"My god, you're here, please don't leave me," he remembers telling them. The aircraft was a Lockheed L-1011-1 TriStar traveling from New York to Miami. And he is delighted he will get to dine more often at one of his favorite restaurants, Kamiko Sushi Bar in Doral. The 76-year-old said his wife of 20 days, Lilly Infantino, died in the crash. The crash killed 101 people, including Stanich. The watercraft can easily traverse the swampy conditions of the Everglades and played an integral role in the rescue efforts that followed the crash. I know how much you miss me, and I miss you too. "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. https://new.miamisprings.com/images/news/pool-capture.jpg. 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. We reach over 20,000 people each month. "We did something to the altitude," the first officer remarked, and the captain's reply was "What? Those are the last moments Ron Infantino, 76, who now lives in The Villages in Central Florida, remembers before blacking out. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. All of the bodies were recovered, 99 perished that night, two more would die from their injuries. Proudly serving the community since 1997. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Through five decades, lessons stick with the survivors of 401. "It save me from the 400 pounds of debris that was falling on me," she said. According to the Official Eastern Airlines Flight 401 history website, the passengers that survived the flight are: In addition to the passengers, the following crew members and Eastern Airlines employees also survived the crash: To visit the Memorial, just head towards the Miami Springs Golf and Country Club and park at the southern edge of the parking along Curtiss Parkway or at the Driving Range. 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. 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. Beverly vowed to make a permanent memorial to those who were killed. 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 aircraft was a Lockheed L-1011-1 TriStar traveling from New York to Miami. 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). I try to do that but I'm human so it doesn't always work out.". "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. . She downsized plans for the memorial so it could be completed while the remaining survivors are still alive. Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters. Literally you were inside a tornado.". "I asked why he wanted to know that and I said Catholic. "Where's my right arm, why's my right arm so far away from my body? 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 . . "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. 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 . MIAMI - Survivors and families are remembering the 101 souls who were killed 50 years ago when Eastern Flight 401 crashed into the Everglades. The survivors were taken to a narrow levee where helicopters took them to hospitals. 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. In other words, more building space. A desperate search and rescue effort began almost immediately. She recalls the terrifying moments afterward. Mercedes was thrown from the aircraft, still trapped in her jump seat with injuries to her head and a broken pelvis. "It went completely dark so I knew we were doing another go-round, not knowing what was going on," he said. The captain, along with one of two flight crew members, two of 10 flight attendants, and 97 of 163 passengers, died; 75 . People were screaming, and partially clothed dead bodies were face down in the water. The captain recognized him as being none other than Bob. They were surprised to hear the sound of singing in the darkness. Raposa was one of 75 survivors. The crash was a result of the flight crew's failure to recognize a deactivation of the autopilot during their attempt . She woke in darkness, still in her jump seat hanging to one side, choking on the acrid jet fuel fumes. 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. Eastern Flight 401: A survivor's story. The aircraft was a five-year-old McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31 registered as N8984E. Shortly before the scheduled landing at about 11:30 that night, Lilly went to the restroom and when she came back they switched seats. The plane was crossing over the Everglades on Dec. 29, 1972, when she turned to fellow flight attendant Stephanie Stanich. The 50th Anniversary of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 Memorial Monument will be dedicated in a 1300 EST ceremony on December 29, 2022. And the aircraft gradually descended into the mushy swamp from 20,000 feet. The investigation into the crash took months. Infantino heard that, but nobody could hear him. The appearance of the dead flight engineer () was confirmed by the flight engineer." He opened the trap door to see a vision of Don looking at him, which then promptly disappeared. 