From this point on, the cockpit would periodically be filled with the din of various warning signals, as well as blaring voices from the radio speakers. The Eastern Airlines flight 401 crash: the deadliest disaster in U.S. civil aviation history. I got right into it out of school, and I was pretty successful and I got a nice salary." ", Inserted sideways, the fixture had jammed. He was a buyer for Gimbels. It was a picture no one was supposed to see, and instead, it has been all over the world, known for being taken right before the disaster. Mrs. Casada found her daughter nearby. Loft told him, "Yeah. "I was one of the lucky ones. From the controller came the instruction, "Eastern 401, turn left heading one-eight-zero." Several people found themselves trapped under wreckage. The monument, Ruiz said, represents the thoughts, the prayers, and all the efforts involved in refusing to forget each and every one of the victims. The names of each person who perished on Flight 401 will be engraved on the granite monument. Why them two?. The plane was heading away from the city lights. 
Their participation and support on dedication day was beyond our expectations!!! 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. I carry those folks in my heart every single day, Raposa said of those who died in the tragedy. She had brought a camera to preserve the memories of the good times the crew had had with each other. Loft answered, "Okay, we'd like to turn around and come back in." Were still at two thousand, right? Hey, whats happening here? Loft responded, but it was too late. even though there were spare bulbs on board. Aviation consultant Bennie Benitez said there were many positive safety elements that came out of 401, like flash lights on all planes. It hangs out and sticks." Each section was like its own little group [of survivors], detached from the others. But a light didnt confirm whether the landing gear was down. Check it." The crew had checked into Eastern's in-flight office at Miami International at 3:35 p.m., and by 11:50 p.m. they were scheduled to be off duty. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 was one of South Floridas deadliest airline disasters. The plane was supposed to be at two thousand feet, but the crisp, green phosphorescent numerals read nine hundred. The flight was to be in the capable hands of captain Robert Albin Loft. He turned to Loft as Repo was entering the hell hole. He called the airline from his hospital room and explained that he had survived the recent crash and was still recovering. Training and standard operating procedures changed as a result of this, and other crashes, to make problem-solving in a cockpit much more efficient, causing less distraction for the crew. ", Solomon says he recalls unfastening his seatbelt and "walking out into the marsh. 35 years after jetliner crash, hero gets his due, Aircraft Accident Report: Eastern Air Lines, Inc. L-1011, N310EA, Miami, Florida, December 29, 1972, Flight 401 1972 Jumbo-Jet Crash was Worst Aviation Disaster in State History. In the midst of all this holiday traffic, National Airlines Flight 607 - the one with the gear problem - landed without incident. I think about her every day.. 
"A little like a telescope. Nearby, flight attendant Beverly Raposa knew that theyd been found, despite the darkness, because shed heard the engines on Marquiss airboat. Renee Shackelford was thrown from the plane; she landed on her side in saw grass two hundred and ten feet from the cockpit. The undertaking of getting the memorial monument done in 11 months was very time consuming but my sister told me to do it as she knew about my promise and how important it was to me! Lockheed had delivered it on August 18th, and Eastern put it into service on August 21st. Amazingly, 75 of the 176 passengers and crew aboard Flight 401 survived. "Could you jiggle the light?". Mercy Ruiz, 29, also noticed something strange that night. 
However, on this night, air traffic control was able to release some airspace east of Jacksonville, vectoring all the MIA area flights (which includes FLL and PBI) so they wound up west of "Barracuda," an invisible navigation checkpoint over the ocean. The tragedy would never have occurred but for a single, burnt-out light bulb. Loft acknowledged the new heading: turn left and maintain two thousand feet. Below: Franklin and Anita Kent celebrate Franklin's pending release from Palm Springs hospital with some ice cream, on February 17, 1973 (W.O. George Gaudiello, reported to Time Magazine "my wife tells me she unfastened my seat belt and we walked to a group of people who seemed in fairly good condition. Laying on the coat rack, Patty George. ", Loft was loosing patience with the effort to remove the jammed light. The senior flight attendant on flight 401 wore blue shorts with the brown boots. 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. 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). Carmen Jorge was killed. The manifest listed nine passengers in the forward cabin and one hundred and forty-four aft; a total of 153 in all. He was so weak that doctors opted to operate without anesthesia. From the radio speaker the local controller said, "Eastern 401 heavy, Roger, pull up, climb straight ahead to two thousand and go back to approach control, 128.6.". A few even had their clothes blown off. In late 1972 the two were passengers in a plane crash that left both with debilitating painful injuries. Her neck was broken - death was instant. The plane was skidding. WebEastern Air Lines Flight 401 was a scheduled flight from New York JFK to Miami. "Twenty-two degrees, gear up," Stockstill said, reaching for the landing gear handle. Both of whom were off duty airline employees who were "dead-heading" - airline slang for employees hitching a free ride to return from a duty assignment. West Indian Flight 790 entered a final approach. (photo, left, from The Miami Herald, showing entrance to the avionics bay under the cockpit. Please enter valid email address to continue. Amazingly, 75 of the 176 passengers and crew aboard Flight 401 survived. And I said, 'Mom, if it will make you happy, I'll wear it.'. But the rest of me was going along with this jolting." ", Loft replied, "118.3, Eastern 401, so long.". Copies of that photo are now bound in a leather album that Eastern gave all the flight attendants of Flight 401 after the tragedy. 
