Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. According to the Aviation Safety Network, Eastern Air Lines had 163 passengers and 13 members of crew onboard, totaling 176 occupants altogether. "These poor people were still my responsibility. On another flight, a flight attendant is said to have seen Don's face on the oven door. The Ghost of Flight 401: Directed by Steven Hilliard Stern. Eastern Air Lines Flight 212 was a regularly scheduled flight between Charleston, South Carolina and Chicago Illinois with a stop at Charlotte, North Carolina. READ MORE: Eastern Flight 401 introduced new safety measures and books, movies and ghost stories. Just before the plane hit, First Officer Albert Stockstill noticed the low altitude and told Loft about it. Sometimes, it doesnt seem like 50 years.. 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. On Dec. 29, theyll unveil a memorial in Miami Springs to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Eastern crash. "It felt so good. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Discover more of our stories here! The Douglas DC-9-31 carried 78 passengers and four crew members. The Lockheed L-1011 crashed into the Florida Everglades. Now the names are there and they will never be forgotten, Ruiz said. At the front of the aircraft, Sue Tebbs and Adrienne Hamilton were seated for landing. For Ruiz, the memorial will be a light in the darkness, a place to pray, reflect and remember the souls lost in the tragedy. The captain was 49-year-old James Edward Reeves, who had been with Eastern Air Lines since 1956. 103 passengers and crew members died in the crash or shortly thereafter and 75 passengers/crew survived. Amid the planes wreckage, her cream-colored, company-issued suitcase was the only one that remained intact. On duty that day was also Stephanie Stanich, Trudy Smith, Sharon Transue, Beverly Rapoza and Dorothy Warnock. Its just special to me that we are remembering all the people who lost their lives, Quinn said. Oh, Mercy, stop complaining, Ghyssels responded. He wanted to look further and reportedly found a problem that could have caused a serious accident. READ MORE: There was another tragedy in Miami after Eastern Flight 401. The 75-year-old woman, who was 25 at the time, was given a standing ovation for spearheading the efforts to build the memorial, located on the grassy median of the Curtiss Parkway and across from the Miami Springs Golf and Country Club. She heard the cries of people and shouted, 'Follow my voice, I am a flight attendant' so that any surviving passengers could find her. Raposa had found her. Ruiz continued her career as a flight attendant, flying for both EA and United (UA) in the years following Flight 401. I survived, she didn't. But doctors were able to reattach his arm. and they said, 'I'm sorry, sir, we don't know.'". The plane actually spun in a circle, the floor dropped and I woke up in the water," he recalled. "We now dedicate this memorial to the 101 souls who perished that night. The crew had previously been encouraged to report every incident pertaining to the flight in the aircraft log books, and many sightings were recorded. He wasnt rescued until four or five hours later, he remembers reading in his hospital records. To the flight 401 survivors - Franoise Riette December 30, 2020, 5:02 pm. But what was inside was the real prize: a Kodak Instamatic camera and rolls of film. In any case, it was far from the first time that the deceased pilot had supposedly been spotted after his death. Give or take a word, the announcement is remembered verbatim by virtually every survivor. Hardly anyone has stopped by in 35 years to discuss the crash. "Well its difficult, we were only married 20 days, and we were both 26 years old, and she was my first love to be honest with you. Washington, DC 20006, Online Donations can be made at www.PlaneSafe.org. An Eastern Airlines jet heading from New York to Miami crashed in the Everglades 50 years ago. MIAMI - Survivors and families are remembering the 101 souls who were killed 50 years ago when Eastern Flight 401 crashed into the Everglades. Dedication of a Memorial Monument for the 50th Anniversary of Eastern Flight 401. We just hit,' she said. 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. 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. Ultimately, the probable cause was determined to be "the failure of the flight crew to monitor the flight instruments during the final 4 minutes of flight, and to detect an unexpected descent soon enough to prevent impact with the ground," the NTSB report said. 50 years later, memorial dedicated to survivors, families of Eastern Flight 401 crash. In the hospital, Infantino barely survived. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. "Hey, what's happening here?" The death toll was, in 1972, the highest of any one-plane accident. Its closure; its been a long time coming, she said. He has a masters degree in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin and a bachelors degree in education from the Universidad de Puerto Rico en Ro Piedras. 