2022 Miami Herald. He had 8,876 flight hours, including 3,856 hours on the DC-9. Then he gave me last rites. "She said, 'I have to find my family, but here's my sweater.' "We're still at 2,000 feet, right?" And then it was like being in a tornado, I was in the tail and we were rotating, said Beverly Raposa, a flight attendant. On the returning flight, an engine failed and had to be shut down before it caught fire. If you need help with the Public File, call (954) 364-2526. Ruiz also described the adoption of shoulder straps on jump seats as another significant safety development that followed the crash of Flight 401. 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 have a beautiful family, and I got my wings back, and I just keep moving forward, said McQuigg. It was time to leave as each of us will do. 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. It helps me put life in perspective, you see.". Controllers gave their OK and told the crew to maintain an altitude of 2,000 feet, as the plane, which had been over the airport turned back over the Everglades. 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." Amid the planes wreckage, her cream-colored, company-issued suitcase was the only one that remained intact. However, 75 people did survive the 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. 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. /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 . The senior flight attendant said he was dazed and unresponsive when spoken to and was not on the passenger list. No, we didnt crash, Beverly. The aircraft was delivered to Eastern Air Lines on 30 January 1969. Beverly saw a sea of colors before being knocked out. The aircraft operating the route, a Lockheed L1011-385-1 Tristar crashed into the Florida Everglades, resulting in 101 fatalities. "These poor people were still my responsibility. 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. Soon passengers and crew on those aircraft report seeing what they believe to be the ghost of the . "I'll be reading names," he said, "and after each name a candle will be lit until 101 candles are lit.". 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. Just before the plane hit, First Officer Albert Stockstill noticed the low altitude and told Loft about it. The death toll was, in 1972, the highest of any one-plane accident. Fundraising was a challenge, but Raposa said radio appearances and the support of former Eastern Air Lines employees bolstered efforts. said Stockstill. Beverly replied, 'No Mercy, we're down.' "The crew was so preoccupied with a 50-cent life bulb, they missed the whole picture," he said. "They'll never be forgotten.". But a light didnt confirm whether the landing gear was down. Eastern employees visited Infantino for a two-hour interview. So when Im stuck in traffic, I say, Ron, What number is this? It is open to the public. You are here with us," said flight attendant Beverly Raposa, who survived the crash. On another flight, a flight attendant is said to have seen Don's face on the oven door. Both would die in the crash. "We don't have a home of our own to call our own, 401 doesn't," he said. So I'll never forget it, I brought it to my chest and held it.". Flight engineer Don Repo is also said to have appeared onboard flights in a strange, supernatural manner. READ MORE: There was another tragedy in Miami after Eastern 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. Although not in your arms, Im always in your heart. 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. Miami, Florida: Bankrupt Eastern Airlines Jets On The Ground. The crash killed 101 people, including Stanich. She was dazed and disoriented but noticed a penlight flashing nearby. One of the envelopes was a letter from Eastern requesting an interview. On duty that day was also Stephanie Stanich, Trudy Smith, Sharon Transue, Beverly Rapoza and Dorothy Warnock. The four-month-old L-1011 TriStar jet crashed into the Florida . "I was leaning back, my eyes half closed, and all the sudden I hear the engines go to full power," he said. The left wing tip hit first. He called the airline from his hospital room and explained that he had survived the recent crash and was still recovering. . But what was inside was the real prize: a Kodak Instamatic camera and rolls of film. Infantino started a commuter airline of his own, which later folded, and got married to his respiratory therapist, who also experienced heartbreak after losing her fianc in a drunk-driving accident. It was time to leave as each of us will do. I don't think so we have no control over our destiny.". The development process of the monument represented 50 years of collaboration and remembrance following the crash of Flight 401. 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. This message board is intended for serious discussions of the December 29th, 1972 crash of Eastern Airlines Flight 401. She came across a woman who found an 11-month-old baby as she scouted the wreckage for her son. Raposa explained that over many years, we worked, trying to put something together, emphasizing the development of a tribute for Flight 401. "The priest came over and asked me what my religion was," he remembers. 