. "I just remember their heavy breathing. The rescuers, Coast Guard members and Miami-Dade fire fighters and police officers, worked throughout the night finding survivors. The pair also described takeaways for the public around aviation safety to go along with memorial efforts for Flight 401. A look at some of the strange tales that emerged after the accident. The other 101 people on Eastern Airlines Flight 401 died quite horribly 98 in the Everglades where the airplane crashed, three later in hospitals. His knee was badly dislocated, his shin able to swivel in any direction. 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. The flight crew had taken pictures as a keepsake for what would have been their last trip of the year together. Amid the confusion, the distracted crew didnt notice the auto pilot button was switched off. The cockpit crew, scrambling to identify the problem, got permission from air traffic control to circle the Everglades. The Story Of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401, took a look at the eight most intriguing examples. The tragedy would never have occurred but for a single, burnt-out light bulb . https://new.miamisprings.com/images/news/pool-capture.jpg. The flight path of Eastern Airlines Flight 401 in its final moments. MIAMI - Survivors and families are remembering the 101 souls who were killed 50 years ago when Eastern Flight 401 crashed into the Everglades. Her message on life: Never take anything for granted. "It was beautiful," said Infantino said of the jet. "We would love to have a home or memorial for ourselves we can't get anybody to help us.". Off-topic, inappropriate or anonymous posts may be removed. Infantino and three of the flight attendants who survived the crash spoke to NBC Miami as the 39th anniversary of the flight approached. Survivors and families are remembering the 101 souls who were killed 50 years ago when Eastern Flight 401 crashed into the Everglades. The answer was fine, but unfortunately the controller didn't specifically mention the altitude so no one was the wiser. The crash, another seminal moment in South Florida aviation history, killed all 110 people on board. 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 engineer Don Repo is also said to have appeared onboard flights in a strange, supernatural manner. From there a series of seemingly small mistakes and oversights led to the epic crash. The idea for a memorial for Eastern Flight 401 first popped up at the 35th anniversary gathering in the Everglades. Why them two?. Josef El Rey Martinez was officially introduced as the newest member of Inter Miami on Wednesday morning, but the Venezuelan forward and former MLS MVP is hardly a newcomer to South Florida. "It felt so good. Theres another photo Ruiz has analyzed over the years. Raposa would spend the next grueling hours fighting for those who survived the crash of Eastern Airlines Flight 401. "I'm no doctor. Then came the final and fatal mistake. Survivors now have a message, It gives me and my fellow surviving passengers, crew members and family members of loved ones who perished a time to all come together and remember them since we never had a chance to say goodbye, Raposa said. On returning to the galley, another flight attendant saw an engineer fixing the oven. The other flight crew members were First Officer John Stockhill, a flight engineer, and Donald Luis Repo, an aircraft mechanic, and flight engineer. They had not realized that the autopilot was disconnected, which ultimately caused the plane to lose altitude and crash. I know how much you miss me, and I miss you too. 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. At that moment Infantino was resting in his seat. I put the sweater around me under the water. But it also crept into popular culture through . And she knows what I went through, so you have that same bonding with one another.". "We did something to the altitude," the first officer remarked, and the captain's reply was "What? She was dazed and disoriented but noticed a penlight flashing nearby. 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. The appearance of the dead flight engineer () was confirmed by the flight engineer." The aircraft was delivered to Eastern Air Lines on 30 January 1969. He was so weak that doctors opted to operate without anesthesia. I reach over and all the sudden my fingers go inside of my bicep," he said. We just hit,' she said. READ MORE: There was another tragedy in Miami after Eastern Flight 401. 401 JFK-MIA Dec. 29, 1972. If were a little late, its overtime.. Donations are still being accepted no matter what amount. Beverly was sitting in the rear of the plane. If you need help with the Public File, call (954) 364-2526. This is somewhere where I can come to visit her apart from her gravesite, Shackleford said. He spends most of his vacations in Miami. The sound, a huge fireball that went through the cabin," she recalled. "You couldn't even say goodbye to each other, that's how fast it happened, said crash survivor Ron Infantino, whose wife Lily died in the crash. 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. Mercedes asked her colleague why they seemed to be heading away from the lights of the city. "Hey, what's happening here?" By the time they did, it was already too late to recover. On duty that day was also Stephanie Stanich, Trudy Smith, Sharon Transue, Beverly Rapoza and Dorothy Warnock. "You will never be forgotten. Throughout the course of aviation history, there have been several other ghost stories. READ MORE: An Eastern plane crashed into the Everglades in 1972. 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. 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. Before ValuJet there was Eastern Flight 401. In other words, more building space. "They'll never be forgotten.". While the crash has inspired two feature-length movies and numerous documentaries and training films, there is no permanent memorial for Eastern Flight 401. 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. But what was inside was the real prize: a Kodak Instamatic camera and rolls of film. Raposa brought the baby to Ruiz, who cradled him to keep warm. "It save me from the 400 pounds of debris that was falling on me," she said. "I got a call from a mother whose son was killed on Valujet 592 and she said how much she appreciates us having a wreath for them," said Infantino, choking up. Patricia has a master's level postgraduate diploma in Human Factors in Aviation and has written about aviation since 2010. Eastern Airlines eventually ceased operations early in 1991. When youve stared death in the face just as I have, she said, you dont take things for granted anymore.. But before we begin this spooky tale, we must first go back to December 29, 1972 on board Eastern . "I was leaning back, my eyes half closed, and all the sudden I hear the engines go to full power," he said. She came across a woman who found an 11-month-old baby as she scouted the wreckage for her son. The pilots engaged the autopilot so they could inspect the light and the landing gear but the darkness apparently made it hard to see. The group will also try to raise funds for a memorial to honor those who died. "She yelled, 'Don't anybody light any matches in the Everglades,' which was smart because of all the jet fuel.". Raposa was one of 75 survivors. Three days after the crash, Lilly Infantinos body was found. Raposa said she has flown for over 20 years for business, saying she sleeps like a baby every time she flies. The four-month-old L-1011 TriStar jet crashed into the Florida . "Same thing in our lives. A keen amateur photographer, he also recently reached the milestone of flying his 100th sector as a passenger. The airline still wanted to interview him for an opening that he could start after his health improved. Washington, DC 20006, Online Donations can be made at www.PlaneSafe.org. He wasnt rescued until four or five hours later, he remembers reading in his hospital records. Promote your organization with Miami's #1 hyperlocal community website. Mercy Ruiz, 29, also noticed something strange that night. Its closure; its been a long time coming, she said. Flight attendants Patricia and Stephanie tragically died in the crash, along with the flight crew. It was the first fatal crash involving not only the Lockheed TriStar, but, indeed, a widebody aircraft of any kind. I carry those folks in my heart every single day, Raposa said of those who died in the tragedy. "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. A well-known fatal accident recounted from surviving cabin crew. 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. Wow, what an experience that was. Now the names are there and they will never be forgotten, Ruiz said. He turned it down. They were surprised to hear the sound of singing in the darkness. The Memorial is along the Curtiss Parkway median directly across from the driving range. A lack of flashlights amid the poor nighttime visibility in the Everglades impeded the ability of survivors to assist each other. She called two of her fellow crew members in to witness what she had seen. I have a beautiful family, and I got my wings back, and I just keep moving forward, said McQuigg. Those are the last moments Ron Infantino, 76, who now lives in The Villages in Central Florida, remembers before blacking out. 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). / CBS Miami. Seconds later, the plane crashed into the ground at 227 mph. She found Beverly and commented 'it's a bad dream, we are going to wake up.' Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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