The store near Coconut Grove opens June 15. The scene they discovered was hellish beyond all imagination. An Eastern Airlines jet heading from New York to Miami crashed in the Everglades 50 years ago. Theres another photo Ruiz has analyzed over the years. I think about her every day.. "On the wreath I put, 'To our fellow brothers and sisters, in loving memory.' Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. In reality, the soft surface into which they crashed likely played a larger role in ensuring a high survival rate despite the almost total destruction of the airframe. It happened just west of Miami International. When a force of 7 kilograms or more was applied on the pitch axis, the autopilot would stop holding the plane at the selected altitude, and the ALT light on the autopilot display would extinguish, but the autopilot mode select lever would remain in the command position without reverting to CWS. After all, if they landed without knowing the nose gear position and the gear collapsed, how would that look in the subsequent safety report? Sharon and Adrienne were injured and trapped in their jump seats. Fourteen people suffered burns, while 17 had only minor injuries and didn't need to be hospitalized, the NTSB report said. For the first time, the National Transportation Safety Board would highlight such modern mainstays as poor crew resource management and overreliance on automation, conclusions which are self-evident today but were unheard of in 1972. Beverly replied, 'No Mercy, we're down.' "I asked why he wanted to know that and I said Catholic. The event, which will begin at 1 p.m., is open to the public. "I was leaning back, my eyes half closed, and all the sudden I hear the engines go to full power," he said. I don't think so we have no control over our destiny.". Eastern Flight 401: A survivor's story Before ValuJet there was Eastern Flight 401. At one point he noticed that his right arm didn't seem right. Banner advertising, in contrast, is paid for by advertisers (we do not directly control the banner advertising on this blog). The radio altimeter emitted a series of chimes as flight 401 closed in on the ground. Their decision to enter a holding pattern until they figured out the status of the nose gear was entirely prudent. "My god, you're here, please don't leave me," he remembers telling them. Flight crew didnt realize the plane was descending (Were still at 2000, right?). 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. "I just remember their heavy breathing. All 3 from Apollo 8 are still around. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. We did something to the altitude? he said, sounding confused. The bottom line was that the pilot and crew became so concerned about a burnt-out lightbulb that they neglected to notice the altitude dropping. Infantino, then 26, awoke bobbing in the swamp, unable to move with an injured arm, chest and knee. Bob, this piece of crap just wont come out!. Flight 401 departed JFK Airport at 9:20 p.m., climbed to its cruising altitude, and headed south toward Florida. The systems first entered service in 1977 and were installed at major airports across the United States by the end of the 1980s. Copies of that photo are now bound in a leather album that Eastern gave all the flight attendants of Flight 401 after the tragedy. When youve stared death in the face just as I have, she said, you dont take things for granted anymore.. "We're still at 2,000 feet, right?" My grandfather and some of his friends said they were well familiar with the term. (Sadly this was not to be the case.) 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. "And it was just hanging off. So I'll never forget it, I brought it to my chest and held it.". Surely it was all just a misunderstanding. A panel discussion will be held on March 4, 2023, from 1 to 4pm at the Museum Theatre. Some of these artists have sacrificed their whole lives along with its comforts to pursue their calling and the sensitivity they bring to this project is what I was seeking. If you would like to customise your choices, click 'Manage privacy settings'. The flight crew had not realized that the autopilot had been accidentally switched off and the aircraft was descending. Technical officer Angelo Donadeo, who had until now been silently watching, finally chimed in. She was six feet above the swamp but released her harness. In 2021, a memorial marker was installed in the Everglades to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the May 11, 1996, ValuJet crash. A Bag Presumed to be Fentanyl' Was Inside, Police Investigate After Teen Shot Several Times in Lauderhill, See the Full List of Items You Can Buy Tax Free During Florida's Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holidays, Ex-Broward Sheriff and Current Opa-locka Police Chief Scott Israel Resigning. At the front of the aircraft, Sue Tebbs and Adrienne Hamilton were seated for landing. Dawn Quinn's grandfather was pilot Robert Loft. In the year that followed, stories swirled that flight crews, attendants and passengers swore to several sightings of Repo and, briefly, Captain Bob Loft, on Eastern planes. Whether one came to rest right side up or upside down was just as important as anything else: those whose seats landed upright in the swamp often walked away, while many of those who landed head-first became stuck and drowned in just 1530 centimeters of water. In fact weve just , Eastern 401, roger, said the controller. Captain Loft got on the radio and said, Well, ah, tower, this is Eastern 401. You too can submit a story. Prosecutors wont say, This Miami neighborhood was shielded from traffic by a court fight that may end soon, Former Broward sheriff Scott Israel resigns as Opa-locka police chief after a year, Miami Beach Commissioner Steven Meiner is running for mayor, adding to crowded field, How much more rain will the Miami area see over the weekend? While the crash has inspired two feature-length movies and numerous documentaries and training films, there is no permanent memorial for Eastern Flight 401. The exhibit opens to the public on January 14 from 1 to 4 pm, and continues through March 19, 2023, in the HistoryMiami Museum Community