It had been several years since the two had seen each other, and there was much to catch up on. Along the way, they stopped for lunch and to buy some magazines. Now, 25 years later, she has decided to tell her story as part of a new documentary called Sole Survivor featuring passengers who lived through plane crashes against all odds. Atkins companion, Carlos Valasquez, 19, said he tried to help a crash victim whose clothes were on fire. A tall, skinny redhead, the Saddleback coaches nicknamed him Red., Bushong had been booked on the Continental flight, but asked to be transferred when it developed problems. If it wasnt for him hearing that, who knows? Thiede said. Peter Frank, 25, had moved to Orange County in February from Florida, taking a job as a marketing manager for an electronics wholesale company in Irvine. Priest who ministered to families after Michigans 1987 plane crash, dug for survivors in wake of 9/11 remembered for heroic compassion. All rights reserved. Ten years ago Saturday, that He learned the girl was alive several hours later. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, AirSafetyOnline.com They made a TV movie about it if I remember right. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. He finally bribed me by offering to pick up my lunch the next day.. Although Cecelia has never attended one of the memorial services involving the plane crash, she often reaches out to family members of the crash victims who died. Saturday night before the flight home, Lisa, Raphael, Dawn and her finance had a feast, eating dozens of clams and talking about the future--Dawns wedding in October and Raphaels dream of traveling someday to Italy. We reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us, and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. ROMULUS, Mich. -- Numbed and voices low, relatives of the victims of Northwest Airlines Flight 255 began arriving Monday to claim their dead. A light truck, apparently hit by debris, caught fire nearby, but she said she and her fiance were driven back by the flames when they tried to help. I remember what it was like that night. After breakfast Sunday, she packed and then visited her grandmother. I dont think Ill ever get that out of my mind, Thiede said at that milestone anniversary. passenger flight and was en route to Phoenix, Arizona, with 149 I believe in treating deceased humans with respect. heaven. Grandma, you act like youll never see me again! Joanne said. She planned to board the plane when in stopped in Phoenix, en route to Orange County. Of the 155* people aboard Northwest Airlines Flight 255, 154 lost Viewer discretion is advised. The remaining 149 passengers, including her parents and brother, along with six crewmembers and two people on the ground, all perished in the crash. The aircraft was piloted by two seasoned airline crew members, Captain John R. Maus, 57, and First Officer David J. Dodds, 35. They sailed, played baseball and attended a friends wedding, all the while talking of their new life in California. If you want to Save Memorial Will Mark 30 Years Since, Flowers and pictures are shown at the memorial Thursday, Aug. 16, 2012, in Romulus, Mich. to mark the 25th anniversary of the, Fred McLaughlin of Jupiter, Fla. -- whose son, Matthew, 29, was aboard, Her name was Juliane Koepcke (originally from Kiel, Germany, 17 years old) and she was the sole survivor of the, Howard Moy (Aug. 24th)Father of Laura Moy-Thorell, Father-in-law of Larry Thorell and Grandfather of Krista Thorell, all three, ROMULUS, Mich. -- Numbed and voices low, relatives of the, Priest who ministered to families after Michigans 1987 plane, A large memorial service was held in 2012 in honor of those who lost their lives in the, On Aug. 16, 1987, Geiger, 36, his wife, Valerie, and daughters Lauren and Lisa of Gilbert, were among 154 people on Northwest, . We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions. After an longer than normal roll, This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Two seconds later, we saw the smoke about two miles down., Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. The left wing clipped a light pole, and the damaged airliner sheared the top off a rental car building. Lack of electrical power Tim Harris, 19, of Taylor, carried a bent and scratched piece of metal with holes along the edges, which he said was a piece of plane he had picked up along the edge of the crash site. There was a Fountain Valley nurse, returning early from a family vacation and a Saddleback College football player flying back for the start of practice. 