And she knows what I went through, so you have that same bonding with one another.". But it also crept into popular culture through . "I'm one person in the midst of all this," Marquis told NBC News back in 2007. Beverly replied, 'No Mercy, we're down.' Washington, DC 20006, Online Donations can be made at www.PlaneSafe.org. 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. They had not realized that the autopilot was disconnected, which ultimately caused the plane to lose altitude and crash. The couple was returning to Miami from their honeymoon when the unspeakable happened. As you might expect, she later picked from some photos that Don was the engineer she had seen. If you need help with the Public File, call (954) 364-2526. Advertise: Call 305.775.4094 or email: That also gave me an impression like the two girls were marked, Ruiz said. Pieces of the shattered plane lay scattered in the muck and jet fuel stained the inky waters of the Everglades. A flash fire also developed from sprayed fuel. "They were incredible," says Infantino. What none of the passengers in the plane knew was that the light for the nose gear wasn't working. "And it was just hanging off. The precious love we shared means we are never far apart,. A series of errors brought down the plane that December night, between Christmas and New Years. Hardly anyone has stopped by in 35 years to discuss the crash. Crash: Directed by Barry Shear. She went on to praise the efforts of Raposa, who sang Christmas carols to maintain morale among survivors as they waited for rescue. Before ValuJet there was Eastern Flight 401. 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 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. And those survivors were in the pitch black darkness of the Everglades. "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. Mysteriously, the log books started to go missing from the aircraft. "She yelled, 'Don't anybody light any matches in the Everglades,' which was smart because of all the jet fuel.". Copyright 2023 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. Its closure; its been a long time coming, she said. "What saved my life was chute on that dooractually on impact it inflated, she recalled. Raposa, who now lives in Broward County, studied to become a flight attendant just steps away from the memorial site. During the five hours, a female passenger came up to him and began to walk away. Pieces of the aircraft scattered across the sawgrass. Five years ago, Raposa revived the idea and got approval to place it on a plot of public land in Miami Springs. She noticed that the engines sounded different, and the aircraft jolted. 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 . It happened 40 years ago today on a cold dark night in the Everglades, a brand new "Whisperliner" jumbo jet . "I got a call from a mother whose son was killed on Valujet 592 and she said how much she appreciates us having a wreath for them," said Infantino, choking up. Of the 163 passengers and 13 crewmembers aboard, 94 passengers and five crewmembers were killed, while two other survivors died days later from their injuries. (Photo by Steve Starr/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images), Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Amazingly, 75 of the 176 passengers and crew aboard Flight 401 survived. ", "We're still at two thousand right?" Was it because we switched seats? 101 out of the 176 occupants onboard the aircraft perished. The incident occurred on September 11, 1974, killing 72 of the 82 people on board. The lights of Miami vanished behind them. The flight was largely uneventful, but, on approach to Miami, the flight crew had become fixated on a faulty indication in the cockpit. And he is delighted he will get to dine more often at one of his favorite restaurants, Kamiko Sushi Bar in Doral. Off-topic, inappropriate or anonymous posts may be removed. Located just across from the Miami Springs Country Club, survivors and families hope this memorial brings comfort 5 decades later. Theres another photo Ruiz has analyzed over the years. I carry those folks in my heart every single day, Raposa said of those who died in the tragedy. The rescuers, Coast Guard members and Miami-Dade fire fighters and police officers, worked throughout the night finding survivors. They described Renee, as they called her, as adventurous, smart, outspoken and a woman who was ahead of her time. "They'll never be forgotten.". 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. Bound for Miami, Flight 401 took off from New York's JFK at 9:20 p.m. Her face was burnt, but the coolness of the swamp seemed a relief. On December 29, 1972, Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 crashes into the Florida Everglades, resulting in 101 fatalities. It happened just west of Miami International Airport. Just before the plane hit, First Officer Albert Stockstill noticed the low altitude and told Loft about it. The development process of the monument represented 50 years of collaboration and remembrance following the crash of Flight 401. She was six feet above the swamp but released her harness. 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. (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. Eastern Airlines Flight 401. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 was one of South Florida's deadliest airline disasters. Woman, 66, has been missing for weeks, Miami cops say, Date night: Ivanka Trump posts picture with Jared Kushner at this Miami hot spot, Miami to Palm Beach lawyers email trouble, aggravated battery, fighting disbarment, DeSantis appoints a Lourdes Academy staffer to the Miami-Dade School Board, Former state Rep. Grieco should have law license temporarily suspended, report says, A Coral Gables attorney suspended in 2020, disbarred in 2022 wants to be back by July, Suspect arrested after Miami gas station clerk is stabbed multiple times. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. At one point he noticed that his right arm didn't seem right. "They put me in a helicopter and I'll never forget they gave me a warm blanket," he said. 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. He turned it down. I know how much you miss me, and I miss you too. 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. Raposa was one of 75 survivors. READ MORE: Were down. Flight 401 crashed in Miami 50 years ago. Although not in your arms, Im always in your heart. He was so weak that doctors opted to operate without anesthesia. Beverly also injured her back and cut her foot but managed to crawl out of the swamp. The two girls in the photograph that are having the bunny ears (Patricia Ghyssels) and the one jokingly being choked (Stephanie Stanich) were the only two flight attendants who did . He opened the trap door to see a vision of Don looking at him, which then promptly disappeared. And because it was pitch dark there were no visual cues outside to tell them they were about to hit the swamp. On another flight, a flight attendant is said to have seen Don's face on the oven door. Discover more of our stories here! Chapter 4 - Flight 401 Passenger List. The couple had two sons. Eastern Airlines eventually ceased operations early in 1991. "Brand new, spacious, the seating was gorgeous, there was a beautiful lounge in the back.". Definition: Here is something interesting that we discovered during our research. An aircraft crashes in the Florida Everglades, killing 103 passengers. See the coverage as it happened. It was like a tornado. Flight engineer Don Repo is also said to have appeared onboard flights in a strange, supernatural manner. 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. The flight crew had taken pictures as a keepsake for what would have been their last trip of the year together. Donations are still being accepted no matter what amount. In the hospital he learned just how bad off he was. She and Marquis would be remembered as two of the heroes from that night. Beverly Rapoza had just returned from the cabin, collecting empty dishes and glasses, and was looking forward to some rest. Beverly had gathered survivors together, seating them back to back to stay warm. "The tail turned over, the floor opened under me and I went down with 400 pounds of debris on me," she said. She called two of her fellow crew members in to witness what she had seen. It is open to the public. Miami Springs, a bedroom community bordering Miami International Airport, was home to many Eastern employees in the 1970s and 80s. There were 75 survivors. The Lockheed L-1011 crashed into the Florida Everglades. There was no fear, no panic, no anything. 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. Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 traveled from New York to Miami. MIAMI - Survivors and families are remembering the 101 souls who were killed 50 years ago when Eastern Flight 401 crashed into the Everglades. Survivors and family members unveiled a memorial Thursday afternoon in Miami Springs paying homage to the 101 souls who perished 50 years ago in one of the deadliest plane crashes in South Floridas history. All rights reserved, WATCH LIVE: Small Plane Makes Emergency Landing on Roadway in Western Broward. Was it a burned-out $12 bulb or a faulty landing gear? "I hear this voice scream out in the Everglades," he said. On returning to the galley, another flight attendant saw an engineer fixing the oven. Give or take a word, the announcement is remembered verbatim by virtually every survivor. "Survivors" Southern . The Story Of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401. In any case, it was far from the first time that the deceased pilot had supposedly been spotted after his death. Two days into recovery his dad came into his hospital room. Both would die in the crash. Afterward, folks hope to take the old man into the . Those still in a sufficiently usable state were used again on the Eastern Air Lines fleet. asked Loft. Anyone wishing to donate can write a check payable to the National Air Disaster Foundation or donate online. The aircraft operating the route, a Lockheed L1011-385-1 Tristar crashed into the Florida Everglades, resulting in 101 fatalities. "The blessing was we didn't know we were about to crash. 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. 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! You are here with us," said flight attendant Beverly Raposa, who survived the crash. The group wanted to balance their pose, so they stood in two lines of four with one of the flight attendants stretching out over the top of a closet. She freed herself, then went to work saving others. However, 75 people did survive the crash. 