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. Ron Infantino is a passenger who survived the tragedy. Copies of that photo are now bound in a leather album that Eastern gave all the flight attendants of Flight 401 after the tragedy. Beverly Rapoza had just returned from the cabin, collecting empty dishes and glasses, and was looking forward to some rest. On the night of December 29th, 1972, he was a passenger on Eastern Airlines Flight 401 from New York to Miami. Then came the final and fatal mistake. Raposa would spend the next grueling hours fighting for those who survived the crash of Eastern Airlines Flight 401. "The NTSB, when they studied it, they said this crash was unsurvivable, yet 75 miracles came out of there.". He had bad sawgrass cuts all over his face. 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. Theres another photo Ruiz has analyzed over the years. The flight crew had not realized that the autopilot had been accidentally switched off and the aircraft was descending. Before ValuJet there was Eastern Flight 401. Earlier this year, Simple Flying took a look at the eight most intriguing examples. Dawn Quinn's grandfather was pilot Robert Loft. The scene of the wreckage of Eastern Airlines Flight 401 in the Everglades west of Miami International Airport. On Dec. 29, theyll unveil a memorial in Miami Springs to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Eastern crash. 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. And then it was complete silence and I thought I was the only one alive.". He warned them of a faulty electrical circuit, which was then found and replaced. Edit. Unfortunately, 101 passengers and crew perished in the accident. "I'm no doctor. On returning to the galley, another flight attendant saw an engineer fixing the oven. The sound, a huge fireball that went through the cabin," she recalled. 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. The incident occurred on September 11, 1974, killing 72 of the 82 people on board. 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. He did not survive, but his memory lives on. The flight was largely uneventful, but, on approach to Miami, the flight crew had become fixated on a faulty indication in the cockpit. "It was beautiful," said Infantino said of the jet. Click on contribute in the blue box in the right column of the home page. The tragedy would never have occurred but for a single, burnt-out light bulb . Beverly had gathered survivors together, seating them back to back to stay warm. 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. Truth or scare? 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 tragedy was also the 2nd deadliest plane crash in US history at the time, although, today, it now ranks in 16th place. . 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. In November 2022,Airwaysinterviewed former flight attendants Beverly Raposa and Mercy Ruiz to understand their perspectives as survivors of the crash. Amazingly, 75 of the 176 passengers and crew aboard Flight 401 survived. While the crash has inspired two feature-length movies and numerous documentaries and training films, there is no permanent memorial for Eastern Flight 401. Eventually, all of the salvaged parts were removed from aircraft, and neither Bob nor Don were ever seen again. gadunham@aol.com. Ruiz continued her career as a flight attendant, flying for both EA and United (UA) in the years following Flight 401. In one of South Florida's worst air disasters, Eastern Airlines Flight 401 from New York's JFK Airport to Miami crashed on Dec. 29, 1972, in the Everglades after the crew became distracted by a burned out landing-gear light. Contact: brent@airwaysmag.com, 2022 Airways Publishing, LLC. DALLAS December 29, 2022, will mark a half-century since the fatal crash of Eastern Air Lines (EA) Flight 401. Mysteriously, the log books started to go missing from the aircraft. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 was one of South Florida's deadliest airline disasters. 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. The precious love we shared means we are never far apart, Infantino said. READ MORE: An Eastern plane crashed into the Everglades in 1972. READ MORE: Eastern Flight 401 introduced new safety measures and books, movies and ghost stories. The answer was fine, but unfortunately the controller didn't specifically mention the altitude so no one was the wiser. It was a huge fireball. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. The couple was returning to Miami from their honeymoon when the unspeakable happened. The flight, which departed from JFK International . "Same thing in our lives. First published on December 29, 2022 / 4:03 PM. 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. In the 1970's, tales of such ghostly apparitions flew around the USA and the airline world. Passengers, cabin crew, Pilots, Flight Engineers, even top airline executives, all claimed to have seen 'something' while travelling on some Eastern Airlines aircraft. It's certainly not a ten. Shortly after, the plane crashed into the swamp. 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