Eastern Airlines Flight 401 was on its way from New York to Miami on December 29th, 1972, with 13 crew and 163 passengers onboard. Work toward erecting a permanent memorial for Flight 401 at the Curtiss Mansion in Miami continues under the leadership of survivors Ron Infantino and Beverly Raposa. Christina (center) was two-months-old at the time of the crash, making her the youngest survivor . Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 was a Lockheed L-1011-1 Tristar jet that crashed into the Florida Everglades at 11:42 pm December 29, 1972, causing 101 fatalities (99 initial crash fatalities, two died shortly afterward). However, it also complicated the survivors' recuperation, as organisms in the swamp caused infection, with the potential for gas gangrene. Carpet layers need strong backs. At night, when he sits on his porch, he can hear the wup-wup bellows of the pig frogs and the heh-heh-heh chatter of the leopard frogs beyond the trees. "I was engaged and my fiance was killed in a drunk-driving accident two months before the wedding," she said. The 52-year-old flight engineer was one of 101 people who'd died Dec. 29, 1972 when Eastern Flight 401, packed with holiday travelers, slammed into the Everglades 19 miles northwest of Miami. That credo seems to be exemplified in every major airplane crash. All of us realized that many people had lost their lives and that there was a bit of mystery surrounding why a relatively new L1011 crashed into the Everglades on a clear, dark night. Anyway, the pilots couldn't tell if the wheels were down. One retired Eastern L-1011 pilot I spoke to said that he had a second officer flying with him on a B-727 for several months in the Spring of '73 who was a self-ordained preacher. Even at 78, Marquis is an old-fashioned country boy. I should add that Dorothy R. Loft and her two children, Kimberly and Robert, Jr sued Fuller for invasion of privacy over the book . Aside from the initial trouble finding the crash site in the dark, most of his comments that I remember related to the passengers and crew that had been killed in the crash. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 is coming in for a landing in Miami. "He was naked. Now for the big decisions - who gets to ride with us? If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. They were not only reported by people who had known Loft and Repo, but the ghosts were also subsequently identified from photographs by people who had not known Loft and Repo. On Dec. 29, 1972, Eastern Flight 401 from New York to Miami took off from JFK Airport at 9:20 pm. It seemed to help. Anne Ponte 1/7/16 My God, what do we do now? LOYLESS FUNERAL HOME, Land O'Lakes/Lutz Chapel. It has a flat bottom and a high seat and a cobweb-draped engine and propeller. I lost my boot., Well, Raposa said, Ill help you find it., Thats okay, Raposa said. About 490 feet (150m) from the wingtip's initial contact with the ground, the massive fuselage had begun to break up, scattering components from the underfloor galley, the cargo compartments, and the cabin interior. We exited the area and returned to Opa locka Airport, but our conversations were subdued. She put in 11 more years with United before retiring. The flying club tie-down area and ramp were immediately adjacent to the Sun Line operation and I often was called upon to fuel aircraft on the Sun Flying Club property. Then, on Saturday, December 29, a fleet of over 100 airboats carried survivors, their families and others to the crash site for a special memorial. That was a godsend because I got to meet and befriend many of the club members, most of whom were successful small business owners enjoying the fruits of their labor by owning and operating private aircraft (something that is almost cost prohibitive in today's aviation, regulatory and business environments). I dont know this for sure, but I seem to remember he was the last survivor rescued.. Anyway, the statute of limitations has long since passed. Solomon Fisher 7/18/11 He was out there gigging frogs when it happened. Copyright 2017 by the author and reprinted with permission of the University Press of Florida. [5]:22[6]:109, The final NTSB report cited the cause of the crash as pilot error, specifically: "the failure of the flight crew to monitor the flight instruments during the final four minutes of flight, and to detect an unexpected descent soon enough to prevent impact with the ground. After the aircraft had descended 250 feet (76m) from the selected altitude of 2,000 feet (610m), a C-chord sounded from