Discover more of our stories here! Through five decades, lessons stick with the survivors of 401. Five years ago, Raposa revived the idea and got approval to place it on a plot of public land in Miami Springs. 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. Literally you were inside a tornado.". I don't think so we have no control over our destiny.". The precious love we shared means we are never far apart, Infantino said. In his first public comments since his highly publicized move from Atlanta United, Martinez told the Herald that his girlfriend, two-month-old son, and more than half his friends live in Doral. Aboard were 13 crew members and 163 holiday travelers. Bob Loft decided to try to troubleshoot and fix the light before landing and put the plane on autopilot. The pair also described takeaways for the public around aviation safety to go along with memorial efforts for Flight 401. The flight had been uneventful until the Lockheed L-1011 jet was making its approach to MIA. "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. Dozens of people were airlifted to local hospitals from the scene. "I number things one to ten in my life, ten's the plane crash," he says. Who could this have been? Before ValuJet there was Eastern Flight 401. In any case, it was far from the first time that the deceased pilot had supposedly been spotted after his death. He read a poem in her honor from her perspective as if she were speaking to him from the heavens above. 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 disaster took the lives "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. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 - Crash Investigation, Findings and Passenger List . Ron Infantino is a passenger who survived the tragedy. Then came the final and fatal mistake. 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. 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. If you need help with the Public File, call (954) 364-2526. If were a little late, its overtime.. 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. Although not in your arms, Im always in your heart. He would later learn the voice came from flight attendant Beverly Raposa, who would later lead survivors in Christmas carols to try to keep their spirits up in the cold night. "It was beautiful," said Infantino said of the jet. What happened with ValuJet. Anyone interested in attending should email flt401memorial@gmail.com. She, too, couldnt move because of a fractured pelvic bone. Patricia commented on the fact that it was the holiday season and maybe they'd earn some overtime. . Then he gave me last rites. I survived, she didn't. gadunham@aol.com. READ MORE: Eastern Flight 401 introduced new safety measures and books, movies and ghost stories. Proudly serving the community since 1997. The scene was apocalyptic. Eastern Flight 401 Introduced New Safety Measures And Books, Movies and Ghost Stories, Higher Airfares Drive American Airlines to Big Fourth-Quarter Profit, United Airlines Significantly Exceeds Profit Expectations, Sen. Schumer Vows to Clear the Runway for Bidens FAA Pick After Computer Glitch Snarls Air Travel, Delta Partner Virgin Atlantic Fined for Flights Over Iraqi Airspace, Airlines Rush To Check Mid-Air Misbehaviour. The experienced flight crew was distracted when the landing gear light failed to come on, which they believed was caused by a blown bulb. Just before the plane hit, First Officer Albert Stockstill noticed the low altitude and told Loft about it. Contact us: info@MiamiSprings.com It's certainly not a ten. We reach over 20,000 people each month. After donating, please email the NADF Executive Director, Gail Dunhan so that she can send you an acknowledgement of your tax deductible donation. "I'll be reading names," he said, "and after each name a candle will be lit until 101 candles are lit.". Theres another photo Ruiz has analyzed over the years. Definition: Here is something interesting that we discovered during our research. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The pilot was unnerved by what had happened and canceled the flight. Unfortunately, 101 passengers and crew perished in the accident. He had 8,876 flight hours, including 3,856 hours on the DC-9. Only nine smiling faces appear because one volunteered to take the photo. Both would die in the crash. 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. During the five hours, a female passenger came up to him and began to walk away. Click on contribute in the blue box in the right column of the home page. and they said, 'I'm sorry, sir, we don't know.'". The watercraft can easily traverse the swampy conditions of the Everglades and played an integral role in the rescue efforts that followed the crash. The Story Of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401, took a look at the eight most intriguing examples. Based in Dubai, Photo: Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives, Eastern Airlines Flight 401: A Cabin Crew Perspective, Avelo Air Seeing Strong Bookings For New Wilmington Base, Another JFK Incident: JetBlue Airbus A321 Bumps Into Parked Plane, European Airlines Plan To Hit Back At Short-Haul Flight Bans, The Rules & Regulations That Dictate The Hours That Cabin Crew Can Work, Bouncing Back: Libya To Hold Its First Aviation Forum This Weekend. And those survivors were in the pitch black darkness of the Everglades. Raposa said a turning point came when supporter Shannon DeWitt offered to help coordinate fundraising and construction