She tried to see what was happening. May Albury, Verena Bieri, Carl Bolufe, Rigoberto Bolufe, Sandra Burt, Gustavo Cassado, Mrs Xeimara Casado, Miss Christina Casado, Ann Connell, Barry Connell, Mariel Diegeriez, Gerald W Eskow, Sylvia Fisher, Ms. F. Frankin, Herbert Fresko, Molly Fresko, Alicia Garcia, Julia Garcia, Kathryn F.Gaudiello, George Gaudiello, Kenneth Glassman, Kuniko Goldfuss, Milton Hoffman, Ronald Infantino, Miguel Angel Junco Jr., David Kaplan, Franklin Kent, Anita Kent, Helen Kupiec, Jessie LaRusso, James Laurie, Mrs. Leone Levine, Cornelia Leya, Thomas McAvoy, Joseph Mazur, Rose Mazur, Luis Mejia, Richard N. Micale, Albert J Morris, Janice Minguzzi, Christina Ochoa, Allen Okanawsky, Oneida Pares, Aristides Pares, Martha Pares, Carlos Polanco, Lucino Polanco, Joseph Popson, Richard Pragluski, Goldez Quinico, Evelyn Ragalia, Marie Rego, Glen Remkus*, Francoise Riette, Thomas Rothenberg, Martin Siminerio, Bonnie Silverman, Donna Smith, Millie Soberon, Jerald Solomon, Larry Sumpkins, Marilyn Taylor, Edward Ulrich, Jesse C. Walker, Allen Weiss, Lorenzo Zetlin. Behind Stockstill sat Donald Repo, the flight engineer. She looked up at Mercy and said: 'Oh, Mercy, stop complaining. This was a normal procedure for Eastern Airlines; pilot and copilot customarily flew alternate legs of a trip, one pilot flying, the other assisting. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Donadeo glanced across the flight deck and saw Repo examining the fixture. "I could see things flying all about methere was a rush of windit sounded like we were in the middle of a tornado. They laughed and drank a champagne cocktail. Now he and the same crew would fly back to Florida as flight 401.At 7:43 that evening, operating as flight 164, the Whisperliner N310EA touched down at JFK after flying in from Tampa. WebEastern Air Lines Flight 401 was a scheduled flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Miami International Airport. This site uses cookies from Google to deliver its services and to analyze traffic. After placing a seat cushion under Ruizs head, Raposa left to search for other survivors. Friday morning he had been in New York examining an L-1011 which was having engine trouble. Official Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 - History, Photos, Survivors and Tribute. The watercraft can easily traverse the swampy conditions of the Everglades and played an integral role in the rescue efforts that followed the crash. She, too, couldnt move because of a fractured pelvic bone. READ MORE: The day when an Eastern Airlines jet crashed into the Florida Everglades. She managed a Manhattan art gallery. That time, finances got in the way. Jerry wore a gold Star of David his mother had bought him a few weeks earlier while in Israel. The baby was floating face up, cradled by wreckage. Right: Beverly celebrates her 26th birthday in Mercy Hospital, January 4th 1973, with fellow surviving flight attendants Trudy Smith and Sharon Transue (Photo: Roy Bartley, Miami Herald). The pilots seemed to have realized what happened mere seconds before the crash. Johnathan Kaminer, a two year old child dressed in a red-and-blue outfit, was hurled three hundred feet north of the cockpit. 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. The plane descended out of the sky as pilots were distracted over a landing gear warning light. For Ruiz, the memorial will be a light in the darkness, a place to pray, reflect and remember the souls lost in the tragedy. "Put the son of a bitch on autopilot here," Loft said. Then the fixture was replaced into the socket - sideways. Flight 401 had crashed in the Everglades at 227 miles per hour, cartwheeling into the swampy water after the left wingtip hit the ground first. Bonnie Silverman, Donna Smith, Millie Soberon, Jerald Solomon, Larry Sumpkins, Marilyn Taylor, Edward Ulrich, Jesse C. Walker, Allen Weiss, Lorenzo Zetlin. To their right were more empty seats. The Everglades were dark without the lights of the big city. When the main part of the fuselage hit the ground it continued to move through the grass and water, disintegrating as it went. I was still strapped to my seat, but I was in the open air, in the middle of nowhere. He also ran his own gun store in Seymour, Conn. During this time, he divorced and later met Alexandra (Sandra) Burt. May Albury, Verena Bieri, Carl Bolufe, Rigoberto Bolufe, Sandra Burt, Gustavo Cassado, Mrs Xeimara Casado, Miss Christina Casado, Ann Connell, Barry Connell, Mariel Diegeriez, Gerald W Eskow, Sylvia Fisher, Ms. F. Frankin, Herbert Fresko, Molly Fresko, Alicia Garcia, Julia Garcia, Kathryn F.Gaudiello, George Gaudiello, Kenneth Glassman, Kuniko Goldfuss, Milton Hoffman, Ronald Infantino, Miguel Angel Junco Jr., David Kaplan, Franklin Kent, Anita Kent, Helen Kupiec, Jessie LaRusso, James Laurie, Mrs. Leone Levine, Cornelia Leya, Thomas McAvoy, Joseph Mazur, Rose Mazur, Luis Mejia, Richard N. Micale, Albert J Morris, Janice Minguzzi, Christina Ochoa, Allen Okanawsky, Oneida Pares, Aristides Pares, Martha Pares, Carlos Polanco, Lucino Polanco, Joseph Popson, Richard Pragluski, Goldez Quinico, Evelyn Ragalia, Marie Rego, Glen Remkus*, Francoise Riette, Thomas Rothenberg. Coviello was not so fortunate with Nicky. WebLe vol Eastern Air Lines 401 est un vol de la compagnie Eastern Air Lines entre New York et Miami sur Lockheed TriStar, qui, dans la nuit du 29 dcembre 1972, s'est cras dans les Everglades, en Floride.Cet accident, premier accident arien impliquant un avion gros porteur, a caus la mort de 101 des 176 personnes bord (dont 2 dcdes des suites de leurs 