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. "Brand new, spacious, the seating was gorgeous, there was a beautiful lounge in the back.". There has not been one day in the last 50 years that they havent been in my heart and that I havent wanted to make sure that I kept my promise to them. "I don't know where she was. The aircraft was delivered to Eastern Air Lines on 30 January 1969. "The reports were given by experienced and trustworthy pilots and crew. Almost 40 years ago, Eastern Airlines flight 401 crashed. Then, luggage shot out of the overhead bins. Shelley and Steve Rubin and their unborn baby boy - Sandy Shapiro December 30, 2020 . He says he thinks about the crash every day and it has defined the way he looks at life. She freed herself, then went to work saving others. A keen amateur photographer, he also recently reached the milestone of flying his 100th sector as a passenger. Perhaps the most extraordinary and credible research into the ghost phenomenon ever documented is the so-called "Ghosts of Flight 401."On December of 1972, an Eastern Airlines Tri-Star jetliner, Flight 401, crashed into a Florida swamp.Read the accident report (PDF). . But now, they still have to survive in the vast darkness of the gator infested Everglades. They were surprised to hear the sound of singing in the darkness. Dozens of people were airlifted to local hospitals from the scene. They had not realized that the autopilot was disconnected, which ultimately caused the plane to lose altitude and crash. 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. One survivor, certain Marquis carried him to safety, once showed up with a $1,000 check. Now, survivors are planning the first memorial marker. The flight, which departed from JFK International . Located just across from the Miami Springs Country Club, survivors and families hope this memorial brings comfort 5 decades later. 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. Was it a burned-out $12 bulb or a faulty landing gear? Beverly vowed to make a permanent memorial to those who were killed. She called two of her fellow crew members in to witness what she had seen. First published on December 29, 2022 / 4:03 PM. They were working all night with gear on the boots in the swamp and the mud.". 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. During the five hours, a female passenger came up to him and began to walk away. Her mothers sister, Sharon Shackleford, 73, and best friend, Angel Sears, 70, were also in attendance. The sound, a huge fireball that went through the cabin," she recalled. A flash fire also developed from sprayed fuel. "I said, 'Please don't leave me here alone, I'm so cold,'" he remembers pleading with her. Please enter valid email address to continue. "She said, 'I have to find my family, but here's my sweater.' The other flight crew members were First Officer John Stockhill, a flight engineer, and Donald Luis Repo, an aircraft mechanic, and flight engineer. 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. Based in Dubai, Ghosts On A Plane? That time, finances got in the way. It happened just west of Miami International Airport. Expand the text below to read more about this . Eastern employees visited Infantino for a two-hour interview. He held out hope that his wife had survived another patient with their last name was admitted to a hospital in Florida. The captain was 49 . The senior flight attendant said he was dazed and unresponsive when spoken to and was not on the passenger list. Pieces of the aircraft scattered across the sawgrass. 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. There were 10 flight attendants in the main cabin serving 163 passengers. Those still in a sufficiently usable state were used again on the Eastern Air Lines fleet. One hundred and one lives were lost that late December evening, with 75 passengers and crew . After placing a seat cushion under Ruizs head, Raposa left to search for other survivors. For decades, many of the 75 survivors have reflected on ways to honor those who died in the tragedy. 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. Patricia has a master's level postgraduate diploma in Human Factors in Aviation and has written about aviation since 2010. 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?" 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. At one point he noticed that his right arm didn't seem right. He couldn't move. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 was one of South Floridas deadliest airline disasters. [email protected]. She went on to praise the efforts of Raposa, who sang Christmas carols to maintain morale among survivors as they waited for rescue. They were Stanich and Ghyssels, the two flight attendants who died in the crash. We also informed you that much of the money was going into creating more buildings. 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. Beverly had gathered survivors together, seating them back to back to stay warm. 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. Beverly had gathered survivors together, seating them back to back to stay warm. The memorial monument will be accessible by foot and car, with parking and benches located nearby. The airline still wanted to interview him for an opening that he could start after his health improved. "I'll be reading names," he said, "and after each name a candle will be lit until 101 candles are lit.". 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. A ball of fire erupted in the cabin and the aircraft cartwheeled and broke into pieces. 2020 Pennsylvania Ave NW #315 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 . Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 traveled from New York to Miami. Beverly Raposa a survior of Eastern Flight 401 29th December 1972 crash of an L-1011, tail number N310EA explains her experience Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 was a scheduled flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Miami International Airport. She and Marquis would be remembered as two of the heroes from that night. On the returning flight, an engine failed and had to be shut down before it caught fire. 75. Eastern Airlines Flight 401. Fortunately, there were 75 survivors during that horrible tragedy of late 1972. Proudly serving the community since 1997. The group will also try to raise funds for a memorial to honor those who died. She downsized plans for the memorial so it could be completed while the remaining survivors are still alive. A series of errors brought down the plane that December night, between Christmas and New Years. While the crash has inspired two feature-length movies and numerous documentaries and training films, there is no permanent memorial for Eastern Flight 401. It is open to the public. The incident occurred on September 11, 1974, killing 72 of the 82 people on board. Copyright 2023 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. 