Truth or scare? The crash killed 101 people, including Stanich. "We don't have a home of our own to call our own, 401 doesn't," he said. And then it was like being in a tornado, I was in the tail and we were rotating, said Beverly Raposa, a flight attendant. The crash, another seminal moment in South Florida aviation history, killed all 110 people on board. That time, finances got in the way. 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. His arm was hanging by a thread; the cold swamp water may have saved his life by coagulating the blood. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. So when Im stuck in traffic, I say, Ron, What number is this? . A flash fire also developed from sprayed fuel. Were gonna wake up.. I didn't know what to do.". Checks can be made payable to: National Air Disaster Foundation 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. 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.. Omar is a bilingual and bicultural journalist, covering breaking news in South Florida for the Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald. The name of Ronald Infantino's wife Lily is on that memorial. All are South Florida survivors of the crash of Eastern Flight #401 now trying . Against the backdrop of a bright green and quiet golf course, some of the survivors accompanied by Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and Miami Springs officials mourned the dead, prayed for their souls and vowed to always remember them. Infantino looks back on the crash when hes frustrated about the inconveniences he faces in his daily life. "You will never be forgotten. But now, they still have to survive in the vast darkness of the gator infested Everglades. That memory never goes away, he told the Miami Herald 50 years later. Then, luggage shot out of the overhead bins. 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. He says he thinks about the crash every day and it has defined the way he looks at life. 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." "She yelled, 'Don't anybody light any matches in the Everglades,' which was smart because of all the jet fuel.". Almost 40 years ago, Eastern Airlines flight 401 crashed. A well-known fatal accident recounted from surviving cabin crew. The captain had ordered that the landing gear be lowered in preparation for landing. Theres another photo Ruiz has analyzed over the years. The other flight crew members were First Officer John Stockhill, a flight engineer, and Donald Luis Repo, an aircraft mechanic, and flight engineer. "We did something to the altitude," he said. 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. 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. She was six feet above the swamp but released her harness. The harrowing tale of three survivors of the 1972 crash of Eastern Airlines flight 401 into the Everglades. He heard alligators and snakes splash around him as whirring airboats and helicopters searched for survivors. Raposa said she has flown for over 20 years for business, saying she sleeps like a baby every time she flies. While the plane was on final approach, the crew became distracted by an apparent problem. 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. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 was one of South Florida's deadliest airline disasters. "I was leaning back, my eyes half closed, and all the sudden I hear the engines go to full power," he said. For example, the vice president of Eastern Air Lines once boarded a flight from New York and chatted with a pilot, who he assumed was in charge of that sector. "She said, 'I have to find my family, but here's my sweater.' 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. And the aircraft gradually descended into the mushy swamp from 20,000 feet. Oh, Mercy, stop complaining, Ghyssels responded. Raposa, who now lives in Broward County, studied to become a flight attendant just steps away from the memorial site. Ron Infantino is a passenger who survived the tragedy. Nichole Shackleford, 53, was just 3 years old when she lost her mother, passenger Patricia Renee Shackleford, 20, in the crash. 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. 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. Expand the text below to read more about this . Unfortunately, 101 passengers and crew perished in the accident. I just regret not getting a chance to say goodbye. ads@MiamiSprings.com. And those survivors were in the pitch black darkness of the Everglades. The jumbo jet had been making a late evening flight from New York to Miami. The Ghost of Flight 401: Directed by Steven Hilliard Stern. And never go out of the house angry. Forty-five years ago, when Officer Gray Leonhard of the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission began a solo night patrol in the Everglades, he was on the lookout for poachers, drug smugglers and maybe even a bullet-riddled corpse. In the cockpit: Capt. Seventy five people survived. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 crashed into the Everglades on a moonless night on December 29, 1972. "I'm one person in the midst of all this," Marquis told NBC News back in 2007. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 was one of South Floridas deadliest airline disasters. 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). Eastern Airlines Flight #401 (L1011 N310EA) crashed in the Everglades on December 29, 1972. I can also come here to feel her and be close to her.. One of the envelopes was a letter from Eastern requesting an interview. 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 former flight attendants described one gathering in the Everglades where airboats from around Florida turned up to help commemorate crash victims. Tomorrow is not a given, she said. "The blessing was we didn't know we were about to crash. Two days into recovery his dad came into his hospital room. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 crashed into the Everglades on December 29, 1972 as it was descending to land at Miami International Airport. "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. 