Stockstill complied. The crash killed 101 people, including Stanich. 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.. On this day in 1972, Eastern Airlines Flight 401 crashes in the Everglades. 
And be assured that we will visit it many times in between. Aircraft 310 was one of a dozen L-1011s Lockheed had delivered to Eastern Airlines that year, and it was one of the best of the bunch. This time, Donadeo followed him. He and Sandra boarded the plane early and sat near the front in seats 4A and 4B. Irene may have been lucky to have been bumped from the ill fated flight, though she would later die in an auto accident in 1987 at the age of 38. Directly ahead of them were a row of seats and the first class lounge, where there were several additional empty seats and a buffet of cheese and crackers. At more than 40 feet away, my wife felt her cry and rushed to pick her up from a mangled twist of wires and bushes. An altitude alert sounded its C-Chord chime for one second and stopped. Joseph Popson was a tired but happy soon-to-be PhD in English, returning to Florida after attending the Modern Language Association conference in New York. By using this site, you agree to its use of cookies. The flight would have normally passed east of Jacksonville, Florida, at a point 155 miles out to sea and passing a latitude along which lay, on the other side of the world, Cairo and Shanghai. A group of survivors drafted plans for a marker, but life got in the way. ", Loft told him, "You can't see the indices - for the nose wheel, ah, there's a place in there you can look and see if they're lined up. If you want it, wear it, fine. 
His goal in life, he would say later, was "to be successful financially and live a nice, easy, comfortable life." 
"The last thing I recall was the sound of the engines revving. ", Jerry Eskow, still nursing his double scotch in first class, awakened to "a lot of noise and a lot of vibrations." There were other ways to confirm that the gear was down, and Loft chose one of them. A native of Louisiana who now lived in Miami, Stockstill had even more flying time in the new L-1011 than Loft. The aircraft broke apart as it cartwheeled across the wetlands. And the light was still off. The former flight attendants described one gathering in the Everglades where airboats from around Florida turned up to help commemorate crash victims. Fire trucks were standing by. It was really scary. One of the flight engineer's duties is to get on board early, before the captain and first officer, and run through a series of checks. From Miami to New York, the ten women flight attendants in the crew flew on flight 26, a dinner flight. It was pitch dark, he said. A computer-stored flight plan would bring the great white Whisperliner inland over West Palm Beach, and then south to Miami - a long, dense galaxy of lights glittering on a north-south axis between two black voids, the Atlantic ocean and the Everglades. Despite the enormous quantities and that there was a error counting the passengers, the manifest was meticulously detailed. This photo was taken hours before the crash on December 29th while on board Flight 26 in Miami. WebEastern Air Lines Flight 401 was a scheduled flight from New York JFK to Miami. 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. WebCrash (also known as The Crash of Flight 401) is a 1978 made-for-TV drama film directed by Barry Shear and based on the true story of the first crash of a wide-body aircraft, that of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401, a Lockheed L-1011 TriStar which crashed in the Florida Everglades near Miami on the night of December 29, 1972. He had been Eastern Airline's maintenance manager in Miami, and since September had worked as a technical supervisor specifically concerned with troubleshooting the new L-1011 fleet. Unlike Flight 401's faulty light, National 607's problem was seen as a real emergency. DALLAS December 29, 2022, will mark a half-century since the fatal crash of Eastern Air Lines (EA) Flight 401. / CBS Miami. In 2021, a memorial marker was installed in the Everglades to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the May 11, 1996, ValuJet crash. DALLAS December 29, 2022, will mark a half-century since the fatal crash of Eastern Air Lines (EA) Flight 401. The men on Flight 401's flight deck listened to their fellow pilot onboard the National plane as it dealt with its troubled gear. It wasn't like people say, your life passing before you. "The plane started shaking, violent shaking like a cardboard box. The plane descended out of the sky as pilots were distracted over a landing gear warning light. 