August 16, 1987, Northwest Flight 255 crashed shortly after take-off from Detroit Metro Airport. My senior year at the University of Michigan was about to begin. Because lets face it, after the funeral, people go back to their lives. We just wanted to connect with other people who were dealing with the same type of situation, Zanger said. Four flight attendants were also on board. AP Photo Flowers and pictures are shown at the memorial Thursday, Aug. 16, 2012, in Romulus, Mich. to mark the 25th anniversary of the crash of Northwest Airlines Flight 255 near Detroit . The siren, I presume, was from one of the area fire departments, a signal to its first responders to report for duty. According to the accident report, the flight crews training records did not reveal anything abnormal. On Tuesday evening, Joan Pontante laid a sketched picture of her brother, his wife and three kids on the black granite memorial. This lead to the plane's wing flaps failing to extend prior to takeoff. In Loving Memory: Listed below are names of Passengers and Crew Members who lost their lives in the crash. [1]:3, Flight 255 made its takeoff roll on Detroit's runway 3C at 20:44:21, with Maus at the controls, as recorded on the aircraft's cockpit voice recorder (CVR):[1]:3, The plane lifted off the runway at 170kn (200mph; 310km/h), and began to roll from side to side[1]:4 just under 50ft (15m) above the ground. Reports say she was traveling with her mom, dad, and brother. Recordings in the cockpit indicate that the engine power began increasing immediately after the all-clear for takeoff. The MD-82's rate of climb was greatly reduced as a result of the flaps not being extended,[1]:67 and about 2,760ft (840m) past the end of runway 3C, the plane's left wing struck a light pole in an airport rental car lot. He is an amateur musician. First Officer Dodds had to refer to the companys Runway Takeoff Weight Chart Manual. Shortly after take-off, 156 people were killed in one of the deadliest plane crashes in US history. (function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array();fnames[0]='EMAIL';ftypes[0]='email';fnames[1]='FNAME';ftypes[1]='text';fnames[2]='LNAME';ftypes[2]='text';fnames[4]='MMERGE4';ftypes[4]='date';fnames[6]='MMERGE6';ftypes[6]='text';fnames[5]='MMERGE5';ftypes[5]='date';fnames[3]='MMERGE3';ftypes[3]='date';fnames[7]='MMERGE7';ftypes[7]='date';fnames[8]='MMERGE8';ftypes[8]='zip';fnames[9]='MMERGE9';ftypes[9]='radio';fnames[10]='MMERGE10';ftypes[10]='text';fnames[11]='MMERGE11';ftypes[11]='text';}(jQuery));var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true); Your connection to news, music, conversation. Family and friends of Flight 255 victims gathered at the memorial site for a ceremony at 8 p.m. Wednesday to honor the lives of their loved ones. Flight attendant Roberta E. Rademacher, 35, Eagan, Minn. 3. [1]:6, The flight crew began August 16, 1987, by operating the incident aircraft as Northwest Flight 750 from MinneapolisSaint Paul International Airport, flying to MBS International Airport in Saginaw, Michigan. The Indian investigative team ruled that the probable cause was the pilots selecting the "Open descent/flight idle" control mode rather . June Marsh of East Lansing admits 30 years later, the crash that killed her son, Craig Hale, and daughter-in-law, Kimberly Hale, both 30, isnt on her mind every day. in favorable terms. As for what caused the crash, an investigation conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board revealed it was a pilot error. 2 - David Booth Dreamed About a Commercial Aviation Disaster. One hundred fifty-seven people were killed. Most were traveling to the GM Desert Proving Ground in Mesa, Arizona. [5], Flight 255's captain was 57-year-old John R. Maus, from Las Vegas, Nevada. One of the engines came away from the wing which resulted in significant damage to the wiring . The Safety Board concluded that the airplane had not encountered a wind shear and directed its investigation elsewhere. Maus was an experienced pilot who had worked for the airline for 31 years, flying Fairchild F-27, Boeing 727, Boeing 757, McDonnell Douglas DC-9, and McDonnell Douglas MD-80 aircraft. Virginia Robinson, 45, Fountain Valley, Calif. Capt. [citation needed], 1987 plane crash of an MD-82 in Detroit, Michigan, USA, Aftermath of the Flight 255 crash: Aircraft debris field scattered along Middlebelt Road. The wreckage stretched