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N0KFQ > TODAY 13.01.14 17:14l 63 Lines 2857 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 10297_KB0WSA
Read: GUEST
Subj: Today in History - Jan 13
Path: IZ3LSV<IK2XDE<DB0RES<PI8CDR<GB7YEW<GB7MAX<N0KFQ<KB0WSA
Sent: 140113/1540Z 10297@KB0WSA.MO.USA.NA BPQK1.4.57
Jan 13, 1982:
Plane crashes into Potomac
On this day in 1982, an Air Florida Boeing 727 plunges into the
Potomac River in Washington, D.C., killing 78 people. The crash,
caused by bad weather, took place only two miles from the White
House.
The Air Florida flight took off from Washington National Airport
in Arlington, Virginia, with 74 passengers and 5 crew members on
board. The plane had flown into Washington from Miami in the
early afternoon and was supposed to return to Ft. Lauderdale,
Florida, after a short stop. However, snow in Washington
temporarily closed the airport. When it reopened, the plane was
de-iced with chemical anti-freeze, but the plane still had
difficulty moving away from the gate due to the ice. When it
eventually made it to the airport's only usable runway, it was
forced to wait 45 minutes for clearance to take off.
Not wanting to further delay the flight, the pilot, Larry
Wheaton, did not return for more de-icing, and worse, failed to
turn on the plane's own de-icing system. In fact, the pilot and
co-pilot discussed the situation, and the co-pilot said "It's a
losing battle trying to de-ice these things. It gives you a false
sense of security, that's all it does." During the delay,
however, ice was accumulating on the wings, and by the time the
plane reached the end of the runway, it was able to achieve only
a few hundred feet of altitude.
Thirty seconds later, the plane crashed into the 14th Street
Bridge over the Potomac River, less than a mile away from the
runway. Seven vehicles traveling on the bridge were struck by the
727 and the plane fell into the freezing water. It was later
determined that 73 of the people on board the plane died from the
impact, leaving only six survivors in the river. In addition,
four motorists died in the crash.
Terrible traffic in Washington that day made it difficult for
rescue workers to reach the scene. Witnesses didn't know what to
do to assist the survivors who were stuck in the freezing river.
Finally, a police helicopter arrived and began assisting the
survivors in a very risky operation.
Two people in particular emerged as heroes during the rescue:
Arland Williams and Lenny Skutnik. Known as the "sixth
passenger," Williams survived the crash, and passed lifelines on
to others rather than take one for himself. He ended up being the
only plane passenger to die from drowning. When one of the
survivors to whom Williams had passed a lifeline was unable to
hold on to it, Skutnik, who was watching the unfolding tragedy,
jumped into the water and swam to rescue her. Both Skutnik and
Williams (along with bystander Roger Olian) received the Coast
Guard Gold Lifesaving Medal. The bridge was later renamed the
Arland D. Williams Jr. Memorial Bridge.
73, K.O. n0kfq
N0KFQ @ KB0WSA.MO.USA.NA
E-mail: kohiggs@gmail.com
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