Stockstill, 39, and Second Officer Donald Repo, 51, all of Miami-Dade. Airboats represent a certain degree of sentimental value for survivors of Flight 401. From the 1972 crash of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 in the Florida Everglades, to the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 and the tragedies of Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 resulting from faulty sensors on the Boeing 737 Max 8, Podhurst Orseck has grown from aviation litigation pioneer to the premier firm of its kind globally. She, too, couldnt move because of a fractured pelvic bone. The next, he was covered in water up to his chin. 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. Its the holidays. 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. Beverly Raposa switched seats from her regular position in the galley for a flight from New York to Miami. "I asked, 'Where's my wife?' I try to do that but I'm human so it doesn't always work out.". The heroism of Marquis and others and the heartbreaking loss of life that night are remembered and honored in an exhibit opening January 14 at HistoryMiami Museum in downtown Miami. The flooring of the plane crumbled. "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. Ruiz also described the adoption of shoulder straps on jump seats as another significant safety development that followed the crash of Flight 401. And the aircraft gradually descended into the mushy swamp from 20,000 feet. 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 . 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.. The crash, another seminal moment in South Florida aviation history, killed all 110 people on board. Raposa said that 103 airboats were scheduled to show up but that two of the airboats would not start, due to last-minute mechanical difficulties. Based in Dubai, Photo: Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives, Eastern Airlines Flight 401: A Cabin Crew Perspective, Avelo Air Seeing Strong Bookings For New Wilmington Base, Another JFK Incident: JetBlue Airbus A321 Bumps Into Parked Plane, European Airlines Plan To Hit Back At Short-Haul Flight Bans, The Rules & Regulations That Dictate The Hours That Cabin Crew Can Work, Bouncing Back: Libya To Hold Its First Aviation Forum This Weekend. "I asked why he wanted to know that and I said Catholic. And then it was complete silence and I thought I was the only one alive.". While the plane was on final approach, the crew became distracted by an apparent problem. It is open to the public. It also marked the first the first jumbo jet to crash. 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. Eastern employees visited Infantino for a two-hour interview. The plane descended out of the sky as pilots were distracted over a landing gear warning light. In 2021, a memorial marker was installed in the Everglades to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the May 11, 1996, ValuJet crash. Eventually, all of the salvaged parts were removed from aircraft, and neither Bob nor Don were ever seen again. "She yelled, 'Don't anybody light any matches in the Everglades,' which was smart because of all the jet fuel.". It's certainly not a ten. Who could this have been? 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. 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. Bound for Miami, Flight 401 took off from New York's JFK at 9:20 p.m. The plane's capacity . Fundraising was a challenge, but Raposa said radio appearances and the support of former Eastern Air Lines employees bolstered efforts. On the returning flight, an engine failed and had to be shut down before it caught fire. "I just remember their heavy breathing. She said her mom had moved to Connecticut and was coming home to surprise her family before New Years. It happened 40 years ago today on a cold dark night in the Everglades, a brand new "Whisperliner" jumbo jet . 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 City of Miami Springs hosted a Beautiful Memorial Ceremony on Thursday, December 29, 2022. "The priest came over and asked me what my religion was," he remembers. "It banked to the left and those engines roared to take off power and we hit. 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. 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. He wasnt rescued until four or five hours later, he remembers reading in his hospital records. She encouraged them to sing Christmas carols . Its a bad dream. Less pool space. His right arm was nearly severed, his left knee broken, his chest crushed. 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 . 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. Chapter 4 - Flight 401 Passenger List. Eastern Air Lines Flight 212 was a regularly scheduled flight between Charleston, South Carolina and Chicago Illinois with a stop at Charlotte, North Carolina. The captain, along with one of two flight crew members, two of 10 flight attendants, and 97 of 163 passengers, died; 75 . Crash: Directed by Barry Shear. Although not in your arms, Im always in your heart. Through five decades, lessons stick with the survivors of 401. 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. "It was so cold I can't describe it.". No, we didnt crash, Beverly. "He said they found Lilly's body," he said. Raposa, who now lives in Broward County, studied to become a flight attendant just steps away from the memorial site. In other words, more building space. Nichole Shackleford, 53, was just 3 years old when she lost her mother, passenger Patricia Renee Shackleford, 20, in the crash. Ruiz was 28 years old and had been working as a flight attendant for less than three years when the plane went down. Seventy five people survived. The investigation into the crash took months. Copies of that photo are now bound in a leather album that Eastern gave all the flight attendants of Flight 401 after the tragedy. 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 .