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. A lack of flashlights amid the poor nighttime visibility in the Everglades impeded the ability of survivors to assist each other. DALLAS December 29, 2022, will mark a half-century since the fatal crash of Eastern Air Lines (EA) Flight 401. Fatal Distraction: Directed by Su Rynard. degree history and physical education. What a special day it was for all!! At the airport, the approach controller handled another plane and looked again at the radar screen. "What frequency did he want us on?". He was still attempting to remove the light. Warren Terry, a co-pilot, and Angelo Donadeo, a maintenance specialist. It was now 11:38. Edward moved to Scarborough, Maine to expand Winchesters presence in Northern New England and the Maritime provinces. They will never be forgotten! There was ripping and tearing and shredding and people crying. Then came the final and fatal mistake. He turned to Repo and said "Hey, get down there and see if that goddamn nose wheel's down." At the start of 2022, Raposa remembered her promise to honor those who lost their lives on the flight. The event, which will begin at 1 p.m., is open to the public. We did something to the altitude, Stockstill was hearing saying. On Dec. 29, theyll unveil a memorial in Miami Springs to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Eastern crash. Eastern Air Lines tail number N310EA is shown before its crash of December 29, 1972. Trudy Jean Smith - Flight 401 crew member - August 24, 1947 ~ November 29, 2020 (age 73. Loft and Stockstill continued to discuss the lamp assembly. At 7:30pm, Easterns flight dispatcher at JFK cleared the airplane for a nine pm night coach departure to Miami as Flight 401. Shortly before midnight on December 29, 1972, the Lockheed L-1011-1 TriStar crashed into the Florida Everglades,[1][2][3] causing 101 total fatalities. 
While Flight 401 was flying over the Everglades, the skies were busy with other flights; Avianca 781 took off from Miami International's runway Nine Left, followed by eastern 470. "I don't see it down there. Ruiz continued her career as a flight attendant, flying for both EA and United (UA) in the years following Flight 401. Raposa was one of 75 survivors. Visit miamiherald.com. 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. 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.. Oh, I can't get it from here." Donadeo observed that although Stockstill was flying the plane, Loft applied power to the throttles at this point. Their marriage spanned 47 years. The poodle under her seat lived. But what was inside was the real prize: a Kodak Instamatic camera and rolls of film. There was a certain irony in Jerry's reviving that thought; always before he had laughed at her concern. Midway along the path, the plane slewed around until it was sliding backward. I number things from 1 to 10, and 10 [is] a plane crash, he said. (Left) The crew of Flight 401, taken aboard Flight 26 while on the ground in Miami earlier the day of the crash. You want me to fly it, Bob? The aircraft operating the route, a Lockheed L1011-385-1 Tristar crashed into the Florida Everglades, resulting in 101 fatalities. At the airport, the approach controller looked at the altitude block listed next to the little blip representing Eastern 401 on his radar screen. The plane began a slow, unnoticed descent. Fuck around with that goddamned twenty-cent piece of light equipment we got on this bastard! The plane began to pull out of its descent. One passenger saw "bright flashes like sparks. Edward graduated from Seymour High in 1947. To the quarter-of-a-million pound operating weight of the airplane was added 400 pounds. All rights reserved. She initially balked at the idea, but Jerry used one of her own arguments to convince her. And then she started walking away, trying to help people. Organizers are still seeking donations to cover the cost of the memorial, a bill that stands at about $20,000. After selecting gear down, the nosegear light didn't indicate 'down and locked'. One hundred and one lives were lost that late December evening, with 75 passengers and crew surviving. This photograph (above) was taken aboard flight 26 the day of the crash. Raposa, 25, had noticed something strange. WebEastern Air Lines Flight 401 was a scheduled flight from New York JFK to Miami. Survivors of Flight 401 often gathered around the crash site on December 29th, though there was no dedicated memorial. Ethel Jackson, 64, a housekeeper from Liberty City, brought her white uniform in a carry-on bag. Amid the planes wreckage, her cream-colored, company-issued suitcase was the only one that remained intact. Now Repo, standing behind Stockstill looking over his shoulder asked "It's right above that, ah, red one, is it not?". Tomorrow is not a given, she said. Donadeo was no stranger to the L-1011, however. On this day in 1972, Eastern Airlines Flight 401 crashes in the Everglades. Flight 401 had crashed in the Everglades at 227 miles per hour, cartwheeling into the swampy water after the left wingtip hit the ground first. For me I have kept my promise that I made to them 15 years ago that I would never give up until they were remembered! "Naw, I don't think it will fit. The following is a list of survivors and victims of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401. According to DeWitt, the monument also represents how through a terrible tragedy in Flight 401, the industry eventually put safety first in many ways.. The crash killed 101 people, including Stanich. He is survived by his daughter in law Lynn Johnson and grandsons Kurtis and Kyle Johnson, all of Florida. 