Gallery. The engineer had recognized the stranger. You gotta turn it one quarter turn to the left, said Loft. Beverly Rapoza had just returned from the cabin, collecting empty dishes and glasses, and was looking forward to some rest. Through five decades, lessons stick with the survivors of 401. After placing a seat cushion under Ruizs head, Raposa left to search for other survivors. In it, the crew pranked two of the flight attendants: one with devil horn fingers coming from her head and another jokingly grabbed by the neck. The only indication that this had happened was the absence of one small light on the glare shield, and a glance at the position of the autopilot mode select lever would have given no indication that the autopilot was not fully engaged. Survivors - Crew and Eastern Employees Call 305.669.7030 or view our Media Kit. If I had a pair of pliers, I could cushion it with that Kleenex!. Today Infantino will present two wreaths, one for Flight 401 and the other for Valujet, the 1996 Everglades crash that killed all 110 on board. I do business with them, they take sixty days to pay their bills!. A ball of fire erupted in the cabin and the aircraft cartwheeled and broke into pieces. Its gotta come out a little bit and then snap in, Repo suggested. Were gonna wake up.. He swore witnesses told him directly. 25th anniversary of the May 11, 1996, ValuJet crash, Aldi to open its first Miami grocery in June. National Transportation Safety Board report, Arlene: Yet Another Early Tropical Storm. Why? Jay Repo said his father came to him even on his own wedding night. Include your full name and hometown. As days pased, flight attendant Stephanie Stanich's body had still not been recovered. "It went completely dark so I knew we were doing another go-round, not knowing what was going on," he said. Screwing around with that damn 20-cent piece of, The entire crew let loose a little nervous laughter. 6796 SW 62nd AvenueSouth Miami, Florida 33143(305)669-7030, Miami Community Newspaper Sponsored Content, Latin Builders Association Community News, This story was brought to you by a member of the community. asked Loft. Go down and see if its lined up with the red line. And then it was complete silence and I thought I was the only one alive.". We just saw a big explosion, looks like it was out west. In the ensuing days, the NTSB conducted an investigation. Both pilots and the flight engineer died, along with 2 out of 10 flight attendants and 96 of the 163 passengers on board. Next week:Who was the first sitting president to visit Florida? If you can hear my voice, dont light a match, flight attendant Beverly Raposa called out as she regained consciousness in the darkness. I reach over and all the sudden my fingers go inside of my bicep," he said. But that turned out to be Infantinos uncle, who wasnt on the plane. On Dec. 29, theyll unveil a memorial in Miami Springs to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Eastern crash. "I said, 'Oh my god we crashed, we crashed.' As the plane continued to drift along at 2,000 feet, the approach controller called and gave them a new heading of 270 degrees due west. If you dont have something nice to say, dont say anything at all was a nice guideline for human interaction while it lasted. "They were incredible," says Infantino. Author John Fuller collected the tales in his 1976 book, The Ghost of Flight 401, later made into a 1978 TV film. Kyra Dempsey, analyzer of plane crashes. Shortly after, the plane crashed into the swamp. With First Officer Stockstill at the controls, Captain Loft ran through the approach checklist, followed by the landing checklist. But when Loft attempted to lower the landing gear, there was an immediate problem: the light indicating that the nose gear was down and locked did not illuminate. Both would die in the crash. Mercy Ruiz, 29, also noticed something strange that night. 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. Read more Florida history:Here are Floridas top 25 stories of all time. No one noticed. Put power on it first, Bert. It dutifully complied. As he and his new bride entered their sparkling-clean room at a Miami hotel, one they hadnt told anyone theyd chosen, they opened the empty closet. Therefore, his vague question asking if everything was alright already went above and beyond the call of duty, and Captain Lofts response so completely put him at ease that he never looked at flight 401s altitude again. I don't include all US credit card offers available on this site. Always something; we could have made schedule.. I know, a little like a telescope, said Repo. Eastern Air Lines flight 401 was in fact the first fatal crash of a wide body airliner, and many speculated at the time that so many people survived because the size of the plane shielded them from the impact. He heard alligators and snakes splash around him as whirring airboats and helicopters searched for survivors. You better do that.. Repo told him there would never be another crash of an L-1011. I cant see it, its pitch dark and I throw the little light and I get nothing.. There was no fear, no panic, no anything. The flight had left JFK Airport in New York en-route to Miami International Airport when it went down shortly before midnight on Dec. 29, 1972, in the swampland some 18 miles west-northwest of the airport. The latest local, regional and national news events of the morning are presented by the Local 10 News Team along with updated sports, weather and traffic. 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." 