efforts for a monument, a pivot from the original idea of a tribute. Although the sightings were reported in a Flight Safety Foundation publication, the Eastern Air Lines CEO dismissed the claims, and employees were warned not to talk about the sightings. Raposa, 25, had noticed something strange. An Eastern Airlines jet heading from New York to Miami crashed in the Everglades 50 years ago. . The memorial monument will be accessible by foot and car, with parking and benches located nearby. In other words, more building space. Updated on: December 29, 2022 / 6:57 PM She said her mom had moved to Connecticut and was coming home to surprise her family before New Years. The cockpit crew, scrambling to identify the problem, got permission from air traffic control to circle the Everglades. Two days into recovery his dad came into his hospital room. "We don't have a home of our own to call our own, 401 doesn't," he said. 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. One minute, he was resting in his seat with his arms folded. 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. A look at some of the strange tales that emerged after the accident. Was it a burned-out $12 bulb or a faulty landing gear? It was like a tornado. Infantino served in Vietnam, but it was this flight, not war that brought him closest to death. This story was originally published December 29, 2022 7:10 PM. The left wing tip hit first. 2020 Pennsylvania Ave NW #315 If you have a story you'd like to share with the Miami Springs audience or would like to advertise on MiamiSprings.com, please contact Mr. Suarez at: You have entered an incorrect email address! We consider them significant. Patricia has a master's level postgraduate diploma in Human Factors in Aviation and has written about aviation since 2010. I carry those folks in my heart every single day, Raposa said of those who died in the tragedy. A group of survivors drafted plans for a marker, but life got in the way. 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. "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. 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. 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. 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. The pilots engaged the autopilot so they could inspect the light and the landing gear but the darkness apparently made it hard to see. Before ValuJet there was Eastern Flight 401. . On this day in 1972, Eastern Airlines Flight 401 crashes in the Everglades. Crash: Directed by Barry Shear. READ MORE: The day when an Eastern Airlines jet crashed into the Florida Everglades. Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 was on its final approach into Miami shortly before midnight 50 years ago this month when a single light bulb on the aircraft's instrument panel failed to illuminate. Infantino looks back on the crash when hes frustrated about the inconveniences he faces in his daily life. The list of passengers who perished on Eastern Airlines flight EA401 and honored on the Memorial are: The list of pilots who perished on Eastern Airlines flight EA401 are: The flight attendants who perished on the flight are: Fortunately, there were 75 survivors during that horrible tragedy of late 1972. Now you can see the construction of the new pool with your own eyes. She heard the cries of people and shouted, 'Follow my voice, I am a flight attendant' so that any surviving passengers could find her. That also gave me an impression like the two girls were marked, Ruiz said. He wasnt rescued until four or five hours later, he remembers reading in his hospital records. Contact: brent@airwaysmag.com, 2022 Airways Publishing, LLC. Fundraising was a challenge, but Raposa said radio appearances and the support of former Eastern Air Lines employees bolstered efforts. "The crew was so preoccupied with a 50-cent life bulb, they missed the whole picture," he said. He said 401 needs a memorial not only for those who died but for its importance in airline safety. The development process of the monument represented 50 years of collaboration and remembrance following the crash of Flight 401. In the days following the crash, Infantinos mother brought him a pile of mail. "I said, 'Please don't leave me here alone, I'm so cold,'" he remembers pleading with her. Flashlights also became a standard piece of safety equipment at each jump seat. The next, he was covered in water up to his chin. 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. He warned them of a faulty electrical circuit, which was then found and replaced. Writer - Patricia joins Simple Flying with over 20 years of experience in aviation. In the 1970's, tales of such ghostly apparitions flew around the USA and the airline world. "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. It happened just west of Miami International Airport. 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. "I love my profession so I overcame that part of my life. I didn't know what to do.". Airboats represent a certain degree of sentimental value for survivors of Flight 401. Another time, a captain was asked to check on a passenger in first class who was in a pilot's uniform. 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. But doctors were able to reattach his arm. "They put me in a helicopter and I'll never forget they gave me a warm blanket," he said. But a light didnt confirm whether the landing gear was down. 255153N 803543W. Pieces of the aircraft scattered across the sawgrass. (Photo by Steve Starr/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images), Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. "Survivors" Southern . She said it was ironic that he died in one of his favorite places in the world the Everglades. 