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Their participation and support on dedication day was beyond our expectations!!! 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. I carry those folks in my heart every single day, Raposa said of those who died in the tragedy. She had brought a camera to preserve the memories of the good times the crew had had with each other. Loft answered, "Okay, we'd like to turn around and come back in." Were still at two thousand, right? Hey, whats happening here? Loft responded, but it was too late. even though there were spare bulbs on board. Aviation consultant Bennie Benitez said there were many positive safety elements that came out of 401, like flash lights on all planes. It hangs out and sticks." Each section was like its own little group [of survivors], detached from the others. But a light didnt confirm whether the landing gear was down. Check it." The crew had checked into Eastern's in-flight office at Miami International at 3:35 p.m., and by 11:50 p.m. they were scheduled to be off duty. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 was one of South Floridas deadliest airline disasters. The plane was supposed to be at two thousand feet, but the crisp, green phosphorescent numerals read nine hundred. The flight was to be in the capable hands of captain Robert Albin Loft. He turned to Loft as Repo was entering the hell hole. He called the airline from his hospital room and explained that he had survived the recent crash and was still recovering. Training and standard operating procedures changed as a result of this, and other crashes, to make problem-solving in a cockpit much more efficient, causing less distraction for the crew. ", Solomon says he recalls unfastening his seatbelt and "walking out into the marsh. 35 years after jetliner crash, hero gets his due, Aircraft Accident Report: Eastern Air Lines, Inc. L-1011, N310EA, Miami, Florida, December 29, 1972, Flight 401 1972 Jumbo-Jet Crash was Worst Aviation Disaster in State History. In the midst of all this holiday traffic, National Airlines Flight 607 - the one with the gear problem - landed without incident. I think about her every day.. "A little like a telescope. Nearby, flight attendant Beverly Raposa knew that theyd been found, despite the darkness, because shed heard the engines on Marquiss airboat. Renee Shackelford was thrown from the plane; she landed on her side in saw grass two hundred and ten feet from the cockpit. The undertaking of getting the memorial monument done in 11 months was very time consuming but my sister told me to do it as she knew about my promise and how important it was to me! Lockheed had delivered it on August 18th, and Eastern put it into service on August 21st. Amazingly, 75 of the 176 passengers and crew aboard Flight 401 survived. "Could you jiggle the light?". Mercy Ruiz, 29, also noticed something strange that night. However, on this night, air traffic control was able to release some airspace east of Jacksonville, vectoring all the MIA area flights (which includes FLL and PBI) so they wound up west of "Barracuda," an invisible navigation checkpoint over the ocean. The tragedy would never have occurred but for a single, burnt-out light bulb. Loft acknowledged the new heading: turn left and maintain two thousand feet. Below: Franklin and Anita Kent celebrate Franklin's pending release from Palm Springs hospital with some ice cream, on February 17, 1973 (W.O. George Gaudiello, reported to Time Magazine "my wife tells me she unfastened my seat belt and we walked to a group of people who seemed in fairly good condition. Laying on the coat rack, Patty George. ", Loft was loosing patience with the effort to remove the jammed light. The senior flight attendant on flight 401 wore blue shorts with the brown boots. 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. 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). Carmen Jorge was killed. The manifest listed nine passengers in the forward cabin and one hundred and forty-four aft; a total of 153 in all. He was so weak that doctors opted to operate without anesthesia. From the radio speaker the local controller said, "Eastern 401 heavy, Roger, pull up, climb straight ahead to two thousand and go back to approach control, 128.6.". A few even had their clothes blown off. In late 1972 the two were passengers in a plane crash that left both with debilitating painful injuries. Her neck was broken - death was instant. The plane was skidding. WebEastern Air Lines Flight 401 was a scheduled flight from New York JFK to Miami. "Twenty-two degrees, gear up," Stockstill said, reaching for the landing gear handle. Both of whom were off duty airline employees who were "dead-heading" - airline slang for employees hitching a free ride to return from a duty assignment. West Indian Flight 790 entered a final approach. (photo, left, from The Miami Herald, showing entrance to the avionics bay under the cockpit. Please enter valid email address to continue. Amazingly, 75 of the 176 passengers and crew aboard Flight 401 survived. And I said, 'Mom, if it will make you happy, I'll wear it.'