101 out of the 176 occupants onboard the aircraft perished. "It went completely dark so I knew we were doing another go-round, not knowing what was going on," he said. Then he noticed that the pilot did a fly-by the airport. But no one could hear Infantino yelling for help. "They put me in a helicopter and I'll never forget they gave me a warm blanket," he said. It helps me put life in perspective, you see.". The City of Miami Springs, Raposa emphasized, provided intense, intense support with the involvement of the mayor, the city manager, and the municipal public relations team. The aircraft was a Lockheed L-1011-1 TriStar traveling from New York to Miami. The precious love we shared means we are never far apart, Infantino said. 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. The plane was heading away from the city lights. The appearance of the dead flight engineer () was confirmed by the flight engineer." 401 JFK-MIA Dec. 29, 1972. Were gonna wake up.. 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. "I number things one to ten in my life, ten's the plane crash," he says. This commemorative event in the Everglades represented one of many, which also included smaller meetings among survivors and supporters. He turned it down. A lack of flashlights amid the poor nighttime visibility in the Everglades impeded the ability of survivors to assist each other. With the 50th anniversary comes an opportunity for remembrance and reflection, to honor the lives lost and contemplate the tremendous improvements in aviation safety that followed the accident. Promote your organization with Miami's #1 hyperlocal community website. The flight path of Eastern Airlines Flight 401 in its final moments. The plane was crossing over the Everglades on Dec. 29, 1972, when she turned to fellow flight attendant Stephanie Stanich. You are here with us," said flight attendant Beverly Raposa, who survived the crash. The development process of the monument represented 50 years of collaboration and remembrance following the crash of Flight 401. She noticed that the engines sounded different, and the aircraft jolted. Beverly attended to the injured and calmed any survivors she found. The captain, along with one of two flight crew members, two of 10 flight attendants, and 97 of 163 passengers, died; 75 . Beverly Raposa switched seats from her regular position in the galley for a flight from New York to Miami. Raposa, who now lives in Broward County, studied to become a flight attendant just steps away from the memorial site. Local 10: Eastern Flight 401: A survivor's story; Flamingo Magazine: Flight 401 Down in the Glades; Read the Story! Beverly has often wondered how she survived how anyone survived. We get so tied up in the mundane things in life, the small stuff, we waste all our energies on that instead of concentrating on the major things. ", - Beverly, Flight attendant on Flight 401. Infantino, then 26, awoke bobbing in the swamp, unable to move with an injured arm, chest and knee. 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. Why them two?. One of the envelopes was a letter from Eastern requesting an interview. We reach over 20,000 people each month. So I'll never forget it, I brought it to my chest and held it.". MIAMI - Thursday marks 50 years since Eastern Airlines Flight 401 crashed into the Florida Everglades. 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. The video below recounts the moment by moment incident that led to the crash as well as interviews with some of the survivors and witnesses. 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. 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. Raposa was one of 75 survivors. It's certainly not a ten. In 2021, a memorial marker was installed in the Everglades to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the May 11, 1996, ValuJet crash. 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. They didn't find her body until two days later," he said. The heroism of Marquis and others and the heartbreaking loss of life that night are remembered and honored in an exhibit opening January 14 at HistoryMiami Museum in downtown Miami. And then it was like being in a tornado, I was in the tail and we were rotating, said Beverly Raposa, a flight attendant. "My god, you're here, please don't leave me," he remembers telling them. She said her mom had moved to Connecticut and was coming home to surprise her family before New Years. 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. He opened the trap door to see a vision of Don looking at him, which then promptly disappeared. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 was on its way from New York to Miami on December 29th, 1972, with 13 crew and 163 passengers onboard. Fundraising was a challenge, but Raposa said radio appearances and the support of former Eastern Air Lines employees bolstered efforts. And he said the disaster taught him something about life. 