"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. He was offered the job. Two days into recovery his dad came into his hospital room. She heard the cries of people and shouted, 'Follow my voice, I am a flight attendant' so that any surviving passengers could find her. The 50th Anniversary of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 Memorial Monument will be dedicated in a 1300 EST ceremony on December 29, 2022. She woke in darkness, still in her jump seat hanging to one side, choking on the acrid jet fuel fumes. 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 name of Ronald Infantino's wife Lily is on that memorial. Since the flight was full, he exercised his privilege as an Eastern Airlines employee, and rode in the cockpit jumpseat. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Raposa, who now lives in Broward County, studied to become a flight attendant just steps away from the memorial site. Copies of that photo are now bound in a leather album that Eastern gave all the flight attendants of Flight 401 after the tragedy. 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. The Memorial is located just South and West of the new Miami Springs sign that was erected on the Curtiss Parkway median. The flooring of the plane crumbled. Pieces of the shattered plane lay scattered in the muck and jet fuel stained the inky waters of the Everglades. She came back and said, Mercy, I cant. She couldnt see.. Then he noticed that the pilot did a fly-by the airport. Who could this have been? In addition to commemorating Flight 401, the creative talent behind the exhibit is seeking to help survivors raise the funding needed to create a permanent large-scale memorial to Flight 401's victims and survivors in the City of Miami Springs, once home to a thriving Eastern Air Lines community. The pilot was unnerved by what had happened and canceled the flight. 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. Located just across from the Miami Springs Country Club, survivors and families hope this memorial brings comfort 5 decades later. "They were incredible," says Infantino. 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. Shelley and Steve Rubin and their unborn baby boy - Sandy Shapiro December 30, 2020 . All Rights Reserved , Southwest Pilots Association President Calls for Strike Vote, Iberia, TAG Airlines to Start Codeshare Agreement, Delta Air Lines Firms Order for 12 Additional A220s, Lufthansa Submits Offer to Acquire a Stake in ITA Airways, Airways Top 10 Never-built Commercial Aircraft, 12/11/1996: Oasis International Airlines Ceases Operations, Air Baltic Becomes First European Airline to Offer, Emirates Returns First Refurbished A380 to Service, FAA Issues National Ground Stop for Florida Airports. As the crew crossed over the Florida Everglades, they were trying to lower the landing gear. 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. 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. The plane plunged into the Everglades after taking off from the Miami airport. . Days later, the wreckage of the aircraft was retrieved from the swamp, and some of its parts were able to be salvaged, including a galley. Raposa was one of 75 survivors. Why them two?. In the 1970's, tales of such ghostly apparitions flew around the USA and the airline world. 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 jumbo jet had been making a late evening flight from New York to Miami. Advertise: Call 305.775.4094 or email: "These poor people were still my responsibility. 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. A keen amateur photographer, he also recently reached the milestone of flying his 100th sector as a passenger. The Story Of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401, took a look at the eight most intriguing examples. 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. After placing a seat cushion under Ruizs head, Raposa left to search for other survivors. I just regret not getting a chance to say goodbye. That memory never goes away, he told the Miami Herald 50 years later. "I number things one to ten in my life, ten's the plane crash," he says. This is somewhere where I can come to visit her apart from her gravesite, Shackleford said. 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. The former flight attendants described one gathering in the Everglades where airboats from around Florida turned up to help commemorate crash victims. The following is a list of survivors and victims of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401. But doctors were able to reattach his arm. Remembering EAL Flt. "My god, you're here, please don't leave me," he remembers telling them. The pair also described takeaways for the public around aviation safety to go along with memorial efforts for Flight 401. Visit miamiherald.com. 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. His arm was hanging by a thread; the cold swamp water may have saved his life by coagulating the blood. The aircraft was a Lockheed L-1011-1 TriStar traveling from New York to Miami. 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. Sharon and Adrienne were injured and trapped in their jump seats. Those were the last words recovered from the flight voice recorder. Hjs wife was not with him. "You will never be forgotten. 