. But the rest of me was going along with this jolting." ", Loft replied, "118.3, Eastern 401, so long.". Copies of that photo are now bound in a leather album that Eastern gave all the flight attendants of Flight 401 after the tragedy. She tried to see what was happening. May Albury, Verena Bieri, Carl Bolufe, Rigoberto Bolufe, Sandra Burt, Gustavo Cassado, Mrs Xeimara Casado, Miss Christina Casado, Ann Connell, Barry Connell, Mariel Diegeriez, Gerald W Eskow, Sylvia Fisher, Ms. F. Frankin, Herbert Fresko, Molly Fresko, Alicia Garcia, Julia Garcia, Kathryn F.Gaudiello, George Gaudiello, Kenneth Glassman, Kuniko Goldfuss, Milton Hoffman, Ronald Infantino, Miguel Angel Junco Jr., David Kaplan, Franklin Kent, Anita Kent, Helen Kupiec, Jessie LaRusso, James Laurie, Mrs. Leone Levine, Cornelia Leya, Thomas McAvoy, Joseph Mazur, Rose Mazur, Luis Mejia, Richard N. Micale, Albert J Morris, Janice Minguzzi, Christina Ochoa, Allen Okanawsky, Oneida Pares, Aristides Pares, Martha Pares, Carlos Polanco, Lucino Polanco, Joseph Popson, Richard Pragluski, Goldez Quinico, Evelyn Ragalia, Marie Rego, Glen Remkus*, Francoise Riette, Thomas Rothenberg, Martin Siminerio, Bonnie Silverman, Donna Smith, Millie Soberon, Jerald Solomon, Larry Sumpkins, Marilyn Taylor, Edward Ulrich, Jesse C. Walker, Allen Weiss, Lorenzo Zetlin. Behind Stockstill sat Donald Repo, the flight engineer. She looked up at Mercy and said: 'Oh, Mercy, stop complaining. This was a normal procedure for Eastern Airlines; pilot and copilot customarily flew alternate legs of a trip, one pilot flying, the other assisting. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Donadeo glanced across the flight deck and saw Repo examining the fixture. "I could see things flying all about methere was a rush of windit sounded like we were in the middle of a tornado. They laughed and drank a champagne cocktail. Now he and the same crew would fly back to Florida as flight 401.At 7:43 that evening, operating as flight 164, the Whisperliner N310EA touched down at JFK after flying in from Tampa. WebEastern Air Lines Flight 401 was a scheduled flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Miami International Airport. This site uses cookies from Google to deliver its services and to analyze traffic. After placing a seat cushion under Ruizs head, Raposa left to search for other survivors. Friday morning he had been in New York examining an L-1011 which was having engine trouble. Official Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 - History, Photos, Survivors and Tribute. The watercraft can easily traverse the swampy conditions of the Everglades and played an integral role in the rescue efforts that followed the crash. She, too, couldnt move because of a fractured pelvic bone. READ MORE: The day when an Eastern Airlines jet crashed into the Florida Everglades. She managed a Manhattan art gallery. That time, finances got in the way. Jerry wore a gold Star of David his mother had bought him a few weeks earlier while in Israel. The baby was floating face up, cradled by wreckage. Right: Beverly celebrates her 26th birthday in Mercy Hospital, January 4th 1973, with fellow surviving flight attendants Trudy Smith and Sharon Transue (Photo: Roy Bartley, Miami Herald). The pilots seemed to have realized what happened mere seconds before the crash. Johnathan Kaminer, a two year old child dressed in a red-and-blue outfit, was hurled three hundred feet north of the cockpit. 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. The plane descended out of the sky as pilots were distracted over a landing gear warning light. For Ruiz, the memorial will be a light in the darkness, a place to pray, reflect and remember the souls lost in the tragedy. "Put the son of a bitch on autopilot here," Loft said. Then the fixture was replaced into the socket - sideways. Flight 401 had crashed in the Everglades at 227 miles per hour, cartwheeling into the swampy water after the left wingtip hit the ground first. Bonnie Silverman, Donna Smith, Millie Soberon, Jerald Solomon, Larry Sumpkins, Marilyn Taylor, Edward Ulrich, Jesse C. Walker, Allen Weiss, Lorenzo Zetlin. To their right were more empty seats. The Everglades were dark without the lights of the big city. When the main part of the fuselage hit the ground it continued to move through the grass and water, disintegrating as it went. I was still strapped to my seat, but I was in the open air, in the middle of nowhere. He also ran his own gun store in Seymour, Conn. During this time, he divorced and later met Alexandra (Sandra) Burt. May Albury, Verena Bieri, Carl Bolufe, Rigoberto Bolufe, Sandra Burt, Gustavo Cassado, Mrs Xeimara Casado, Miss Christina Casado, Ann Connell, Barry Connell, Mariel Diegeriez, Gerald W Eskow, Sylvia Fisher, Ms. F. Frankin, Herbert Fresko, Molly Fresko, Alicia Garcia, Julia Garcia, Kathryn F.Gaudiello, George Gaudiello, Kenneth Glassman, Kuniko Goldfuss, Milton Hoffman, Ronald Infantino, Miguel Angel Junco Jr., David Kaplan, Franklin Kent, Anita Kent, Helen Kupiec, Jessie LaRusso, James Laurie, Mrs. Leone Levine, Cornelia Leya, Thomas McAvoy, Joseph Mazur, Rose Mazur, Luis Mejia, Richard N. Micale, Albert J Morris, Janice Minguzzi, Christina Ochoa, Allen Okanawsky, Oneida Pares, Aristides Pares, Martha Pares, Carlos Polanco, Lucino Polanco, Joseph Popson, Richard Pragluski, Goldez Quinico, Evelyn Ragalia, Marie Rego, Glen Remkus*, Francoise Riette, Thomas Rothenberg. Coviello was not so fortunate with Nicky. WebLe vol Eastern Air Lines 401 est un vol de la compagnie Eastern Air Lines entre New York et Miami sur Lockheed TriStar, qui, dans la nuit du 29 dcembre 1972, s'est cras dans les Everglades, en Floride.Cet accident, premier accident arien impliquant un avion gros porteur, a caus la mort de 101 des 176 personnes bord (dont 2 dcdes des suites de leurs Stockstill complied. The crash killed 101 people, including Stanich. 