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This past spring, two of the five survivors died of natural causes. She now works at Christ Fellowship in Miami, where she ministers to children and oversees stage productions and skits. Tirado and the child died in the crash. "I really feel that my life has been blessed.". Rescuers who reached the site were unable to assist survivors in the water because they did not have adequate equipment to reach them. The pilot apparently decided not to return to the gate for reapplication of deicing, fearing that the flight's departure would be even further delayed. FAA. The inclement weather had caused an early start to Washington's rush-hour traffic, frustrating the response time of emergency crews. Elementary School was dedicated in his hometown of Mattoon in Coles County, Illinois. The ice was broken up and there was no way to walk out there. [12], The PBS series Nova featured the crash in season 2, episode 2, of the TV show Why Planes Crash, in an episode called "Brush With Death".[32]. For the survivors, life was forever changed. All but the tail section quickly became submerged. His work earned him 1983 Pulitzer Prize finalist honors for spot news photography. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. Ah, maybe it is. Cockpit tapes recovered later produced these chilling words from copilot Roger Alan Pettit as the aircraft stalled: "We're going down, Larry." Although actual impact speeds were low and well within survivability limits, the structural breakup of the fuselage and exposure to freezing water nonetheless proved fatal for all persons aboard the plane except those seated in the tail section. On this day, 40 years ago, Air Florida Flight 90 was preparing to depart Washington D.C. en route to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Hamilton, who started an Amway business four years ago, recalls the first jet he boarded after the accident. It was depressing," she said Tuesday following her release from jail. [27], Disagreement arose over whether the Air Florida crash was a significant factor in the company's failure. As the response of emergency crews to the scene was frustrated by the traffic on surface streets, a half hour after the plane crashed, the Washington Metro suffered its first fatal subway crash. I never knew that it actually had a name until nowor that it was named after an incredible man who gave his life so selflessly only a few feet from where thousands of commuters cross into DC every day. The Capstan was considerably farther downriver on another search-and-rescue mission. Today Duncan, 43, is a preschool teacher at a Christian school. By 1984, Duncan had left the airline to study early-childhood education. Trouble prior to lift off did not end once the plane was airborne. [30] Timoner retired the following year and was replaced by Donald Lloyd-Jones. Required fields are marked *. Give us this day our daily bread. That don't seem right, does it? Critical Rescue has also dedicated an entire episode to the heroes of the disaster. a Capitol Hill errand-runner, pulled off his cowboy boots, dove in, swam to survivor Priscilla Tirado and tugged her back to the shore. He left within two weeks. At first she was mad at the people on the bank, who were staring helplessly at the six clinging to the tail section. Skutnik, who still lives in Lorton and has the same job -- Congressional Budget Office messenger -- said he has not changed as a result of the burst of attention and honors a decade ago. . According to a New York Times Magazine article, After hours of delays, when the plane was finally ready to push off, she took her seat, as required, at the back of the plane . "I have relived that 34 minutes in the water many times," said Stiley, 52, a telecommunications consultant who now lives in Spokane, Wash. "There is a distinct emotional effect that is permanent, and that I'm not professionally prepared to describe. 'He couldn't comprehend that fact that here he was a foreigner who's only been here a month and already he was at the vice president's house,' Keefer said. The plane was supposed to depart at 2:15 pm, but takeoff was delayed due to heavy snowfall in the area. On its third trip back to the wreckage, the helicopter lowered two lifelines, fearing that the remaining survivors had only a few minutes before succumbing to hypothermia. The display includes the U.S. Park Police helicopter involved in the rescue of Flight 90's survivors. All anyone could do was tell the survivors was to hold on not to give up hope. This action, which went specifically against flight-manual recommendations for an icing situation, actually contributed to icing on the 737. Duncan inflated the only flotation device they could find, and passed it to the severely injured Felch. Priscilla Tirado was too weak to grab the line when the helicopter dropped the line to her again. The water in the Potomac that day was only six degrees warmer. The airline ultimately filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection two and a half years after the crash. Flight 90: Disaster on the Potomac: Directed by Robert Michael Lewis. Lennie Skutnik jumped into the freezing water to pull her to shore as. [4], Wheaton was described by fellow pilots as a quiet person, with good operational skills and knowledge, who had operated well in high-workload flying situations. Another survivor, Priscilla Tirado, moved to Florida and has been reluctant to talk about the crash. A watching bystander, Congressional Budget Office assistant Lenny Skutnik, stripped off his coat and boots, and in short sleeves, dove into the icy water and swam out to successfully pull her to shore. In an ABC News article following the crash, he said he knew something was not right while the plane hurtled down the runway: You could see out one side, but not really the other side. . They set throttle power too low because they had failed to turn on an engine-warming device. Most say they likely will never fully recover, though some have coped better than others. She is married with three children. The lessons from the Air Florida disaster would put a spotlight on everything from de-icing to issues with start-up air carriers for years to come. I dont know how people could go through something like this without faith, she said. "She lost the most," Moore said. It was being deiced with a film crew outside filming us. 16:00:09 CAM-1 Yes it is, there's eighty. Custom Content. The Metrorail accident near Federal Triangle shortly after the crash killed three people and was attributed to safety procedure violations by the train's operator, a supervisor and control room workers. ", Tirado "is doing very well" under the circumstances, her father said. Though all of this, I cant help but wonder what the 79 passengers aboard were thinking. But those who were rescued say no amount of money can compensate them for the experience. For the five survivors of Air Florida's crash into the 14th Street bridge and plunge into the icy Potomac River 10 years ago, the healing of shattered bodies is nearly done. At 4:01pm EST, it crashed into the 14th Street Bridge across the Potomac River, 0.75nmi (1,390m) from the end of the runway. On the fifth anniversary of the crash, Tirado was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and possession of drugs. On January 13, 1982, the Boeing 737-222 registered as N62AF crashed into the 14th Street Bridge over the Potomac River.[3]. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Aircrash Confidential also covered the accident in one of their episodes. So I told it quite simply what I thought, what I felt, what I was trying to do. In fact, the plane had visible snow on the wings and the fuselage at the time of takeoff. Olian couldn't quite reach the floundering survivors, but when Tirado fell limply from a U.S. Park Police helicopter lifeline and went underwater, Skutnik, of Lorton, swam to her rescue. The aircraft involved, a Boeing 737-222, registered as N62AF, was manufactured in 1969 and previously flown by United Airlines under the registration N9050U. * The plane hit six cars and a truck on the bridge, and tore away 97ft (30m) of the bridge's rail and 41ft (12m) of the bridge's wall. On May 8, 1980, though, he was suspended after failing a Boeing 737 company line check and was found to be unsatisfactory in these areas: adherence to regulations, checklist usage, flight procedures such as departures and cruise control, and approaches and landings. Tirado, Priscilla, 23, of Spain CONFIRMED DEAD Nine bodies thought to be from Flight 90 have been recovered from the Potomac River. . When the plane became airborne, Stiley told his co-worker (and survivor) Nikki Felch to assume the crash position, with some nearby passengers following their example.[8]. Collect, curate and comment on your files. Moments after takeoff, the plane with 74 passengers and five crew members failed to maintain altitude and slammed intothe bridge, striking seven occupied vehicles and plummeting into the Potomac. "I remember thinking to myself at the time: I wonder what I'll be doing 10 years from now," she said. The pilots steer those planes through the air with an expert hand; they take off and land with an ambient dexterity, no matter how bumpy the landing. And Tirado, whom her father described as "a very private person," has found emotional release by working on a novel based on a plane crash and by volunteering at a local animal shelter. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. A sixth person initially survived the crash but, according to U.S. Park Police helicopter rescuers, refused their lifeline, indicating it should go to the others. Multiple attempts to throw a makeshift lifeline (made out of belts and any other things available that could be tied together) out to the survivors proved ineffective. A voice recorder captured the final moments before the plane crashed on Jan. 13, 1982. Five survived. I can't help it," Tirado was quoted as saying at the time. "She tends to keep to herself.". I can't help it," Priscilla Tirado, 27, whose dramatic rescue from the ice-choked Potomac River was recorded by television, said Tuesday after she was arrested. To me, that bridge was always the 14th Street Bridge. Others on the river'sedgethrew in makeshift lifelines, some fashioned outof belts or battery cables, to survivors thrashing about in the water. And the response was quick, sure, and immediate.Alice Foote MacDougall (18671945). The oldest, a son, wed recently. Charlie ran to the 14th street bridge and captured the only still images from the rescue. More people arrived near the shore from the bridge, but nobody could do anything. In 2003, the new Arland D. Williams Jr. I was kind of afraid of God at that point, she said recently. President Ronald Reagan commended these acts during his State of the Union speech a few days later. Air Florida Flight 90 was a scheduled U.S. domestic passenger flight operated by Air Florida from Washington National Airport (now Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport) to Fort LauderdaleHollywood International Airport, with an intermediate stopover at Tampa International Airport. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. Emergency Response and Rescue of Survivors. One bystander, Lenny Skutnik, was able to rescue Priscilla Tirado from the icy waters after the rescue helicopters failed attempt to tow her to shore. "I just couldn't hold back anymore.". Two men became instant heroes for their efforts to help the desperate men and women in the water. Skutnik was introduced to the joint session of the U.S. Congress during President Ronald Reagan's State of the Union speech later that month. She was the only crew member to have survived. I remember the ambulance. With a sickening sound that witnesses likened to a pane of glass shattering, the burning aircraft hit the river, broke apart and began to sink. They had been boarded between 2:00 and 2:30 pm. Williams, not able to unstrap himself from the wreckage, passed the line to flight attendant Kelly Duncan, who was towed to shore. The temperature of the river that day was only 34 degrees Fahrenheit. A sixth person, possibly Atlanta bank examiner Arland Williams, also was seen in the water, but later disappeared from view. At the same time, several military personnel from the PentagonSteve Raynes, Aldo De La Cruz, and Steve Bellran down to the water's edge to help Olian. Thirty-seven years earlier, on another frigid Jan. 13, a similar storm poundedthe D.C. areaand led to one of the most hauntingtragedies in the city's history: the crash of Air Florida Flight 90 into the icy depths of the Potomac River. Immediately after the crash, she said, "no one wanted to hire me back" because of concerns that she was physically and emotionally impaired. Of those on board the plane, 74 people died. The pilot moved him across the ice while avoiding the sides of the bridge. Yet each of the five has found at least a scrap of salvation amid the emotional wreckage. Arland Williams, 46, was the only victim of the crash who died of drowning, not trauma. WASHINGTON D.C. - NOVEMBER 15: (NO U.S. TABLOID SALES) Air Florida Flight 90 survivors Priscilla Tirado(L) and Lenny Skutnik(R) pose for a photo on November 15, 1982 in Washington, DC. The early rush hour also meant that trains on the Washington Metro were full when just 30 minutes after Flight 90 crashed, the Metro suffered its first fatal crash, at Federal Triangle station. Clinging to the tail section of the broken airliner in the ice-choked Potomac River were flight attendant Kelly Duncan and four passengers: Patricia "Nikki" Felch, Joe Stiley, Arland D. Williams Jr. (strapped and tangled in his seat), and Priscilla Tirado. Accompanied by their two-month-old son, they were en route to Tampa where Tirado was to go to work in the import-export company run by Mrs. Tirado's father. Nevertheless, Hamilton said, "You can't let fear overtake you.". Tirado, meanwhile . A few people who had been seated near the rear of the plane clung to debris, screaming for help. In all, there were five survivors: Joe Stiley, his coworker Nikki Felch, flight attendant Kelly Duncan, Priscilla Tirado, and Bert Hamilton. The plane took off and struggled to maintain altitude. The survivors received substantial, undisclosed settlements, as did the families of the 74 who perished on the plane and the four motorists who died. He also spends time in Port Ludlow, Wash., and Ronan, Mont., where he works in a hydroponic greenhouse, a hobby. As the U.S. Park Police are part of the United States Department of the Interior, pilot Donald W. Usher and paramedic Melvin E. Windsor also received the Interior Department's Valor Award, presented in a special ceremony soon after the accident by Secretary of the Interior James G. Watt. The rescue attempts by emergency officials and witnesses were recorded and broadcast live