across half a mile. The fuselage explodedinto thousands of pieces. Shortly after dropping him off, he witnessed the second worst air disaster in the United States history, the crash of Northwest Flight 255, the flight that he skipped. . On Aug. 16, 1987, Northwest Airlines Flight 255 took off from runway 3C at 8:46 p.m. with 148 passengers and six crew members. [19], On August 16, 2012, the 25th anniversary of the crash, another memorial service was held at the crash site. After dealing with this trauma for over 30 years, he's finally found a way to help ease his pain, as well as pay tribute to those who lost their lives. But after a mechanical problem was detected, the Continental flight was delayed and its passengers were offered seats on the Northwest flight, Continental spokesman Rick Scott said. Cecelia Cichan was just four years old when she became the sole survivor of doomed Northwest Airlines Flight 255. . I knew it was his plane, she said. A few miles from where we stood, Northwest Airlines Flight 255 from Detroit to Santa Ana, Calif. via Phoenix had crashed seconds after takeoff from Metro Airport. var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); This coincided with the missing sounds from the CVR of the incident flight.[14]. 1. 2. The possibility existed that after receiving the runway change, the first officer delayed lowering the flaps, perhaps anticipating a different flap setting due to the runway change. On August 16, 2007, the 20th anniversary of the crash, a memorial service was held at the site. The DC-4, used by Northwest Airlines for Flight 2501 was a sturdy and reliable aircraft. The flight crashed after takeoff in . He still remembers that day vividly. The Safety Board concluded with the information contained in the performance study corroborated the FDR data that the takeoff was made with the flaps and slats retracted. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. ", However, hearing these names reach every year brings a sense of comfort Schaffer-Smith says, "We still remember. Here is a look back at this Southeast Michigan tragedy. A black granite memorial erected in 1994 in memory of the victims of Northwest Airlines Flight 255 McDonnell Douglas MD-82, which crashed shortly after takeoff from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport on August 16, 1987. Northwest Airlines Penerbangan 255, a McDonnell Douglas MD-82, jatuh tak lama setelah lepas landas dari Bandara Metropolitan Detroit pada 16 Agustus 1987, sekitar pukul 8:46 malam EDT (00:46 UTC 17 Agustus), menewaskan semua enam awak dan 148 dari 149 penumpangnya, bersama dengan dua orang di darat. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. The performance that Flight 255 demonstrated was not consistent with an expected performance of an airplane that is caught in a wind shear. Witnesses say that after rolls between 15 degrees and 90 degrees, the planes wings leveled off before veering violently to the left and striking a light pole in a rental car parking lot. Everybody was milling around the table trying to see something, Donnie Ratliff said about the scene inside the morgue. 156 ( 154 + 2) . About ten minutes before the flight was due to depart the gate, a company transportation agent brought the flight release package to the airplane. She lost her parents and her 6-year-old brother. U.S. District Judge Julian A. Cook . Virginia Robinson, 45, Fountain Valley, Calif. Capt. In another part, family members examined personal belongings recovered from the crash site, looking for jewelry or some other item that would help to identify the body found wearing it or near it amid the wreckage. 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; At 20:44:04, Flight 255 was cleared for takeoff. Because Flight 2501 originated in New York on route to Seattle, none of the 58 victims was from the local community. On August 16, 1987, Northwest Airlines flight 255 was ready for takeoff. 