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. "The priest came over and asked me what my religion was," he remembers. 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. (Photo by Steve Starr/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images), Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Through five decades, lessons stick with the survivors of 401. MiamiSprings.com is the #1 source for news and events for the Miami Springs and Virginia Gardens community. 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. MIAMI - Survivors and families are remembering the 101 souls who were killed 50 years ago when Eastern Flight 401 crashed into the Everglades. The Douglas DC-9-31 carried 78 passengers and four crew members. Proudly serving the community since 1997. "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. Was it a burned-out $12 bulb or a faulty landing gear? McQuigg and Raposa went on to continue flying, with McQuigg still working in the profession. 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. The Lockheed L-1011 crashed into the Florida Everglades. Her face was burnt, but the coolness of the swamp seemed a relief. One of them was Ron Infantino, an Air Force veteran in Vietnam and aviation aficianado. Marquis would work tirelessly throughout the night and the next day rescuing people. Robert Loft, 55; First Officer Albert Stockstill, 39, and Second Officer Donald Repo, 51, all of Miami-Dade. His knee was badly dislocated, his shin able to swivel in any direction. She said her mom had moved to Connecticut and was coming home to surprise her family before New Years. The captain was 49 . Wow, what an experience that was. Raposa would spend the next grueling hours fighting for those who survived the crash of Eastern Airlines 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 . And then she started walking away, trying to help people. "They put me in a helicopter and I'll never forget they gave me a warm blanket," he said. Another time, a captain was asked to check on a passenger in first class who was in a pilot's uniform. I know how much you miss me, and I miss you too. 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 . The jet carried 167 passengers to Miami from New York. A look at some of the strange tales that emerged after the accident. She and Marquis would be remembered as two of the heroes from that night. It was time to leave as each of us will do. Mercedes was thrown from the aircraft, still trapped in her jump seat with injuries to her head and a broken pelvis. Survivors. The flight attendants' reports after the accident helped to change safety equipment onboard, including the use of shoulder harnesses on all jump seats, which was not the case at the time. On the night of December 29th, 1972, he was a passenger on Eastern Airlines Flight 401 from New York to Miami. Beverly replied, 'No Mercy, we're down.' He wasnt rescued until four or five hours later, he remembers reading in his hospital records. Now, survivors are planning the first memorial marker. The wreckage of Eastern Air Lines flight 401 lies in the Florida Everglades after the crash. Five years ago, Raposa revived the idea and got approval to place it on a plot of public land in Miami Springs. 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 cockpit crew, scrambling to identify the problem, got permission from air traffic control to circle the Everglades. 2022 Miami Herald. 101 out of the 176 occupants onboard the aircraft perished. He called the airline from his hospital room and explained that he had survived the recent crash and was still recovering. They were surprised to hear the sound of singing in the darkness. This month represents the 50th anniversary of the crash of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401, which crashed into the Florida Everglades in December 1972. Pieces of the shattered plane lay scattered in the muck and jet fuel stained the inky waters of the Everglades. Her message on life: Never take anything for granted. Hardly anyone has stopped by in 35 years to discuss the crash. Eastern Flight 401, a Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, remains the worst aviation accident in Florida history. ", But he was worried about Lilly. Click on contribute in the blue box in the right column of the home page. But that turned out to be Infantinos uncle, who wasnt on the plane. As you might expect, she later picked from some photos that Don was the engineer she had seen. 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). The City of Miami Springs hosted a Beautiful Memorial Ceremony on Thursday, December 29, 2022. 401 JFK-MIA Dec. 29, 1972. Its not a 10. . 75. Raposa was one of 75 survivors. He was flying from New York that night with his bride of 20 days, Lilly. "I hear this voice scream out in the Everglades," he said. . "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. She went on to praise the efforts of Raposa, who sang Christmas carols to maintain morale among survivors as they waited for rescue. Shortly after, the plane crashed into the swamp. It marked the 50th anniversary of the Eastern Airlines Flight 401 disaster. I number things from 1 to 10, and 10 [is] a plane crash, he said. One hundred and one lives were lost that late December evening, with 75 passengers and crew . She came back and said, Mercy, I cant. She couldnt see.. Fundraising was a challenge, but Raposa said radio appearances and the support of former Eastern Air Lines employees bolstered efforts. Then he noticed that the pilot did a fly-by the airport. His right arm was nearly severed, his left knee broken, his chest crushed. Please review this photograph closely. "The reports were given by experienced and trustworthy pilots and crew. READ MORE: The day when an Eastern Airlines jet crashed into the Florida Everglades. Sometimes, it doesnt seem like 50 years.. "They were incredible," says Infantino. 