the rear speaker. There were 176 people aboard the state-of-the-art Lockheed L-1011, which was nicknamed the. Rosemary Mancuso 10/31/49 I thought I was going to have a nervous breakdown. The next morning, as was my usual Saturday routine, I drove to the Sun Flying club timing it to arrive at approximately 11am. Flashlights are now standard equipment near jumpseats, and all jumpseats are outfitted with shoulder harnesses. Sure enough, I recall that the initial restricted area was posted in a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) and set out a no-fly zone that had a one mile radius from the crash site up to 2,000 feet above mean sea level. Loft, Robert Albin | He saw a man standing, shocked, in knee-deep water. An account of the paranormal happenings even appeared in a 1974 issue of the US Flight Safety Foundation newsletter. It was a heart-to- heart bond. Game warden Gray Leonhard in the 70s; Photography courtesy of Gray Leonhard. In the end, it appears that the source of the stories was an article in an issue of the Flight Safety Foundation. The flight was routine until 23:32 when the plane began its approach into Miami International Airport. ValuJet Flight 592 was a domestic passenger flight between Miami International Airport, Miami, Florida, and William B. Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport, Atlanta, Georgia that crashed into the Everglades on May 11, 1996 as a result of a fire in the cargo compartment caused by improperly stored cargo, killing all 110 people on board. Thus, the switching to CWS in channel A possibly did not occur in channel B, thus depriving the first officer of any indication the mode had changed (channel A provides the captain's instruments with data, while channel B provides the first officer's). Richard J. Schulleri 1/3/43 She wore panty hose and looked like shed been scalped with a razor. Entry . It's broken, just like him. Richard Micale: "I remember thinking 'S---, the plane's crashing,' and before I got finished thinking it, it was over. He was born in Pittsburgh, PA and was a 26 year resident of Christmas, FL. These and other requirements are imposed for the purpose of meeting the collective objectives of the Aviation and Retired Air Force Col. Frank Bormana former astronaut, vice president of Eastern Airlines and now a first respondercame to escort her into a helicopter hovering at ground level a short distance away. [19] Pieces of Flight 401's wreckage can also be found in Ed and Lorraine Warren's Occult Museum in Monroe, Connecticut.[20]. Ron Infantino and his late wife, Lilly, on their wedding day; Photography courtesy Ron Infantino. Frank Borman called it all a bunch of "crap" and considered suing the producers of the 1978 made-for-TV movie about the ghost stories for libel. Check-in; . When I was learning to fly in the mid-1960s at Sun Line Helicopters, one of the fixed base operators (FBO) tied into the Miami-Dade Junior College aviation program at the Opa locka Airport, I worked as a line boy refueling aircraft and doing minor line maintenance. A Coast Guard helicopter flew toward them, sweeping the marsh with a bright searchlight, and then turned away. The jet bounced once, then hit again. In 1992, Hurricane Andrew blew the roof of the house across the street through his front windows. I don't see any reason to worry about what fate has brought. It's like it's a charm," she said. Abover right - Over 100 airboats participated in the evenet. A light in the Sky Tennessee's Music City combines country, bluegrass, rock, pop, Americana, gospel, classical, jazz, and bluesall in perfect harmonyto create one of the best places in the world to remember music's greatest performers, see today's top artists, and maybe discover the next big thing. Miami International Airport Sighting | "I guess I was always on the edge without knowing it." The plane was a new Lockheed L-1011, pride of the Eastern fleet. The cloak of black was made all the more intense by the surreal stillness. The court citing, among other reasons, that the claimants were found to be actors or participants in newsworthy stories or events, that the book a nonfictionalized account based on the authors own investigationfell under the legitimate public interest exception. The problem had consumed all their mental energy. Of five survivors The Herald located this week, three talked freely about Flight 401. Sadly, she did not survive. It is featured in season1, episode3, of the TV show Why Planes Crash, in an episode called "Human Error" (2010). Soon after, ghosts from