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.. On this day in 1972, Eastern Airlines Flight 401 crashes in the Everglades. And be assured that we will visit it many times in between. Aircraft 310 was one of a dozen L-1011s Lockheed had delivered to Eastern Airlines that year, and it was one of the best of the bunch. This time, Donadeo followed him. He and Sandra boarded the plane early and sat near the front in seats 4A and 4B. Irene may have been lucky to have been bumped from the ill fated flight, though she would later die in an auto accident in 1987 at the age of 38. Directly ahead of them were a row of seats and the first class lounge, where there were several additional empty seats and a buffet of cheese and crackers. At more than 40 feet away, my wife felt her cry and rushed to pick her up from a mangled twist of wires and bushes. An altitude alert sounded its C-Chord chime for one second and stopped. Joseph Popson was a tired but happy soon-to-be PhD in English, returning to Florida after attending the Modern Language Association conference in New York. By using this site, you agree to its use of cookies. The flight would have normally passed east of Jacksonville, Florida, at a point 155 miles out to sea and passing a latitude along which lay, on the other side of the world, Cairo and Shanghai. A group of survivors drafted plans for a marker, but life got in the way. ", Loft told him, "You can't see the indices - for the nose wheel, ah, there's a place in there you can look and see if they're lined up. If you want it, wear it, fine. His goal in life, he would say later, was "to be successful financially and live a nice, easy, comfortable life." "The last thing I recall was the sound of the engines revving. ", Jerry Eskow, still nursing his double scotch in first class, awakened to "a lot of noise and a lot of vibrations." There were other ways to confirm that the gear was down, and Loft chose one of them. A native of Louisiana who now lived in Miami, Stockstill had even more flying time in the new L-1011 than Loft. The aircraft broke apart as it cartwheeled across the wetlands. And the light was still off. The former flight attendants described one gathering in the Everglades where airboats from around Florida turned up to help commemorate crash victims. Fire trucks were standing by. It was really scary. One of the flight engineer's duties is to get on board early, before the captain and first officer, and run through a series of checks. From Miami to New York, the ten women flight attendants in the crew flew on flight 26, a dinner flight. It was pitch dark, he said. A computer-stored flight plan would bring the great white Whisperliner inland over West Palm Beach, and then south to Miami - a long, dense galaxy of lights glittering on a north-south axis between two black voids, the Atlantic ocean and the Everglades. Despite the enormous quantities and that there was a error counting the passengers, the manifest was meticulously detailed. This photo was taken hours before the crash on December 29th while on board Flight 26 in Miami. WebEastern Air Lines Flight 401 was a scheduled flight from New York JFK to Miami. 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. WebCrash (also known as The Crash of Flight 401) is a 1978 made-for-TV drama film directed by Barry Shear and based on the true story of the first crash of a wide-body aircraft, that of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401, a Lockheed L-1011 TriStar which crashed in the Florida Everglades near Miami on the night of December 29, 1972. He had been Eastern Airline's maintenance manager in Miami, and since September had worked as a technical supervisor specifically concerned with troubleshooting the new L-1011 fleet. Unlike Flight 401's faulty light, National 607's problem was seen as a real emergency. DALLAS December 29, 2022, will mark a half-century since the fatal crash of Eastern Air Lines (EA) Flight 401. / CBS Miami. In 2021, a memorial marker was installed in the Everglades to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the May 11, 1996, ValuJet crash. DALLAS December 29, 2022, will mark a half-century since the fatal crash of Eastern Air Lines (EA) Flight 401. The men on Flight 401's flight deck listened to their fellow pilot onboard the National plane as it dealt with its troubled gear. It wasn't like people say, your life passing before you. "The plane started shaking, violent shaking like a cardboard box. The plane descended out of the sky as pilots were distracted over a landing gear warning light. 