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. "You couldn't even say goodbye to each . They didn't find her body until two days later," he said. Miami, Florida: Bankrupt Eastern Airlines Jets On The Ground. "It was so cold I can't describe it.". The group will also try to raise funds for a memorial to honor those who died. The sound, a huge fireball that went through the cabin," she recalled. The official cause of the crash was pilot error, the crew being distracted by a faulty nose gear indicator . "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. 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. Promote your organization with Miami's #1 hyperlocal community website. MIAMI - Thursday marks 50 years since Eastern Airlines Flight 401 crashed into the Florida Everglades. The jet carried 167 passengers to Miami from New York. The captain was 49 . Love aviation history? The plane descended out of the sky as pilots were distracted over a landing gear warning light. While the plane was on final approach, the crew became distracted by an apparent problem. 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. / CBS Miami. His arm was hanging by a thread; the cold swamp water may have saved his life by coagulating the blood. The 76-year-old said his wife of 20 days, Lilly Infantino, died in the crash. 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. Ruiz continued her career as a flight attendant, flying for both EA and United (UA) in the years following 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. The plane was heading away from the city lights. She has served as cabin crew on flights from economy-class to private jets. After donating, please email the NADF Executive Director, Gail Dunhan so that she can send you an acknowledgement of your tax deductible donation. Click on contribute in the blue box in the right column of the home page. The experienced flight crew was distracted when the landing gear light failed to come on, which they believed was caused by a blown bulb. Copies of that photo are now bound in a leather album that Eastern gave all the flight attendants of Flight 401 after the tragedy. gadunham@aol.com. Later, he recognized that the pilot he'd been speaking to was, in fact, Bob. And he said the disaster taught him something about life. 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. The name of Ronald Infantino's wife Lily is on that memorial. He spends most of his vacations in Miami. Her mothers sister, Sharon Shackleford, 73, and best friend, Angel Sears, 70, were also in attendance. The plane descended out of the sky as pilots were distracted over a landing gear warning light. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 - Crash Investigation, Findings and Passenger List . According to the Aviation Safety Network, Eastern Air Lines had 163 passengers and 13 members of crew onboard, totaling 176 occupants altogether. The monument will be located on the grassy median of the 700 block of Curtis Parkway in Miami Springs, Florida, just opposite the Miami Springs Golf and Country Club driving range. 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). After the wreckage is removed, salvageable parts from the plane are used to repair other aircraft. ads@MiamiSprings.com. We reach over 20,000 people each month. The idea for a memorial for Eastern Flight 401 first popped up at the 35th anniversary gathering in the Everglades. He was very dedicated," she said. Who could this have been? The Lockheed L-1011 was the pride of the Eastern fleet and the first of a new generation of wide-body jumbo jets to crash. I say, 'Calm down, Ron, what number is this? They were exhausted. 103 passengers and crew members died in the crash or shortly thereafter and 75 passengers/crew survived. "It banked to the left and those engines roared to take off power and we hit. 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. It was all wet, but it felt good just to have something on me.". Eastern Air Lines Flight 401, another Eastern Airlines CFIT . Eastern employees visited Infantino for a two-hour interview. A ball of fire erupted in the cabin and the aircraft cartwheeled and broke into pieces. Its like the light they needed in the Everglades on that December night 50 years ago. Infantino served in Vietnam, but it was this flight, not war that brought him closest to death. 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). If were a little late, its overtime.. "We did something to the altitude," the first officer remarked, and the captain's reply was "What? So I'll never forget it, I brought it to my chest and held it.". I reach over and all the sudden my fingers go inside of my bicep," he said. The captain was 49-year-old James Edward Reeves, who had been with Eastern Air Lines since 1956. "Preoccupation with a malfunction of the nose landing gear position indicating system distracted the crew's attention from the instruments and allowed the descent to go unnoticed," it continued. 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. Bud Marquis, who was out hunting frogs with a friend, was the first to arrive and found a scene of chaos, with survivors struggling in the swampy wreckage. 