Flight 401 began to haunt the land and other. There was an enormous flash of flame as two fuel tanks burst open. Now take a sip. So far, the Board of Directors of the Curtiss Mansion has graciously given their approval to place the Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Memorial on it's grounds. What songs will we sing? one passenger asked. | Robert Loft, 55; First Officer Albert Stockstill, 39, and Second Officer Donald Repo, 51, all of Miami-Dade. At 11:42 p.m., the first officer said, We did something to the altitude.. Were still at 2,000, right? the first officer asked. A similar situation appeared in the Thai movie Dark Flight, directed by Kongkiat Khomsiri, produced in 2012. The hull slingshot forward as it dropped a couple of feet down into an open-water slough. Airline employees began spreading stories of apparitions to the point where Eastern management warned employees that they could face dismissal if caught, and any log book entries about such matters would be removed. its related bodies corporate and their respective officers, employees, contractors and agents (Promotion Parties) will not . No more clothes on his body .". The NTSB classified the injuries of one nonrevenue passenger and one other passenger as nonfatal, as their deaths occurred more than seven days after the accident. Ten feet in front of them were what looked like two mannequins to Leonharda partially clothed woman lying faceup in the mud and a naked man lying facedown. The crash occurred while the entire flight crew was preoccupied with . We're having legs tonight. Folks from South Florida's sporting community, mostly hunters, fishers and airboaters, heard, many for the first time, about Bud. Dead bodies hung, lay and floated everywhere I looked. The temperature is in the low 70s, and its beautiful out there tonight.. [8], In all, 75 survived the crash67 of the 163 passengers and eight of the 10 flight attendants. Grand Canyon Disaster + . "Hey, what's happening here?" Even though I didn't own an airplane, the club members considered me one of their own, a privilege that I treasure and respect to this day, despite the fact that I haven't had any involvement with the club since the late 1970s. Suddenly, he stopped. Photography courtesy Ron Infantino, A few minutes later Leonhards radio crackled. In fact we all were troubled because, by the luck of the draw or fate, some passengers survived while others in similar situations who looked as though they should have survived, were killed. He lost interest in his job and just wanted to be alone. The death toll per the final accident report was 99. Hey!" He is completely burned. That was the last transmission before the left wing sliced into the Everglades at 225 mph. It promised to be an exciting week in Miami, especially for people who had bucks for a meal at Joe's Stone Crabs and a night at the Fontainebleau Hotel, where the sexy dancer Ann-Margret was headlining. Wrong. "[5]:2324, In response to this and other accidents during the 1970s, many airlines started crew resource management training for their pilots. In every direction, there was nothing but dead silence and incredible darkness. I don't know if she ever did return to flying; my mother never told me one way or the other. Below is a list of those on board, according . Burning jet fuel engulfed the aircraft as it plowed through the swamp. Get the latest flight sales and travel reviews straight to your inbox. "It has always bothered me that there was nothing done with 401," said Dummett, a retired Miami-Dade firefighter and founder of the American Airboat Search and Rescue Association, now living in Lake Wales. Around 4:30 a.m., Leonhard waded up to a willow heada thick tangle of weepy trees with brittle limbs draping into the water. Ron Infantino woke up in a chill, heart pounding, breath erratic. On Dec. 29, 1972, it carried 178, including crew. With the engine dangerously wide open - the boat slipped over the grass at 35 mph - he maneuvered around all obstacles. She found a section of the cabin with a stewardess still strapped into her seat-belt harness. Officially, 103 passengers and crew died. [9] All the survivors were injured; 60 received serious injuries and 17 suffered minor injuries that did not require hospitalization. He seemed deeply saddened by that fact. He had a broken arm and some cuts and scrapes, but no other visible wounds, Leonhard said. "You have to keep your eye on the frogs real good when that airboat is moving - I mean not take your eyes away - and be quick with the gig," he