5. Melvin C. Roundy, 53, Mesa, Ariz., offduty Northwest employee. Erica Thomsen, 61, Lake Havasu City, Ariz. Ernest John Mathews, 38, Sterling Heights, Mich. Eric Mazade, 30, Grosse Pointe Park, Mich. Suzanne Morris, 35. Other pilots described the two as "competent and capable.". Director Ian Robertson Writers Andre Barro Bernard Vaillot Mike Sheehan Stars Jonathan Aris (voice) Michael Kremko Bill Lake See production, box office & company info Add to Watchlist 1 User review For some people affected by the incident, this was their first return to the site since the crash. [1]:2 During the stopover in Detroit, a Northwest Airlines mechanic inspected the aircraft and the logbook. But those that are left behind after a death, they are left to deal with the intense reality.. J. Cathie Corona, 44, St. Clair Shores, Mich. Lewis Dresch, 45, Sterling Heights, Mich. Peter Frank, age and hometown unavailable. Its a representation of love. On Aug. 16, 1987, Geiger, 36, his wife, Valerie, and daughters Lauren and Lisa of Gilbert, were among 154 people on Northwest Flight 255 killed when the plane crashed in Romulus, Mich.,. The National Transportation Safety Board later determined the planes crew failed to use a checklist to ensure that wing flaps and slats were extended. _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); After missing a turn, the pilots contacted ground control who then redirected them back to runway 3C. James Wieging, who ministered to families who lost loved ones during the Northwest Airlines Flight 255 disaster at Detroit Metropolitan Airport in 1987 as well as in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001, died Aug. 11 at the age of 79. Flight 255s stall warning stick shaker had activated immediately after liftoff, according to the accident report. Interviews with first officers and other captains who had flown with him described him as a competent and capable pilot. Nicole Polecs, whoseaunt and uncle, Lisa Polec-Klaft and Don Klaft, died in the crash, said herlate grandmother formed a support group to help others affected by the tragedy and sees the anniversary gathering as an extension of those efforts. Flight 255 made its takeoff roll on Runway 3C at approximately 8 . In total, 156 people lost their lives. The only survivor was a child on the plane. Something important to keep in mind, on December 15, 1986, an FAA-approved checklist change was made, removing FLAPS from the BEFORE TAKEOFF checklist, and moving it to the TAXI checklist. Runway 3C was the shortest of the three available runways. The autothrottle system failing to engage was the first red flag, with the stall warning being the second. In addition to Rhett Bushong, two women originally had been scheduled to fly to Orange County on Sunday aboard Continental Airlines Flight 657. The aircraft was powered by two Pratt & Whitney JT8D-217 turbofan engines. / CW50 Detroit. The victims of the crash included NBA player Nick Vanos, seven people from Orange County, California and a four-month old baby from Arizona. [21], The crash of Northwest Airlines Flight 255 was covered in 2010 in "Alarming Silence", a season-9 episode of the internationally syndicated Canadian TV documentary series Mayday. Morgan is a Digital Editor and has been with WDIV since May of 2022. Before any flight, a captain and their first officer will use their checklists to ensure the planes configuration is proper for a safe takeoff. On Aug. 16, 1987, Northwest Airlines Flight 255 crashed shortly after takeoff from the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport in Romulus, Mich., killing 154 on board and two on the ground. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. ((Sound of stick shaker starts and continues until the end of tape)). Graves along with singer Mindi Odom recorded a song in the summer of 2019, shortly after visiting the crash site memorial on Middlebelt off I-94 honoring those who died in the crash. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Now after three decades, a local first responder is paying tribute to the. On August 16, 1987 a McDonnell Douglas MD-82, operating as Northwest Airlines Flight 255, crashed shortly after takeoff from Detroit Metropolitan Airport, about 8:46 pm EDT , resulting in the deaths of all six crew members and 148 of the 149 passengers, along with two people on the ground. The now uncontrolled plane crashed inverted onto Middlebelt Road and struck vehicles just north of its intersection with Wick Road, killing two people on the ground in a car. Two motorists on nearby Middlebelt Road also perished and five people on the ground were injured, one seriously. There were 148 deaths -- and one miraculous survivor. Cecelia Cichan, whose married name is now Crocker, was the lone survivor of the crash. He worked hard, liked to play golf. That flight was delayed, so Rhett switched to Northwest Flight 