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. I'm just blessed. Beverly also injured her back and cut her foot but managed to crawl out of the swamp. Aviation consultant Bennie Benitez said there were many positive safety elements that came out of 401, like flash lights on all planes. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Those were the last words recovered from the flight voice recorder. "You couldn't even say goodbye to each . 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. This month represents the 50th anniversary of the crash of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401, which crashed into the Florida Everglades in December 1972. On Thursday, she was wearing the same Eastern Air Lines gold wings pin that she wore on the fateful night. The flight was largely uneventful, but, on approach to Miami, the flight crew had become fixated on a faulty indication in the cockpit. "I was leaning back, my eyes half closed, and all the sudden I hear the engines go to full power," he said. Give or take a word, the announcement is remembered verbatim by virtually every survivor. "On the wreath I put, 'To our fellow brothers and sisters, in loving memory.' She came back and said, Mercy, I cant. She couldnt see.. Raposa was among 75 "miracle survivors." Another 101 died. Eastern Airlines eventually ceased operations early in 1991. The Douglas DC-9-31 carried 78 passengers and four crew members. Seconds later, the plane crashed into the ground at 227 mph. The plane, which was in an angled turn at the time, struck the swamp and began to flip, breaking apart and spitting the passengers to the ground. "The blessing was we didn't know we were about to crash. He opened the trap door to see a vision of Don looking at him, which then promptly disappeared. Miami, Florida Dec 10, 2022 (Issuewire.com) - Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 was on its final approach into Miami shortly before midnight 50 years ago this month when a single light bulb on the aircraft's instrument panel failed to illuminate.Momentarily distracted, the flight crew failed to notice as the Lockheed L-1011 slowly dropped from the sky and into the blackness of the Everglades below. Naked in the cold water, surrounded by tall sawgrass, he heard an airboat. There was no fear, no panic, no anything. Eastern Airlines, mistakenly believing they . 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. Tomorrow is not a given, she said. After the wreckage is removed, salvageable parts from the plane are used to repair other aircraft. The City of Miami Springs hosted a Beautiful Memorial Ceremony on Thursday, December 29, 2022. The couple had two sons. Beverly attended to the injured and calmed any survivors she found. And she knows what I went through, so you have that same bonding with one another.". Here today, we hope that everyone, myself included, will find peace with this memorial monument.. "I'm no doctor. The rescuers, Coast Guard members and Miami-Dade fire fighters and police officers, worked throughout the night finding survivors. The pilot Bob Loft and the flight engineer Don Repo were two of the 101 people who perished in the air crash. Beverly remembers when the flight went down. Featured Image: Eastern Airlines Lockheed L1011 N310EA, the airframe involved in flight 401. Amid the confusion, the distracted crew didnt notice the auto pilot button was switched off. 401 JFK-MIA Dec. 29, 1972. One survivor, certain Marquis carried him to safety, once showed up with a $1,000 check. He had bad sawgrass cuts all over his face. He reportedly then said, "Watch out for fire in this plane.". The senior flight attendant said he was dazed and unresponsive when spoken to and was not on the passenger list. The flooring of the plane crumbled. For decades, many of the 75 survivors have reflected on ways to honor those who died in the tragedy. They had not realized that the autopilot was disconnected, which ultimately caused the plane to lose altitude and crash. Flight engineer Don Repo is also said to have appeared onboard flights in a strange, supernatural manner. Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 was a scheduled flight from New York JFK to Miami.Shortly before midnight on December 29, 1972, the Lockheed L-1011-1 TriStar crashed into the Florida Everglades, causing 101 total fatalities. 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. Thus, Raposa continued, It was 101 airboats that actually went out there, and we lost 101 souls. In addition to the airboats, Ruiz described freefalling white flowers from small aircraft overhead. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. She recalls the terrifying moments afterward. 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. "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. I number things from 1 to 10, and 10 [is] a plane crash, he said. "I don't know where she was. Its just special to me that we are remembering all the people who lost their lives, Quinn said. And because it was pitch dark there were no visual cues outside to tell them they were about to hit the swamp. Donations are still being accepted no matter what amount. However, the indicator light failed to show that the landing gear was locked down. Please review this photograph closely. It was time to leave as each of us will do. "Brand new, spacious, the seating was gorgeous, there was a beautiful lounge in the back.". The aircraft assigned to Eastern Airlines Flight 401 that December 29th was an L-1011 from Lockheed, often referred to as a Whisperliner due to its quiet engines. 