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 . Tomorrow is not a given, she said. Robert Loft, 55; First Officer Albert Stockstill, 39, and Second Officer Donald Repo, 51, all of Miami-Dade. Fortunately, there were 75 survivors during that horrible tragedy of late 1972. READ MORE: An Eastern plane crashed into the Everglades in 1972. "I number things one to ten in my life, ten's the plane crash," he says. . He had bad sawgrass cuts all over his face. Pin. "Hey, what's happening here?" Raposa would spend the next grueling hours fighting for those who survived the crash of Eastern Airlines Flight 401. Raposa was among 75 "miracle survivors." Another 101 died. The list of passengers who perished on Eastern Airlines flight EA401 and honored on the Memorial are: The list of pilots who perished on Eastern Airlines flight EA401 are: The flight attendants who perished on the flight are: Fortunately, there were 75 survivors during that horrible tragedy of late 1972. On Thursday, she was wearing the same Eastern Air Lines gold wings pin that she wore on the fateful night. Why them two?. READ MORE: Eastern Flight 401 introduced new safety measures and books, movies and ghost stories. 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 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. The pilots engaged the autopilot so they could inspect the light and the landing gear but the darkness apparently made it hard to see. "It felt so good. One survivor, certain Marquis carried him to safety, once showed up with a $1,000 check. "I said, 'Oh my god we crashed, we crashed.' Here today, we hope that everyone, myself included, will find peace with this memorial monument.. ", But he was worried about Lilly. 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. Raposa explained that over many years, we worked, trying to put something together, emphasizing the development of a tribute for Flight 401. Aboard were 13 crew members and 163 holiday travelers. and they said, 'I'm sorry, sir, we don't know.'". He couldn't move. All rights reserved. Ron Infantino is a passenger who survived the tragedy. 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. The appearance of the dead flight engineer () was confirmed by the flight engineer." Ruiz said that the NTSB interviewed herself and other surviving crew members as part of the official accident report, each of whom agreed that flashlights represented one item they wished they possessed on the night of the crash. Expand the text below to read more about this . This month represents the 50th anniversary of the crash of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401, which crashed into the Florida Everglades in December 1972. Those are the last moments Ron Infantino, 76, who now lives in The Villages in Central Florida, remembers before blacking out. 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. The disaster that killed 100 people became the foundations of the safety procedures on airlines. The senior flight attendant said he was dazed and unresponsive when spoken to and was not on the passenger list. Flight 401 - Flight Crew Fatal Photograph. In loving memory so they will never, ever be forgotten," she said unveiling the stone monument with the names of those who died engraved in the granite. We also informed you that much of the money was going into creating more buildings. In the days following the crash, Infantinos mother brought him a pile of mail. "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. 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. 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. 2022 Miami Herald. 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. The scene of the wreckage of Eastern Airlines Flight 401 in the Everglades west of Miami International Airport. I said, 'I know what you're going through because I lost somebody too.' Eastern Airlines Flight 401 was on its way from New York to Miami on December 29th, 1972, with 13 crew and 163 passengers onboard. A group of survivors drafted plans for a marker, but life got in the way. 2020 Pennsylvania Ave NW #315 Raposa was one of 75 survivors. As the aircraft circled over the Florida Everglades, the flight crew were fixated on whether the landing gear was, in fact, down and the indicator light was faulty. 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. Based in Dubai, Ghosts On A Plane? 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. The 50th Anniversary of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 Memorial Monument will be dedicated in a 1300 EST ceremony on December 29, 2022. It marked the 50th anniversary of the Eastern Airlines Flight 401 disaster. She found Beverly and commented 'it's a bad dream, we are going to wake up.' Less pool space. She came across a woman who found an 11-month-old baby as she scouted the wreckage for her son. Organizers are still seeking donations to cover the cost of the memorial, a bill that stands at about $20,000. The tragedy would never have occurred but for a single, burnt-out light bulb . Writer - Patricia joins Simple Flying with over 20 years of experience in aviation. This message board is intended for serious discussions of the December 29th, 1972 crash of Eastern Airlines Flight 401. Who now lives in the 1970s and 80s 50th anniversary of the passengers in the Everglades in.. Couldn & # x27 ; s JFK at 9:20 p.m up to him and began to walk away INC.... Give or take a word, the crew being distracted by an apparent problem into creating more.. Found beverly and commented 'it 's a bad dream, we 're down. '.. 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