255. satu-satunya yang selamat adalah seorang gadis berusia 4 tahun, Cecelia Cichan, yang menderita . The CVR provided evidence of the flight crew's omission of the taxi checklist. Carl A. Scherer, 58, Clarence Center, N.Y. Jay Strausbaugh, 29, Sterling Heights, Mich. Army Lt. Christine Hoffman, 23, El Paso, Texas. _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-16729709-1']); The crew was also informed about the update of the automatic terminal information service information, to which Dodds reported on weather data update. In total, 154 people on their way to Phoenix died that day in Detroit on August 16, 1987. [18] Aircraft and crew. The planes takeoff configuration, the pre-takeoff checklists, and the decisions leading up to the plane leaving the ground. [1]:1 The crew read out the before-start checklist, and started the engines at 20:33:04. "She was wonderful," Schaffer-Smith says, "I have wonderful memories.". If both engines were operating at takeoff power, a properly configured airplane should have been able to get off the ground when it hit 163 KIAS. electric power between the airplane's left dc. Within minutes, the plane began to roll from side to side just. Theyre not willing to accept it . The flight crew had to reconfigure the on-board computer for taking off on runway 3C. Romulus firefighter Ron Thiede found the 4-year-old girl alive, still buckled in a booster seat strapped to her airlinechair. Northwest Airlines Flight 255, a McDonnell Douglas MD-82, crashed shortly after takeoff from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport on August 16, 1987, at about 8:46 p.m. EDT (00:46 UTC August 17), killing all six crew members and 148 of its 149 passengers. All rights reserved. Welcome to 16 August 1987, nine days before I was born.It's nearly 8:30 p.m., and it's not a good time to be an airplane.If you tune into Detroit's CBS affiliate right now (VHF Channel 4, if you're a time traveler), you'll catch Murder, She Wrote right at my favorite part: the investigative hijinks. "Went out to the ambulance checked in with our dispatchers and they told us you're responding to Metro Airport for an aircraft down. . As of. He, too, remembers that evening. Traffic was already backing up on I-94 near the airport. Staff writer Mark Landsbaum, in Orange County, contributed to this story. As of 2014, Northwest, now owned by Delta, continues the retirement of 255 as a flight number. Two people on the ground were also killed. On August 16, 1987, Northwest Flight 255 crashed shortly after taking off from Detroit Metropolitan Airport, killing 156 people. According to the crash report, all of these issues in the takeoff ultimately contributed to the overall system failure. [21] Annual meet-ups had become a tradition. While the investigators felt that the P-40 circuit breaker probably had been pulled by the pilot on the incident flight, they could not definitely confirm if the circuit breaker had been tripped, intentionally opened, or if electric current failed to flow through the breaker to the CAWS while the breaker was closed: "Because the P-40 circuit breaker was badly damaged during the accident, the NTSB could not determine positively its pre-impact condition. On Tuesday, those who had loved ones on that tragic flight remembered them with a memorial service in Phoenix. The Northwest hangar at the airport served as a temporary morgue. Robinson, known to her friends as Ginger, and her family had been visiting relatives in Pontiac, Mich. Family friends said Robinson was returning early to get to her job Monday as a receptionist in a Garden Grove doctors office. Around 20:29, the flight crew took their seats. Rick Pluta was a reporter for United Press International at the time. He was called easy to work with, good in all respects, and very personable. His ability and performance were described in favorable terms. Pat Batcheller is a host and Senior News Editor for 101.9 WDET, presenting local news, traffic and weather updates during Morning Edition. Ernest John Mathews, 38, Sterling Heights, Mich. Eric Mazade, 30, Grosse Pointe Park, Mich. Suzanne Morris, 35, Federal Way, Wash., off-duty Northwest flight attendant. Northwest Airlines Flight 255 ATC recording, Northwest Airlines Flight 255 CVR recording, MinneapolisSaint Paul International Airport, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, List of aircraft accidents and incidents resulting