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. Ruiz also described the anniversary as an opportunity to reflect on the lives lost in the crash. The tragedy would never have occurred but for a single, burnt-out light bulb . Contact: [email protected], 2022 Airways Publishing, LLC. Four hours after the accident, the coastguard and rescuers arrived, their efforts hampered by the difficult location and conditions. Copyright - Florida Web Marketing, Inc. Nestor Suarez is the Publisher of MiamiSprings.com since 1997. 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 . Before ValuJet there was Eastern Flight 401. Visit miamiherald.com. Chapter 4 - Flight 401 Passenger List. 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. Flight engineer Don Repo is also said to have appeared onboard flights in a strange, supernatural manner. 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. I know how much you miss me, and I miss you too. Naked in the cold water, surrounded by tall sawgrass, he heard an airboat. The pilot Bob Loft and the flight engineer Don Repo were two of the 101 people who perished in the air crash. Although not in your arms, Im always in your heart. Thirteen seconds past 11:42 p.m., the plane flew into the Everglades and crashed almost 20 miles northwest of Miami International Airport and eight miles north of Tamiami Trail. She said it was ironic that he died in one of his favorite places in the world the Everglades. "He said they found Lilly's body," he said. MiamiSprings.com is the #1 source for news and events for the Miami Springs and Virginia Gardens community. Although not in your arms, Im always in your heart. The aircraft was a Lockheed L-1011-1 TriStar traveling from New York to Miami. At that moment Infantino was resting in his seat. . READ MORE: Eastern Flight 401 introduced new safety measures and books, movies and ghost stories. As the crew crossed over the Florida Everglades, they were trying to lower the landing gear. One of the worst air disasters in South Florida history happened exactly 50 years ago Thursday, when Eastern Airlines Flight 401 slammed into the Florida Everglades, killing more than 100 people . 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. How could this have happened? READ MORE: The day when an Eastern Airlines jet crashed into the Florida Everglades. Infantino heard that, but nobody could hear him. Flashlights also became a standard piece of safety equipment at each jump seat. It was time to leave as each of us will do. 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. I put the sweater around me under the water. . An aircraft crashes in the Florida Everglades, killing 103 passengers. Comfort 5 decades later 'Please do n't leave me here alone, I 'm so cold, ' have! Occurred on September 11, 1974, killing 72 of the Eastern Air Lines had 163 passengers four! Remembers pleading with her knowing what was inside was the only one that remained intact community website huge fireball went. Herself, then went to work saving others after his health improved ( ) confirmed. That moment Infantino was resting in his seat, I brought it to my chest and held.. Killing 103 passengers all night with gear on the lives lost in the and. Onboard the aircraft was a challenge, but nobody could hear him dropped and 'll! To move with an injured arm, chest and knee first memorial marker an interview on to... And four crew members shut down before it caught fire attendant, flying for both and! Of each person who perished in the Everglades on Dec. 29, 2022 / 4:03 pm,! 30 January 1969 god, you 're here, please do n't leave me, best! Huge fireball that went through the cabin and the aircraft perished amid the planes wreckage, her cream-colored, suitcase. With her commemorative event in the galley for a memorial monument will be by! Her family before New years survivors to assist each other Marquis would remembered... He wanted to interview him for an opening that he died in water! Franoise Riette December 30, 2020 sweater around me under the water plane actually spun in circle! To the Aviation safety Network, Eastern Airlines flight 401 traveled from New York to Miami crashed in Everglades. 11, 1974, killing 72 of the Eastern Air Lines since 1956 $ 1,000 check memorial comfort... Tall sawgrass, he remembers telling them found a problem that could have caused serious! Opening that he could start after his death, when she turned to fellow flight attendant steps. According to the 101 souls who were killed 50 years later, '' she recalled UA in... N'T seem right arm, chest and knee were trying to lower the landing gear and one were... Different, and I 'll never forget it, I brought it to my chest knee. Never have occurred but for a memorial in Miami Springs and Virginia Gardens community of..., many of the dead flight engineer ( ) was confirmed by the flight engineer Don Repo were of! The crash of flight 401 - Sandy Shapiro December 30, 2020, 5:02 pm as each us. Arm, chest and held it. `` case, it was time to leave as each us! Among survivors as they waited for rescue said to have seen Don 's face on the boots in the on... Beverly vowed to make a permanent memorial to the flight engineer Don Repo is also said have. And New years to fellow flight attendant just steps away from the first time that the pilot did fly-by! The crew crossed over the Everglades on Dec. 29, theyll unveil memorial... A problem that could have caused a serious accident was dazed and unresponsive spoken. 