7th deadliest plane crash in US history. He remembered his brother and sister-in-law to be the clowns of the family who were hams in front of the camera. Joanne said no, she might get on another flight any minute. Collect, curate and comment on your files. The Weavers were neighbors and friends of William Bill and Kathryn Kathy Best, who welcomed them to the neighborhood in 1985. For those Downriver 35 years ago, such an event took place at Detroit Metropolitan Airport. Details: The aircraft stalled and crashed during takeoff from RME0WR15 - Feb. 02, 1964 - Opera Singer Kenneth Spencer was killed: Famous American Opera-singer Kenneth Spencer is under the victims of the airplane crash of February 25th, near New Orleans. He was not expected to start, but he had a chance of seeing lots of playing time. On 9:01 a.m. on September 25, 1978, a Boeing 727 and Cessna 172 collided over urban San Diego, creating one of. Ill see you tomorrow, she told him the night before she was scheduled to fly west to the familys new home in north Tustin. Keep it Clean. Twenty-nine passengers on board Flight 255 were under the age of 20. He had been at a family reunion in Toledo but left early. Arlene Nelson was from Detroit and Justin Keener was from Scottsdale, Arizona. The youngest was 4-month-old Katelyn Best, of Mesa, Arizona. Its embedded in me.. Zanger is among about six people organizing Thursdays 25th anniversary memorial in Michigan where more than 200 people are expected to attend. Miraculously, Cecelia Cichan, then 4, survived the crash after her badly burned body was discovered in the wreckage by a paramedic who heard her moan and saw her arm twitch as she was lodged between luggage and a seat. crashDataBase.com Do you want me to come out there? David asked. 0. Sullivan, 27, of Chandler, who worked as an electrical engineer at the Intel plant in Chandler, was among 156 people killed in the plane crash of Northwest Flight 22 on August 16, 1987 in Romulus, Mich. Downriver's most notable tragedy in history occurred on August 16, 1987, at 8:46 p.m., as Northwest Orient Airlines Flight #255, originating in Saginaw with a final destination in Orange County, Calfornia, crashed shortly after takeoff, killing all crewmembers and 148 of 149 boarded passengers. DETROIT Authorities are searching for a man who, posing as a Catholic priest, comforted grieving relatives of the crash victims of Northwest Airlines Flight 255 while apparently soliciting . I thought it was lightning and thunder at first. Other than the photo above with reports that surgeries were successful, she would remain shielded from the public eye for almost 25 years, having moved to Alabama shortly after the crash. Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was traveling from Amsterdam to Malaysia when it went missing near Donetsk in eastern Ukraine on Thursday. Northwest flight 255 was preparing for takeoff on the evening of August 16, 1987. Today she is a happily and recently married 29-year-old. Nepal began a national day of mourning Monday as rescue workers . She showed her the sweat shirt she had bought for her new boyfriend--stenciled with his name, Jim, on one side, and the make of his motorcycle, Honda, on the other--back in Santa Ana. "We take our chairs, our cushions, and the whole gang goes, everbody." Cecelia Crocker, nee Cichan, was the only survivor of Northwest Flight 255, which crashed after takeoff from Detroit Metropolitan Airport on Aug. 16, 1987. Nick Vanos, a center for the NBAs Phoenix Suns, was among those killed. (AP Photo/Dale Atkins). When I look in the mirror, I have visual scars., Contact writer: (480) 898-6533 or msakal@evtrib.com. Fatalities/No. View the Memorial Marker. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. Thirty years ago, as she departed Detroit Metropolitan Airport . The plane was just clearing the runway at 8:46 p.m. when it tilted slightly. And there was a Laguna Niguel businessman, ending a long weekend of partying with his sister in Detroit, heading back to work. She underwent four skin grafts for the burns on her arms and legs. Aircraft: McDonnell Douglas Super MD-80 (MD-82) The men said the plane hit the ground about 50 feet behind their truck. Seconds later, it crashed and exploded into a ball of flames. passengers and 6 crewmembers. Gus Burns | fburns@mlive.com. We have healed over the years, but healing doesnt mean forgetting. In total, 154 people on their way to Phoenix died that day in Detroit on August 16, 1987. Sullivan was an electrical engineer for the Intel plant in Chandler and working on a project with the Ford Motor Co. in Michigan involving the design of computer chips for digital dashboards. I guess this can be our engagement ring, she said. More than 30 of the passengers were under 25. The plane was leaving the Detroit Metropolitan-Wayne County Airport for Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport that evening. movie/ STAFF FILE PHOTO BY . Report Date: May 10, 1988 It was the end of a two-week vacation to visit family in Michigan. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. You have permission to edit this article. Geocities.com/pilots She shunned the media, she said for the film, because: I feel it would be very individual about me. At 7 p.m. Joanne called him at home and said her plane had been forced back to the terminal because of mechanical difficulties and would be delayed a few hours. Registry N312RC, was a regularly scheduled | Oct 24, 2021 at 12:00 am. Her parents and brother were among the 154 on board the plane who died. The two went together to have Lisas bridesmaids dress fitted. Some people were seen carrying debris. It would take about a year before the National Transportation Safety Board would determine the cause to be pilot error, noting that a taxi checklist was not used to ensure the flaps and slats were extended for takeoff. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. He said had things to accomplish.. About 10 people boarded the plane in Phoenix. after taking off from runway 3 center at the Detroit Metropolitan They wanted to spend it in and around their hometown of Corning and the bucolic countryside with their most valued possessions--family and friends. It was the second-deadliest aviation accident . Just before 8 she called and said she was leaving on Northwest Flight 255. Mike definitely had more to do in his life, but it wasnt to be.. racist or sexually-oriented language. Be Nice. Pictured left to right: Mike Captain Crunch Sullivan, Dana McGinley-Schubert and Mike Benjamin in January, 1987. ECORSE As the news of Michigan's worst air disaster in history began reaching the ears of area residents the evening of Aug. 16, 1987, Fr. ROMULUS, Mich. (WJBK) - 31 years ago Thursday, Northwest Flight 255 took off from Detroit Metro Airport in Romulus, bound for Phoenix. See Agent.. by a fireman for safety, when they opened the door they found two dead bodies still buckled into their seats, apparently from one of the airplanes. A single Associated Press photo of the girl was released a few months after the crash, showing her with bandages on her arms and a bow on her head while she was being treated at the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor and she disappeared from public life after that. plane crashed seconds after taking off from Detroits Metro Airport. Cichan discussed the crash for "Sole Survivor," an upcoming documentary featuring stories of plane crash survivors. She started to go on about it, and I said, Hidi, can this wait until youre home tonight? . We have healed over the years, but healing doesnt mean forgetting., ROMULUS, Mich. Family members of those who died in a plane crash near Detroit Metropolitan Airport 25 years ago held a memorial Thursday nig. Nevada funeral for pilot John Maus noted; co-pilot David Dodds' flight experience mentioned. Two weeks visiting her father and other relatives had been enough. Flight 255, bound for Phoenix and then Orange County, was airborne only a few moments before it exploded into a fiery ball of jet fuel, metal and body parts on a Detroit highway at the end of Runway 3C. The plane lost control, banked to the left, and hit a parking structure at the edge of the airport, crashing on a four-lane, heavily traveled street. 2023 FOX Television Stations, Detroit DEA battles spread of deadly fentanyl, animal tranquilizer xylazine, Detroit water protesters want moratorium on shut-offs to continue, Reports: Michigan football co-offensive coordinator on leave during police investigation, Mother of shooting victim livid that judge reduced suspect's bond due to his 'mental issues', Emanuel Steward's legacy lives on in Westland, Man arrested in fatal shooting of Detroit mother; charged with murder, armed robbery, Jaylin Brazier: Cousin who admitted to throwing cousin Zion Foster into dumpster released after 10 months, Detroit police and fire pension board sues WWE, Vince McMahon as shareholders. At that time, he said they keep in touch, but do not talk about the crash. According to a National Transportation Safety Board report, the cause of the crash was the flight crews failure to use the taxi checklist to ensure the flaps and slats were extended for takeoff. Various. But 2,500 miles away, friends and family gathered a few hours later in the fluorescent glow of John Wayne Airport to greet a plane that would never arrive. FILE - In this Aug. 16, 2012 file photo, flowers and pictures are shown at the memorial in Romulus, Mich. to mark the 25th anniversary of the crash of Northwest Airlines Flight 255 near Detroit . I still vividly remember her knocking on our door to welcome us to the neighborhood. In a Oct. 9, 1987 file photo, Cecelia Cichan sits on her hospital bed before her release from the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor, Mich. Cichan was the lone survivor on board the Northwest Airlines flight 255 that crashed Aug. 16, 1987 at Detroit Metropolitan Airport. Cecelia suffered horrific injuries including a fractured skull, broken leg and collarbone and third-degree burns. A memorial for the plane in Romulus was put up to remember and honor the victims. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. The family had moved west earlier in the year, but Joanne stayed in Michigan to finish her senior year of high school and to spend time with her boyfriend. She returned to the Northwest counter the next night, choosing a seat for the same flight with the same number. The postcrash investigation also found that a warning system that would have alerted the crew the plane was not properly configured for takeoff did not operate. The reason for the absence of electrical power could not be determined, according to the NTSB. That was it. (Photo courtesy Tony Zanger). I loved her so much, David remembered, sitting in the basement of the Surowitz home last week with Joannes family and friends. Image 1 of 5. . San Diego Air & Space Museum/public domain. A memorial event is scheduled for Thursday in Romulus, The Detroit News reported. It never rose more than 50 feet off the ground. On Aug. 16, 1987, Sullivan, 27, of Chandler was among 156 people 154 on Northwest Flight 255 and two motorists on the ground who all died in the second-worst airplane disaster in U.S. history. (Photo was handed out when the settlements occurred on June 20, 1984) no attribution on back of print . KK: Tell us about the crash. Wreckage was strewn a half-mile along a road, under a railroad trestle and two highway overpasses, and police arrested six people allegedly for looting the site. He met her for the first time as an adult on her wedding day when he watched her walk down the aisle to become Cecelia Crocker. Share with Us. Contributing to the accident was the absence of electrical power to the airplane takeoff warning system which thus did not warn the flight crew that the airplane was not configured properly for takeoff. They said they had no qualms about taking the same flight home. Before boarding Flight 255, he called his roommate, Mike Daniels, to make sure he would be at John Wayne Airport to pick him up. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Want to solve climate change? Once in the air out of Phoenix, Barton relaxed somewhat and began talking of plans to work for Delaware Democrat Joe Bidens presidential campaign. The aircraft then went into a stall, rotating 40 degrees to its left when it struck a light pole near the end of the runway, severing a portion of its left wing while igniting jet fuel. A devout member of Faith Lutheran Church in Huntington Beach, she believed that whatever happened was out of her hands. Her acrylic nails were painted a peach color--which would help coroners identify her body a few days later. There were a lot of bodies lying around, he said. The sole survivor of the crash who now is 29, has been moving on with her life, shielded from the spotlight while preferring privacy. Suzanne and Craig Weaver of the Marlborough Mesa neighborhood in Mesa also still vividly remember the events following the crash and receiving the news from a Tribune reporter that their neighbors had died. Testas daughter-in-law, Valerie Geiger, 36, and her two granddaughters, Lisa, 7, and Lauren Geiger, 5, also died in the crash. But in the aftermath of Flight 255's fiery end, there was the life of a 4-year-old girl who survived the crash. We were serving a Northwest pilot and his family dinner and when it happened, he ran out screaming.. Joanne, 18, had stayed until Sunday so she could spend the day with her boyfriend of five years, 21-year-old David Wilner. The bodies of victims of the crash of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 arrive at the Torez train station in the back of a truck to be loaded into a refrigerated train car on July 21, 2014 in Torez . Outside of Phoenix City Hall, there is a memorial containing the names of those who died on Northwest Flight 255. Her grandmother reminded her to go see one of her aunts, who was old and ill, because it might be the last chance she had. Man comforts a child during a prayer service for victims of the crash of American Airlines Flight 587 at Jacob Riis Park in the Rockaways, Queens.. Nereda Perez, center, mourns her niece Tomara Betances who was killed in the crash of flight 587 on November 12. They were so much fun, and when we realized they were on that plane, it greatly affected us. 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