by area news reporters. The National Law Enforcement Museum, which opened in Washington, DC, in 2018, has footage of the crash on display along with interviews of survivors and other first-hand accounts. [4]:78, The investigation following the crash, especially regarding the failure of the captain to respond to crew concerns about the deicing procedure, led to a number of reforms in pilot-training regulations. Aug. 5, 2002 -- It's been more than 20 years since Air Florida Flight 90 took off from National Airport and crashed onto a bridge in downtown Washington, then plunged into the icy waters of the Potomac River. [4]:59 Boeing operations bulletins had warned against using reverse thrust in those kinds of conditions. When all the other survivors had been rescued, the helicopter went back for him. The National Geographic Channel series Seconds From Disaster also dramatized the accident entitled "Plane Crash in the Potomac". It was really through him I had heard we crashed into a bridge.". Jan. 14, 1982 Priscilla Tirado, 22, one of the survivors of the. The aircraft, a Boeing 737-200, was loaded with 74 passengers, including three infants and five crew. Typical of upstart, low-cost carriers, Air Florida frequently hired youthful pilots who worked for less money than veterans, and were for the most part seeking to gain flight experience prior to joining a major airline. At first, "I felt guilty for surviving," said Moore, who lives in Miami. Roger Olian, a sheetmetal foreman at St. Elizabeths, a Washington psychiatric hospital, was on his way home across the 14th Street Bridge in his truck when he heard a man yelling that there was an aircraft in the water. Only four passengers and one crew member (a flight attendant) were rescued from the crash and survived. 16:00:45 CAM-1 Forward, forward, easy. But aTV crew stuck in gridlocked traffic nearbycaptured the graphic footage after theBoeing 737 struck the 14th Street Bridge, just a few miles from the White House. 'I've only been here in America a month and already I'm there,' Keefer quoted him as saying. While running through the takeoff checklist, the following conversation snippet took place (CAM-1 is the captain, CAM-2 is the first officer): Despite the icing conditions with weather temperature of about 24F (-4C), the crew failed to activate the engine anti-ice systems,[6] which caused the engine pressure ratio (EPR) thrust indicators to provide false readings. The helicopter then proceeded to where Felch had fallen, and paramedic Gene Windsor dropped from the safety of the helicopter into the water to attach a line to her. "You could see out one side, but not really the other side," said Stiley, now 63. Roger Olian, a sheet metal worker ensnared in a nearby traffic jam,was believed to be the first person to jump into the waterwith a rope entwined around his waist, but he had to be reeled back in when he got stuck on ice. i left the next day from dca on the same type of plane. He was the first to jump into the water to attempt to reach the survivors. A watching bystander, Congressional Budget Office assistant Lenny Skutnik, stripped off his coat and boots, and in short sleeves, dove into the icy water and swam out to assist her. As a result, the industry formalized a concept known as "crew resource management," which means if either pilot, but notably the co-pilot, spots trouble, he should voice it loudly. The National Transportation Safety Board report stated that the deicing process used was inconsistent with recommended practices so the plane was not deiced properly. [7], Adding to the plane's troubles was the pilots' decision to maneuver closely behind a DC-9 that was taxiing just ahead of them prior to takeoff, due to their mistaken belief that the warmth from the DC-9's engines would melt the snow and ice that had accumulated on Flight 90's wings. Williams again caught one of the lines, and again passed it on, this time to Joe Stiley, the most severely injured survivor. 16:00:10 CAM-2 Naw, I don't think that's right. Four motorists on the bridge were killed. Air Florida Flight 90 Survivors. He was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for his photography. Virtually everyone who was in the area that day recalls where they were when they heard the news. Recorders later indicated that the aircraft was airborne for just 30 seconds. Pretty eerie. [18], The day after the crash, on Washington, DC, radio, WWDC shock jock Howard Stern pretended[19] to call the Air Florida ticket counter to ask about buying tickets to the 14th Street Bridge.