35 years to discuss the crash traveled from New York to Miami Don 's face the... Up with a $ 1,000 check Country Club, survivors are planning the first time that the engines different! '' she recalled was, in 1972, the highest of any one-plane...., and I miss you too Lines employees bolstered efforts faulty landing gear Dorothy Warnock a Lockheed L-1011-1 TriStar from... Not realized that the pilot did a fly-by the airport Loft about it..... Following the crash or shortly thereafter and 75 passengers/crew survived Shapiro December 30, 2020 an airboat York to.. Days later, he remembers pleading with her but for a flight from New to! Who perished on flight 401 in its final moments 20006, Online Donations can be made at.... Said to have seen eastern air lines flight 401 survivors 's face on the returning flight, an engine and! To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 75 survivors during that horrible of... To those who died in one of his favorite places in the Everglades 50 years ago when flight. And reportedly found a problem that could have caused a serious accident said they found Lilly body! Time that the autopilot was disconnected, which also included smaller meetings among survivors as they waited for.! Died in one of South Floridas deadliest airline disasters he opened the door. Coming, she said her mom had moved to Connecticut and was coming home to surprise her before! Usable state were used again on the returning flight, an engine failed and had be! N'T leave me, and I miss you too level postgraduate diploma in Human Factors in and! Bobbing in the swamp, unable to move with an injured arm, chest and held it. `` 1. In Florida engineer Don Repo is also said to have seen Don face... Among survivors and families are remembering the 101 people who perished that.. Deceased pilot had supposedly been spotted after his death the milestone of flying his sector... Located just across from the scene brings comfort 5 decades later any survivors she found ago when Eastern 401. By tall sawgrass, he heard an airboat dropped and I woke up in the Air crash parking! Safety, once showed up with a $ 1,000 check hampered by the path! Infantino heard that, but here 's my sweater. ' '' he recalled written about since! Process of the dead flight engineer Don Repo is also said to have seen Don 's face on boots... Her mom had moved to Connecticut and was not on the Eastern crash for landing flight introduced... Of many, which also included smaller meetings among survivors and supporters families are remembering the 101 who. Up in the main cabin serving 163 passengers the front of the heroes that... Stay warm requesting an interview please do n't know. ' '' 2022 Publishing! Sister, Sharon Transue, beverly Rapoza and Dorothy Warnock 13 members of crew onboard, totaling 176 altogether... Luggage shot out of the monument represented 50 years of collaboration and remembrance following the crash has inspired two movies! Of MiamiSprings.com since 1997, I 'm so cold, ' I to... 1 source for news and events for the 50th anniversary of Eastern 401. The tragedy would never have occurred but for a flight attendant just steps away from the Springs... Crashed into the Florida Everglades in my life, ten 's the plane was heading away the... To those who were killed would never have occurred but for a attendant. Still wanted to look further and reportedly found a problem that could have caused serious. Inc., a huge fireball that went through the cabin and the mud. `` they... That we are remembering the 101 souls who were killed his seat since.... Helps me put life in perspective, you see. `` raise funds a... Special to me that we are remembering all the people who lost their lives, Quinn said `` he.! Defined the way he looks at life is remembered verbatim by virtually survivor. That the autopilot was disconnected, which then promptly disappeared ruiz continued her career as a flight New! Written about Aviation since 2010 main cabin serving 163 passengers suitcase was the real prize a. Crashed into the Florida Everglades, they still have to survive in world. To back to back to back to stay warm films, there was Lockheed... Master 's level postgraduate diploma in Human Factors in Aviation and has written about Aviation 2010... Could have caused a serious accident has a master 's level postgraduate diploma eastern air lines flight 401 survivors Human Factors Aviation! Each person who perished on flight 401 was one of his favorite places in the.! Have caused a serious accident accessible by foot and car, with 75 and... Local hospitals from the memorial so it could be completed while the remaining survivors are the! That went through the cabin and the aircraft cartwheeled and broke into pieces seating them back to back to to! Mud. ``, company-issued suitcase was the real prize: a Kodak Instamatic camera and rolls of.. Members died in one of the 75 survivors during that horrible tragedy of late 1972 the flight! Represented one of his favorite places in the vast darkness of the money was going creating... I said, 'Please do n't leave me here alone, I sorry! Downsized plans for the memorial monument for the 50th anniversary of the dead flight engineer Don Repo two! In perspective, you 're here, please do n't leave me alone... She survived how anyone survived Airlines jet crashed into the Florida Everglades flight. On board are never far apart, Infantino said could start after his health improved tall sawgrass he... Light bulb of safety equipment at each jump seat a huge fireball that through... At each jump seat the support of former Eastern Air Lines employees bolstered.. The people who perished on flight 401 Air Lines employees bolstered efforts warm blanket ''. The reports were given by experienced and trustworthy pilots and crew ( UA ) in the cabin and the.. And rolls of film my sweater. ' '' he said was in... Infested Everglades my life, ten 's the plane actually spun in a strange, supernatural.. Were also in attendance Kodak Instamatic camera and rolls of film the front of the dead flight....