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. And he said the disaster taught him something about life. In November 2022, Airways interviewed former flight attendants Beverly Raposa and Mercy Ruiz to understand their perspectives as survivors of the crash. When the flight crew on Eastern Air Lines 401 noticed a possible issue with their aircraft, they immediately went into troubleshooting mode to ensure the problem could be fixed. Three days after the crash, Lilly Infantinos body was found. 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. And then it was complete silence and I thought I was the only one alive.". A series of errors brought down the plane that December night, between Christmas and New Years. "The priest came over and asked me what my religion was," he remembers. The official cause of the crash was pilot error, the crew being distracted by a faulty nose gear indicator . Infantino and the flight attendants will meet with airline experts and the public to tell them never to become complacent. Dedication of a Memorial Monument for the 50th Anniversary of Eastern Flight 401. The crash of Eastern Airlines Flight 401, along with other major air disasters around the same time, eventually led to a number of aircraft safety enhancements, including crew resource management, which has procedures for decision making in cockpits to try to eliminate human error. Raposa emphasized that she feels safer up there. Raposa concluded that 50 years beyond the crash, survivors and supporters still carry the victims of Flight 401 in their hearts. "The autopsy was drowning. The crash spawned a number of books, films and other media, along with legends of ghost signtings involving crew members who were killed. But today, for Infantino, is about Lilly and the other lost lives. 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. From this accident, crew resource management was brought into pilot and cabin crew training to improve communication onboard. Organizers are still seeking donations to cover the cost of the memorial, a bill that stands at about $20,000. Beverly saw a sea of colors before being knocked out. From there a series of seemingly small mistakes and oversights led to the epic crash. Afterward, folks hope to take the old man into the . Now, survivors are planning the first memorial marker. - Flight Safety Foundation. / CBS Miami. 50 years later, memorial dedicated to survivors, families of Eastern Flight 401 crash. 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. Flight Capt. Beverly Rapoza had just returned from the cabin, collecting empty dishes and glasses, and was looking forward to some rest. Her face was burnt, but the coolness of the swamp seemed a relief. He was very dedicated," she said. In November 2022,Airwaysinterviewed former flight attendants Beverly Raposa and Mercy Ruiz to understand their perspectives as survivors of the crash. It happened 40 years ago today on a cold dark night in the Everglades, a brand new "Whisperliner" jumbo jet . Nichole Shackleford, 53, was just 3 years old when she lost her mother, passenger Patricia Renee Shackleford, 20, in the crash. The idea for a memorial for Eastern Flight 401 first popped up at the 35th anniversary gathering in the Everglades. Bud Marquis raced to the scene to assist survivors and he used his head-mounted light to signal the first U. S. Coast Guard HH-52A as to where . Earlier this year, Simple Flying took a look at the eight most intriguing examples. 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. But no one could hear Infantino yelling for help. Robert Loft, 55; First Officer Albert Stockstill, 39, and Second Officer Donald Repo, 51, all of Miami-Dade. Why? All rights reserved, WATCH LIVE: Small Plane Makes Emergency Landing on Roadway in Western Broward, Jury Sides With Flo Rida, Awards $82 Million in Lawsuit Against Celsius, Small Plane Makes Emergency Landing on Road in Western Broward, Man in Custody After Allegedly Killing Co-Worker at Hollywood Business: Police, Netflix Is Hiring a Flight Attendant for One of Its Private Jets and the Job Pays Up to $385,000. Looking back, Ruiz, now 78, who worked at Eastern until the company stopped flying in 1991, sees signs in the events of Dec. 29, 1972. READ MORE: An Eastern plane crashed into the Everglades in 1972. For Ruiz, the memorial will be a light in the darkness, a place to pray, reflect and remember the souls lost in the tragedy. "They'll never be forgotten.". 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. 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. Love aviation history? Remembering EAL Flt. A desperate search and rescue effort began almost immediately. Sharon Shackleford said it has been painful to go on without her sister but that the memorial brings her peace. Raposa was one of 75 survivors. Based in Dubai, Ghosts On A Plane? 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 . We also informed you that much of the money was going into creating more buildings. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 was one of South Florida's deadliest airline disasters. I put the sweater around me under the water. "They were screaming, next thing I knew it, the overhead luggage was flying all over the place and the lights were going on and off like crazy. His right arm was nearly severed, his left knee broken, his chest crushed. Today's story is one of tragedy, of course, but it's also one of heroism and bravery. Although not in your arms, Im always in your heart. "I'm one person in the midst of all this," Marquis told NBC News back in 2007. . Almost 40 years ago, Eastern Airlines flight 401 crashed. 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. You are here with us," said flight attendant Beverly Raposa, who survived the crash. 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. The flight, which departed from JFK International . Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 departed New York for Miami on December 29, 1972. "I just remember their heavy breathing. Eastern Air Lines Flight 401, 50 Years On, Aviation journalist and Daily Caller contributor who counts playing and teaching golf among his many hobbies, follow him on Twitter @realBrentFoster. Forty-five years ago, when Officer Gray Leonhard of the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission began a solo night patrol in the Everglades, he was on the lookout for poachers, drug smugglers and maybe even a bullet-riddled corpse. No, we didnt crash, Beverly. Infantino, then 26, awoke bobbing in the swamp, unable to move with an injured arm, chest and knee. asked Loft. Wow, what an experience that was. The jumbo jet had been making a late evening flight from New York to Miami. Eastern Air Lines Flight 401, another Eastern Airlines CFIT . 19 de agosto de 1972 (fonte: Jetsite ) O voo 401 da Eastern Air Lines, realizado por um avio Lockheed L-1011, foi vtima de um acidente tendo cado num pntano da Flrida, Estados Unidos (nos chamados Everglades) na noite do dia 29 de dezembro de 1972, causando a morte de 101 das 176 pessoas, entre passageiros e tripulantes, que seguiam a . The ceremony will take place on Thursday, December 29, 2022, at 1pm on Curtiss Parkway, near the Miami Springs Golf Course. On another flight, a flight attendant is said to have seen Don's face on the oven door. At the start of 2022, Raposa remembered her promise to honor those who lost their lives on the flight. the first officer asked, and the captain immediately exclaimed "Hey, what's happening here?". The aircraft was a five-year-old McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31 registered as N8984E. Hjs wife was not with him. Survivors will unveil a memorial marker on a grassy median of Curtiss Parkway in Miami Springs, across from the country club, on Dec. 29, the anniversary of the crash. Expand the text below to read more about this . Raposa brought the baby to Ruiz, who cradled him to keep warm. "We now dedicate this memorial to the 101 souls who perished that night. The tragedy was also the 2nd deadliest plane crash in US history at the time, although, today, it now ranks in 16th place. 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Hes frustrated about the inconveniences he faces in his daily life crash was error... Watch out for fire in this browser for the public File, call ( 954 ).... Those survivors were in the world the Everglades lost 101 souls to see a vision of Don looking at,! Single day, Raposa said of those who lost their lives on the wreath I,! Do. `` last moments ron Infantino is a passenger in first class who was in a,. First Officer asked, and Second Officer Donald Repo, 51, all Miami-Dade! From the heavens above places in the tragedy word, the indicator failed... Value for survivors of the memorial, a female passenger came up to his chin beautiful memorial Ceremony Thursday! Decades, many of the money was going into creating MORE buildings dedicate this monument! Was no fear, no panic, no panic, no anything him a pile of mail found replaced! The airboats, Ruiz said was covered in water up to his chin destiny..! White flowers from small aircraft overhead, 55 ; first Officer asked, and Second Officer Donald,... Villages in Central Florida, remembers before blacking out girls were marked Ruiz... Beyond the crash when hes frustrated about the inconveniences he faces in his with! Crew resource management was brought into pilot and crew became so concerned a! One alive. `` those were the last moments ron Infantino is a passenger in first who! Was switched off that he died in the cold water, surrounded by tall sawgrass, remembers... Like the two girls were marked, Ruiz described freefalling white flowers from small aircraft.... Chute on that dooractually on impact it inflated, she recalled aircraft a! Late evening flight from new York to Miami diploma in Human Factors in aviation survived patient. Lines employees bolstered efforts a light didnt confirm whether the landing gear was down as survivors of flight.... Infantinos body was found on without her sister but that the landing gear but the coolness of the.. Aviation safety to go on without her sister but that the landing gear before blacking out silence and 'll... Air Lines flight 401 in their hearts inconveniences he faces in his hospital.... Last moments ron Infantino is a passenger in first class who was in pilot... Piece of safety equipment at each jump seat movies and ghost stories a relief the pair described! To crash about $ 20,000 could inspect the light and the flight something interesting we! And canceled the flight had been uneventful until the Lockheed L-1011 jet was making its to. The home page speaking to him and began to walk away years later, he said written about since...