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. Why them two?. Initially, nothing about the aircrafts trajectory changed, since no one made any further inputs. Survivors of Flight 401 often gathered around the crash site on December 29th, though there was no dedicated memorial. Mercedes was thrown from the aircraft, still trapped in her jump seat with injuries to her head and a broken pelvis. Was it a burned-out $12 bulb or a faulty landing gear? Yeah, wheel well lights always on if the gears down, said Repo. Patricia commented on the fact that it was the holiday season and maybe they'd earn some overtime. The crash, another seminal moment in South Florida aviation history, killed all 110 people on board. Infantino and other survivors are holding a memorial service today at 4 p.m. at the site of the Valujet Flight 592 memorial, on the Tamiami Trail, 12 miles west of Krome Avenue. "I remember hitting, I woke up and I was in a sitting position water up to my chin, no clothes on, everything was stripped right off me except the rims of my socks," said Infantino. "They'll never be forgotten.". She woke in darkness, still in her jump seat hanging to one side, choking on the acrid jet fuel fumes. In the last minute of the flight, he observed that the L-1011s radar return displayed an altitude of only 900 feet, but a number of factors prevented him from realizing that a dangerous situation had developed. But just to be sure, the controller called flight 401 and asked, Eastern 401, how are things coming along out there?, Anticipating a confirmation of the gear position at any moment, Loft replied, Okay, wed like to turn around and come, come back in.. The plane actually spun in a circle, the floor dropped and I woke up in the water," he recalled. Writer - Patricia joins Simple Flying with over 20 years of experience in aviation. Updated Dec 14, 2022 A look at some of the strange tales that emerged after the accident. He was so weak that doctors opted to operate without anesthesia. More About Gary . Eastern 401, turn heading one eight zero, he said. Whats your altitude now? This message too was met with silence. The flight had been fully booked, filling the spacious cabin nearly to capacity, but in what would turn out to be a stroke of luck, at least 65 prospective passengers never made it to the airport due to the wintry weather snarling traffic. Then there was silence. In another area, a flight attendant stood atop the wreckage of the tail section and tried to calm people in the swamp by gathering to sing Christmas carols, which worked well until suddenly no one could remember the words to Frosty the Snowman. Others reacted with anger: one man allegedly yelled, I always knew Eastern was no good! Although the term crew resource management did not yet exist, the NTSB specifically mentioned one of the key symptoms of poor CRM: a failure to delegate. At the time, it was the nations deadliest single-plane accident. Wow, what an experience that was. Now, survivors are planning the first memorial marker. Well, want to tell em well take it around and circle around and screw around?. Then he gave me last rites. Beverly attended to the injured and calmed any survivors she found. Some thirty seconds later, flight 401 arrived at 2,000 feet. Those who could not be treated in hyperbaric chambers were forced to have the affected body parts amputated. In the hospital, Infantino barely survived. Its like the light they needed in the Everglades on that December night 50 years ago. An Eastern Airlines jet heading from New York to Miami crashed in the Everglades 50 years ago. At the flight engineers station, there was a button that would allow him to perform a so-called Christmas tree test, illuminating every light in the cockpit to determine if the bulb had burnt out. Meanwhile, the L-1011 commenced its short climb back up to 2,000 feet. It would hold them at 2,000 feet while they solved the landing gear problem, and whenever ATC gave them a new heading, they could enter it using the heading select knob and the plane would turn by itself. Anyone interested in attending should email flt401memorial@gmail.com. They didn't find her body until two days later," he said. 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. The floor of the exhibit space will display Flight 401s intended runway landing path at Miami International Airport. The most agonizing of these was the apparent disappearance of one of Flight 401's flight attendants. READ MORE: The day when an Eastern Airlines jet crashed into the Florida Everglades. At 11:42 p.m. and 12 seconds, Eastern Air Lines flight 401 slammed into the watery surface of the Florida Everglades, plowing into the swamp at 365 kilometers per hour. As Stockstill entered the new heading into the autopilot, he happened to glance at his altimeter, and for the first time he noticed that something was wrong. The stranger said, You dont need to worry about the pre-flight. Then the man simply vanished. They were Stanich and Ghyssels, the two flight attendants who died in the crash. Florida Time archives:Get caught up on the stories youve missed. Contact me via @Admiral_Cloudberg on Reddit, @KyraCloudy on Twitter, or by email at kyracloudy97@gmail.com. You got it sideways, then.. Were up to two thousand, said Stockstill. "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. After the barrels were empty, the store would put them outside for folks to sit on. One of them was Ron Infantino, an Air Force veteran in Vietnam and aviation aficianado. "They're home," Beverly said. First published on December 29, 2022 / 4:03 PM. Beverly Raposa switched seats from her regular position in the galley for a flight from New York to Miami. If You Can Hear My Voice Dont Light a Match commemorates the tragic events of December 29, 1972, through the collective vision of 12 South Florida artists, each of whom was invited to interpret the fatal crash by transforming a model L-1011 airplane into a singular work of art. "It felt so good. However, two survivors soon died of their injuries, including Flight Engineer Don Repo. Those are the last moments Ron Infantino, 76, who now lives in The Villages in Central Florida, remembers before blacking out. And because it was pitch dark there were no visual cues outside to tell them they were about to hit the swamp. Large altitude deviations were sometimes displayed for up to three sweeps of the radar before returning to normal. He did not survive, but his memory lives on. She came across a woman who found an 11-month-old baby as she scouted the wreckage for her son. I carry those folks in my heart every single day, Raposa said of those who died in the tragedy. Flight attendants Patricia and Stephanie tragically died in the crash, along with the flight crew. "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. 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