says, in what amounts to the Gettysburg Address for him. Flight 401 Survivors, Years After the Crash and Memorial Efforts. I wouldnt be a bit surprised if the speed hed been traveling was well over a hundred miles an hour., Leonhard added, The guy weighed around 160, but it still took eight of us carrying a stretcher filled with his dead weight to carry him out. The crew of Flight 401 taken aboard the jet earlier on the day of the crash: the flight attendants had gathered at the tail of the plane. He found one, selling $500 vacuum cleaners in Tampa. He was left wearing nothing but a necktie and belt pushed up under his armpits. Each year on December 29th, I spend a little time thinking about that silhouetted L1011 heading west over Opa locka Airport. Silence. Of course, hearing them from the porch isn't the same as being in the middle of them armed with a gig, taking a long breath of Everglades air, feeling utterly alive. Flight 401 - Autopilot indicator | "Remember what the doctor said," Nancy chimes in. An Eastern flight attendant posted this scan (below) from his L-1011 FA manual. Give or take a word, the announcement is remembered verbatim by virtually every survivor. Sara Escobar 8/ 7/31 Loise Shackelford attended. His wife Nancy - they married when she was 15 - could always tell when it was on his mind, though. Then he tells the story the best he can. Luis Bancroft 10/10/48 By about 3:15 a.m., Raposas flock of survivors had all been rescued. 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). A mass of interesting testimony was produced as a result. For his efforts, he received the Humanitarian Award from the National Air Disaster Alliance/Foundation and the "Alumitech Airboat Hero Award", from the American Airboat Search and Rescue Association. The Ghost of Flight 401 was based on the tragic Eastern Air Lines airplane crash in December 1972, and the alleged supernatural events which followed; it was eventually turned into a popular 1978 made-for-television movie. [6], The flight was commanded by Captain Robert Albin (Bob) Loft, age 55, a veteran pilot ranked 50th in seniority at Eastern Air Lines. '", Age 79, died Saturday, October 2, 2004 in Land O'Lakes, FL. But we knew our job was to rescue the survivors first. A friend once warned him: "One day you'll work a plane crash out there." He butchered their bodies to pieces after his wife threatened him with divorce. The warden noted nothing of interest. Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 AIRBOYD 487K subscribers 284K views 13 years ago #AIRBOYD #AvGeek Video Courtesy: FAA via Lessons Learned From Transport Airplane Accidents. Flight 401 - Possible Explanation | What happened next must have happened very quickly. Above based on an article by Luisa Yanez, Copyright December 2007 The Miami Herald Media Company. In the hospital, a nine-inch steel rod was inserted into the bone. Captain Loft had been with the airline for 32 years and had accumulated a total of 29,700 flight hours throughout his flying career. My direct and indirect contact with Eastern Flight 401 didn't end on December 30, 1972. No gunshots. Rons eyes blinked open upon hearing the engines roar to full power. Unfortunately it did so as a scattered wreck over the marshes of Florida's Everglades. Braulio Corretjer 1/5/28 THE CRASH OF FLIGHT 401 20 YEARS LATER SURVIVORS LIVE WITH PAIN, MEMORY, Author: ARNOLD MARKOWITZ Herald Staff Writer Copyright (c) 1992 The Miami Herald. Two survivors died later as a result of . They rushed to rescue survivors. Water saturated by jet fuel filled his boots, burning his legs. Robert A. Loft, then 55 years old, with 30 years experience and 29,700 flight hours under his belt, attempted to lower the landing gear. [4] Despite their own injuries, the surviving flight attendants were credited with helping other survivors and several quick-thinking actions such as warning survivors of the danger of striking matches due to jet fuel in the swamp water[9] and singing Christmas carols to keep up hope and draw the rescue teams' attention, as flashlights were not part of the standard equipment on commercial airliners at the time. Investigators believe the autopilot switched modes when the captain accidentally leaned against the yoke while turning to speak to the flight engineer, who was sitting behind and to the right of him. Today, she still has the small, Eastern Airlines-issued cream-colored suitcase she carried the night of the crash. PHOTO CREDIT: Patrick Farrell - Miami Herald Staff. 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