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. Now the names are there and they will never be forgotten, Ruiz said. Mercedes asked her colleague why they seemed to be heading away from the lights of the city. The pilots engaged the autopilot so they could inspect the light and the landing gear but the darkness apparently made it hard to see. (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. This message board is intended for serious discussions of the December 29th, 1972 crash of Eastern Airlines Flight 401. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 was on its way from New York to Miami on December 29th, 1972, with 13 crew and 163 passengers onboard. On returning to the galley, another flight attendant saw an engineer fixing the oven. Off-topic, inappropriate or anonymous posts may be removed. 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. 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. 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?" "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. gadunham@aol.com. "I'll be reading names," he said, "and after each name a candle will be lit until 101 candles are lit.". A group of survivors drafted plans for a marker, but life got in the way. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. We just hit,' she said. The experienced flight crew was distracted when the landing gear light failed to come on, which they believed was caused by a blown bulb. 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). The crash was a result of the flight crew's failure to recognize a deactivation of the autopilot during their attempt . The aircraft was a five-year-old McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31 registered as N8984E. Miami, Florida: Bankrupt Eastern Airlines Jets On The Ground. 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. The couple dated for a few years before getting married in December 1972. READ MORE: There was another tragedy in Miami after Eastern Flight 401. On the returning flight, an engine failed and had to be shut down before it caught fire. The aircraft was a Lockheed L-1011-1 TriStar traveling from New York to Miami. Bob Loft decided to try to troubleshoot and fix the light before landing and put the plane on autopilot. The official cause of the crash was pilot error, the crew being distracted by a faulty nose gear indicator . All rights reserved. Afterward, folks hope to take the old man into the . 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. A ball of fire erupted in the cabin and the aircraft cartwheeled and broke into pieces. We'll probably never know. Raposa was one of 75 survivors. The crash of Eastern Flight 401. However, 75 people did survive the crash. She was dazed and disoriented but noticed a penlight flashing nearby. The aircraft was a Lockheed L-1011-1 TriStar traveling from New York to Miami. /24-7PressRelease/ - MIAMI, FL, December 07, 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 . Later, he recognized that the pilot he'd been speaking to was, in fact, Bob. The pilot was unnerved by what had happened and canceled the flight. Visit miamiherald.com. In November 2022,Airwaysinterviewed former flight attendants Beverly Raposa and Mercy Ruiz to understand their perspectives as survivors of the crash. The crew had previously been encouraged to report every incident pertaining to the flight in the aircraft log books, and many sightings were recorded. It happened 40 years ago today on a cold dark night in the Everglades, a brand new "Whisperliner" jumbo jet . She woke in darkness, still in her jump seat hanging to one side, choking on the acrid jet fuel fumes. Located just across from the Miami Springs Country Club, survivors and families hope this memorial brings comfort 5 decades later. Eastern Airlines Flight 401. While in the cockpit one day, preparing for the flight, another pilot heard loud knocks from under the floor beneath him. The plane was crossing over the Everglades on Dec. 29, 1972, when she turned to fellow flight attendant Stephanie Stanich. one of the deadliest plane crashes in South Floridas history, Were down. Flight 401 crashed in Miami 50 years ago. There were 10 flight attendants in the main cabin serving 163 passengers. ", - Beverly, Flight attendant on Flight 401. Copyright 2023 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. Sharon and Adrienne were injured and trapped in their jump seats. 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. Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 traveled from New York to Miami. 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. Its a bad dream. The crash killed 101 people, including Stanich. The plane's capacity . The aircraft operating the route, a Lockheed L1011-385-1 Tristar crashed into the Florida Everglades, resulting in 101 fatalities. An Eastern Airlines jet heading from New York to Miami crashed in the Everglades 50 years ago. From this accident, crew resource management was brought into pilot and cabin crew training to improve communication onboard. Expand All . The pilot Bob Loft and the flight engineer Don Repo were two of the 101 people who perished in the air crash. 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. "It went completely dark so I knew we were doing another go-round, not knowing what was going on," he said. 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 Memorial is located just South and West of the new Miami Springs sign that was erected on the Curtiss Parkway median. 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. He was very dedicated," she said. Literally you were inside a tornado.". Eastern Air Lines Flight 212 was a regularly scheduled flight between Charleston, South Carolina and Chicago Illinois with a stop at Charlotte, North Carolina. Ruiz was 28 years old and had been working as a flight attendant for less than three years when the plane went down. 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. 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