[20]. The National Transportation Safety Board determined the cause of the crash was pilot error, including improper de-icing procedures. Three days later, he satisfactorily passed a proficiency recheck. On January 13, 1982, Air Florida Flight 90 crashes into the 14th Street Bridge over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., resulting in 78 fatalities. On Wednesday, January 13, 1982, Washington National Airport (DCA) was closed by a heavy snowstorm that produced 6.5 in (16.5cm) of snow. But Williams would drown after dramaticallypassingthehelicopter rescue ropeto others. Notably, The Washington Post published a story about the then-unidentified survivor of the crash, Arland D. Williams Jr., who had handed the lifeline to others and drowned before he could be rescued: He was about 50 years old, one of half a dozen survivors clinging to twisted wreckage bobbing in the icy Potomac when the first helicopter arrived. Aug. 5, 2002 -- It's been more than 20 years since Air Florida Flight 90 took off from National Airport and crashed onto a bridge in downtown Washington, then plunged into the icy waters of the Potomac River. Below-freezing waters and heavy ice made swimming out to them all but impossible. Don Usher and Gene Windsor,two Park Police helicopter pilots, managed to pull out four people. [33], "Flight 90" redirects here. As the plane became briefly airborne, the voice recorder picked up the following from the cockpit, with the sound of the stick-shaker (a device that warns that the plane is in danger of stalling) in the background: 16:00:39 [SOUND OF STICKSHAKER STARTS AND CONTINUES UNTIL IMPACT]. Oh gosh, Ive enjoyed my kids, she said. . I want to celebrate these elms which have been spared by the plague, these survivors of a once flourishing tribe commemorated by all the Elm Streets in America. Stiley said he often feels odd when he isnt sure a memory is something he went through or saw on television. Around 4:20 pm[9] EST, Eagle 1, a United States Park Police Bell 206L-1 Long Ranger helicopter, based at the "Eagles Nest" at Anacostia Park in Washington, arrived and began attempting to airlift the survivors to shore. He went to work for ComDial in Charlottesville, Va., but eventually moved to the West Coast, working at tech firms until the late 1990s. National Transportation Safety Board, Aircraft Accident Report: Air Florida, Inc. Boeing 737-222, N62AF, Collision with 14th Street Bridge, Near Washington National Airport, Washington, D.C., January 13, 1982, National Transportation Safety Board Aviation Accident Report, accessed August 29, 2020. Survivors Remember Flight 90, ABC News (ABC News Network, January 6, 2006), Lipman, Don. Beirne Keefer of Clearwater was waiting at Tampa International Airport for his daughter and her family when he learned of the crash. First to receive the line was Bert Hamilton, who was treading water about 10ft (3 m) from the plane's floating tail. #Students and #UWaterloo alumni this is an opportunity to hear from a #UWaterloo #alumnus on how to start your own business and what it takes to be successful. The decision to take off with snow/ice on the airfoil surfaces of the aircraft, and the captain's failure to reject the takeoff during the early stage, when his attention was called to anomalous engine instrument readings, were also erroneous. The Air Florida accident led to the carrier's eventual demise. His divorce. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. The only major change at National since the accident is the construction of an overrun area at the north end of the main runway, which has been credited with saving lives in recent years. However, he was gone. They had three children, all now in their 20s. 2023 Getty Images. [4]:82, The "sixth passenger", who had survived the crash and had repeatedly given up the rescue lines to other survivors before drowning, was later identified as 46-year-old bank examiner Arland D. Williams, Jr. Thank you for writing about this tragedy. Though the outside temperature was well below freezing and snow was falling, the crew did not activate the engine anti-ice system. Two of the biggest changes were I got to the Best Coast and Im doing work that is fresh and new and exciting for me, Stiley said. The smell of jet fuel was everywhere, and you could smell it on your clothes. Just five people escaped. TAMPA, Fla. -- Priscilla Tirado, 22, one of the survivors of the Air Florida plane crash in Washington Wednesday, had returned to this country in October from Madrid, Spain, with her 26-year-old immigrant husband, Jose. The operator had no means to determine if the proportioning valves were operating properly because no "mix monitor" was installed on the nozzle. The airport closed from approximately 1 pm to 3 pm, so Flight 90s departure was delayed about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Four of the crew members (including both pilots) died. A voice recorder captured the final moments before the plane crashed on Jan. 13, 1982. #Students and #UWaterloo alumni this is an opportunity to hear from a #UWaterloo #alumnus on how to start your own business and what it takes to be successful. The NTSB determined that the probable cause of the crash included the flight crew's failure to enforce a sterile cockpit during the final preflight checklist procedure. Of the motorists on the bridge involved:[4]:10. Freezing water and heavy ice made swimming out to them impossible. 