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. Now the names are there and they will never be forgotten, Ruiz said. Its the holidays. 255153N 803543W. She recalls the terrifying moments afterward. . ", But he was worried about Lilly. Raposa said she has flown for over 20 years for business, saying she sleeps like a baby every time she flies. At the front of the aircraft, Sue Tebbs and Adrienne Hamilton were seated for landing. The captain had ordered that the landing gear be lowered in preparation for landing. Through five decades, lessons stick with the survivors of 401. But that turned out to be Infantinos uncle, who wasnt on the plane. Infantino looks back on the crash when hes frustrated about the inconveniences he faces in his daily life. Eastern Airlines Flight #401 (L1011 N310EA) crashed in the Everglades on December 29, 1972. (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. North Miami Beach, FL (PRWEB) December 7, 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 York to . 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. Promote your organization with Miami's #1 hyperlocal community website. At 7:45 p.m. on December 29 that year, an Eastern Air Lines jet out of Tampa, Fla. arrived at Kennedy Airport, one of the airline's hubs, for routine maintenance. Writer - Patricia joins Simple Flying with over 20 years of experience in aviation. the first officer asked, and the captain immediately exclaimed "Hey, what's happening here?". To the flight 401 survivors - Franoise Riette December 30, 2020, 5:02 pm. This message board is intended for serious discussions of the December 29th, 1972 crash of Eastern Airlines Flight 401. Three days after the crash, Lilly Infantinos body was found. The Ghost of Flight 401: Directed by Steven Hilliard Stern. Marquis would work tirelessly throughout the night and the next day rescuing people. Based in Dubai, Ghosts On A Plane? Robert Marquis, an airboat captain out hunting frogs that night, witnessed the crash and rushed to the rescue, suffering burns to his face, arms, and legs as he ferried survivors to safety. Ruiz said that the public should understand that the job of a flight attendant is highly professional before emphasizing that we are highly trained and our main focus when we are hired and trained is safety. Ruiz and Raposa both emphasized their confidence in the safety of air travel. 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). READ MORE: Eastern Flight 401 introduced new safety measures and books, movies and ghost stories. 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. Flight 401, a new L-1011 TriStar, took off from Kennedy International Airport in New York at 9:20 p.m. on Dec. 29, 1972. There were 75 survivors, including a 23-year-old flight . I number things from 1 to 10, and 10 [is] a plane crash, he said. 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. The aircraft operating the route, a Lockheed L1011-385-1 Tristar crashed into the Florida Everglades, resulting in 101 fatalities. Both would die in the crash. 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 . 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. There were 67 survivors. 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. And then she started walking away, trying to help people. Seconds later, the plane crashed into the ground at 227 mph. We reach over 20,000 people each month. All are South Florida survivors of the crash of Eastern Flight #401 now trying . When an air traffic controller at MIA noticed they were flying at 900 feet when they should have been at 2000, he contacted the cockpit and asked, "How are things coming along out there?" She found Beverly and commented 'it's a bad dream, we are going to wake up.' Beverly had gathered survivors together, seating them back to back to stay warm. Amid the confusion, the distracted crew didnt notice the auto pilot button was switched off. A look at some of the strange tales that emerged after the accident. Nonetheless, at one point, efforts appeared to come to a standstill until the beginning of 2022, when Raposa, in a conference call, emphasized a desire for action ahead of the 50th anniversary. The aircraft was a five-year-old McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31 registered as N8984E. 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. She went on to praise the efforts of Raposa, who sang Christmas carols to maintain morale among survivors as they waited for rescue. I don't think so we have no control over our destiny.". READ MORE: Were down. Flight 401 crashed in Miami 50 years ago. "The NTSB, when they studied it, they said this crash was unsurvivable, yet 75 miracles came out of there.". The crash of Eastern Flight 401. 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. Three of the 4 cockpit crew members, two of the 10 flight attendants, and 96 of the 163 passengers were killed; there were 75 survivors. Miami, Florida: Bankrupt Eastern Airlines Jets On The Ground. Her message on life: Never take anything for granted. He had 8,876 flight hours, including 3,856 hours on the DC-9. Beverly attended to the injured and calmed any survivors she found. 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