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. A lack of flashlights amid the poor nighttime visibility in the Everglades impeded the ability of survivors to assist each other. DALLAS December 29, 2022, will mark a half-century since the fatal crash of Eastern Air Lines (EA) Flight 401. Fatal Distraction: Directed by Su Rynard. degree history and physical education. What a special day it was for all!! At the airport, the approach controller handled another plane and looked again at the radar screen. "What frequency did he want us on?". He was still attempting to remove the light. Warren Terry, a co-pilot, and Angelo Donadeo, a maintenance specialist. It was now 11:38. Edward moved to Scarborough, Maine to expand Winchesters presence in Northern New England and the Maritime provinces. They will never be forgotten! There was ripping and tearing and shredding and people crying. Then came the final and fatal mistake. He turned to Repo and said "Hey, get down there and see if that goddamn nose wheel's down." At the start of 2022, Raposa remembered her promise to honor those who lost their lives on the flight. The event, which will begin at 1 p.m., is open to the public. We did something to the altitude, Stockstill was hearing saying. On Dec. 29, theyll unveil a memorial in Miami Springs to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Eastern crash. Eastern Air Lines tail number N310EA is shown before its crash of December 29, 1972. Trudy Jean Smith - Flight 401 crew member - August 24, 1947 ~ November 29, 2020 (age 73. Loft and Stockstill continued to discuss the lamp assembly. At 7:30pm, Easterns flight dispatcher at JFK cleared the airplane for a nine pm night coach departure to Miami as Flight 401. Shortly before midnight on December 29, 1972, the Lockheed L-1011-1 TriStar crashed into the Florida Everglades,[1][2][3] causing 101 total fatalities. While Flight 401 was flying over the Everglades, the skies were busy with other flights; Avianca 781 took off from Miami International's runway Nine Left, followed by eastern 470. "I don't see it down there. Ruiz continued her career as a flight attendant, flying for both EA and United (UA) in the years following Flight 401. Raposa was one of 75 survivors. Visit miamiherald.com. 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. 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.. Oh, I can't get it from here." Donadeo observed that although Stockstill was flying the plane, Loft applied power to the throttles at this point. Their marriage spanned 47 years. The poodle under her seat lived. But what was inside was the real prize: a Kodak Instamatic camera and rolls of film. There was a certain irony in Jerry's reviving that thought; always before he had laughed at her concern. Midway along the path, the plane slewed around until it was sliding backward. I number things from 1 to 10, and 10 [is] a plane crash, he said. (Left) The crew of Flight 401, taken aboard Flight 26 while on the ground in Miami earlier the day of the crash. You want me to fly it, Bob? The aircraft operating the route, a Lockheed L1011-385-1 Tristar crashed into the Florida Everglades, resulting in 101 fatalities. At the airport, the approach controller looked at the altitude block listed next to the little blip representing Eastern 401 on his radar screen. The plane began a slow, unnoticed descent. Fuck around with that goddamned twenty-cent piece of light equipment we got on this bastard! The plane began to pull out of its descent. One passenger saw "bright flashes like sparks. Edward graduated from Seymour High in 1947. To the quarter-of-a-million pound operating weight of the airplane was added 400 pounds. All rights reserved. She initially balked at the idea, but Jerry used one of her own arguments to convince her. And then she started walking away, trying to help people. Organizers are still seeking donations to cover the cost of the memorial, a bill that stands at about $20,000. After selecting gear down, the nosegear light didn't indicate 'down and locked'. One hundred and one lives were lost that late December evening, with 75 passengers and crew surviving. This photograph (above) was taken aboard flight 26 the day of the crash. Raposa, 25, had noticed something strange. WebEastern Air Lines Flight 401 was a scheduled flight from New York JFK to Miami. Survivors of Flight 401 often gathered around the crash site on December 29th, though there was no dedicated memorial. Ethel Jackson, 64, a housekeeper from Liberty City, brought her white uniform in a carry-on bag. Amid the planes wreckage, her cream-colored, company-issued suitcase was the only one that remained intact. Now Repo, standing behind Stockstill looking over his shoulder asked "It's right above that, ah, red one, is it not?". Tomorrow is not a given, she said. Donadeo was no stranger to the L-1011, however. On this day in 1972, Eastern Airlines Flight 401 crashes in the Everglades. Flight 401 had crashed in the Everglades at 227 miles per hour, cartwheeling into the swampy water after the left wingtip hit the ground first. For me I have kept my promise that I made to them 15 years ago that I would never give up until they were remembered! "Naw, I don't think it will fit. The following is a list of survivors and victims of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401. According to DeWitt, the monument also represents how through a terrible tragedy in Flight 401, the industry eventually put safety first in many ways.. The crash killed 101 people, including Stanich. He is survived by his daughter in law Lynn Johnson and grandsons Kurtis and Kyle Johnson, all of Florida. `` Naw, I 'll wear it, fine ; a total of 153 in all a crash., gear up, '' Stockstill said, 'Mom, if it will fit a nine pm night coach to... 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