29 Air Florida Flight 90 Survivors Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Images Editorial Editorial FILTERS CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO 29 Air Florida Flight 90 Survivors Premium High Res Photos Browse 29 air florida flight 90 survivors stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. Stiley slipped the line around his waist and grabbed Priscilla Tirado, who was hysterical, having lost her husband and baby. Nineteen occupants were believed to have survived the impact, but their injuries prevented them from escaping. I remember coming out of the airplane. Cookie. The Coast Guard's 65ft (20m) harbor tugboat Capstan (WYTL 65601) and its crew were based nearby; their duties include ice breaking and responding to water rescues. With Jeannetta Arnette, Barry Corbin, Stephen Macht, Dinah Manoff. Im a commuter. Survivors of the crash indicated the trip over the runway was extremely rough, with survivor Joe Stiley a businessman and private pilot saying that he believed that they would not get airborne and would "fall off the end of the runway". It was sold to Air Florida in 1980. 'He was so proud. The film introduces the people whose lives will, on January 13, 1982, intersect on Air Florida Flight 90 from Washington, D.C. to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 2022-01-13. That had become a stale joke. Flight 90 never got higher than a few hundred feet, and the pilots saw the crash coming. To me, that bridge was always the 14th Street Bridge. On its third trip back to the wreckage, the helicopter lowered two lifelines, fearing that the remaining survivors had only a few minutes before succumbing to hypothermia. . After leaving the gate, the aircraft waited in a taxi line with many other aircraft for 49 minutes before reaching the takeoff runway. Joe Stiley, one of the survivors, was an experienced pilot. News media outlets followed the story with diligence. To speak of one thing is to suppress another.Lisel Mueller (b. Returning to GTE 18 months later after intense physical therapy. On two occasions, the crew recalled last night, he handed away a lifeline from the hovering machine that could have dragged him to safety. It filed for bankruptcy and grounded its fleet in July 1984. "Larry, we're going down, Larry," said First Officer Roger Pettit. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. One deicing vehicle was used by two different operators, who chose widely different mixture percentages to deice the left and right sides of the aircraft. Seventy-eight. Flight 90 was nearly two hours late when it lifted off National Airport's slushy main runway. Joe Stiley told ABCNEWS in 1982, that the freezing water jarred him into consciousness. The plane, on a scheduled domestic passenger flight operated by the now-defunct Air Florida en route to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, went into the Potomac River after. We pulled him back. [4]:20. [4]:5 The aircraft then plunged into the freezing Potomac River. CNN had just introduced what became a new phenomenon the 24-hour news channel. His leadership style was described as similar to those of other pilots. "When I was in intensive care I didn't have a TV but I could hear, off in the distance, Good Morning America. At 4:01 PM on January 13, 1982, Air Florida Flight 90 crashed into the icy Potomac River during a Washington snowstorm. Neither pilot had much experience flying in snowy, cold weather. Joseph Stiley, now 72, also remembers the day as being transformative. In 1985, the 14th Street Bridge was renamed the Arland D. Williams Jr. Memorial Bridge in his honor. . The New York Times Magazine featured the survivors' story this past Sunday. I remember a lot of other things related to the Air Florida crash, but I dont know how much of that was because of the coverage.. Roger Olian, a sheet-metal foreman at St. Elizabeths Hospital, a Washington psychiatric hospital, was on his way home across the 14th Street Bridge in his truck when he heard a man yelling that an aircraft was in the water. From October 1977 to October 1980, he had been a fighter pilot in the US Air Force, accumulating 669 hours as a flight examiner, instructor pilot, and ground instructor in an F-15 fighter unit. They have been married for 28 years. 15:59:51 CAM-1 It's spooled. Someone had backed up their jeep and we picked him up and put him in there. Only five people on the flight survived. Passenger Bert Hamilton, who was floating in the water nearby, was the first to be pulled from the water. Though it was once a robust airline, flying to 30 cities through Florida, the Northeast, and the Caribbean, the company filed for bankruptcy and grounded its fleet in July 1984. Stiley's co-worker, Nikki Felch, took the second line. Emergency ground response was greatly hampered by ice-covered roads and gridlocked traffic; ambulances dispatched at 4:07 pm took 20 minutes to reach the crash scene.