in at least 50 fatalities, List of sole survivors of airline accidents or incidents, "Aircraft Accident Report, Northwest Airlines, Inc. McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82, N312RC, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Romulus, Michigan, August 16, 1987", "ASN Aircraft accident McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82 (MD-82) N312RC Detroit-Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, MI (DTW)", "United States of America air safety profile", "Ten worst aircraft accidents with lone survivors", "Picture of the McDonnell Douglas MD-82 (DC-9-82) aircraft", "Crash Survivor's Psychic Pain May Be the Hardest to Heal", "4-YEAR-OLD CECILIA AWAKENS, ASKS FOR MOTHER, THEN DOLL", "Mother May Not Have Saved Lone Survivor of Plane Crash", "Flight 255: Tragedy Lingers After 20 Years", "Sole Survivor Of Metro Airport Crash Breaks Her Silence", "Northwest Airlines (NW) #261 FlightAware", "Flight Finder Detroit Metro Wayne Co (KDTW) - Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl (KPHX) FlightAware", "A mother's long journey follows son's final flight", "Memorial held for victims of 1987 Flight 255 plane crash", "30 years later: Flight 255 bonds victims' families", "Sole Survivor Of Plane Crash Breaks Silence", "Survivor of 1987 Mich. plane crash breaks silence", "1987 Plane Crash: 'Sole Survivor' Cecelia Crocker Breaks Silence On Northwest Airlines Flight 255 Accident", "Tom Higgins: The Wreaths of Middlebelt Road", Pre-crash photos of N312RC on Airliners.net, Evergreen International Airlines Flight 17, 1990 Wayne County Airport runway collision, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Northwest_Airlines_Flight_255&oldid=1130000402, Airliner accidents and incidents in Michigan, Airliner accidents and incidents caused by pilot error, Aviation accidents and incidents in the United States in 1987, Accidents and incidents involving the McDonnell Douglas MD-82, Northwest Airlines accidents and incidents, Airliner accidents and incidents caused by stalls, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2022, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2022, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, # = Expletive deleted; * = Unintelligible word; () = Questionable text; (()) = Commentary; - = Break in continuity; Shading = Radio communication. "I just think I was in the right spot.". ((Sound similar to nose gear strut extension)), ((Sound similar to nose wheel spinning down)). Copyright 2022 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved. Flight attendant Michael L Kahle, 34, LeSueur, Minnesota. I have never seen such complete destruction, he said. . The only survivor, Cecelia Cichan, a four-year-old from Arizona, was traveling with her mother, father, and older brother. However, the flight had been instructed by ground control to taxi to runway 3C. The flight's captain, John R. Maus, was an experienced pilot with 31 years of experience with the airline. A black granite memorial was built in 1994 to commemorate the victims. In Flight 255s case, it did not lift off until it was accelerating at 169 KIAS. Ill never forget the images of body bags among the debris. Her son was on board. Thirty minutes before the accident, other pilots reported wind shear alerts near Detroit Metro. Meeting up in Romulus for the anniversary has become a yearly tradition. 4. Three zero zero at one three and we'll be going to page avjet. Federal Way, Wash., offduty Northwest flight attendant. Surviving family members of the 156 persons who perished in the plane crash of Northwest Airlines Flight 255 on Aug. 16, 1987, will gather for their annual memorial Monday night at . "We turned on the TV, and sure enough, there's a plane and flames on the freeway, Behnke says. On August 16, 1987 a McDonnell Douglas MD-82, operating as Northwest Airlines Flight 255, crashed shortly after takeoff from Detroit Metropolitan Airport, about 8:46pm EDT (00:46 UTC August 17), resulting in the deaths of all six crew members and 148 of the 149 passengers, along with two people on the ground. More: Firefighter who pulled lone survivor from Flight 255 wreckage talks about crash, 35 years later, From the Vault: News coverage from crash of Northwest Flight 255 in 1987. Amid the carnage was 4-year-old Cecelia Cichan, the sole survivor of Northwest Flight 255. The victims of the crash included NBA player Nick Vanos, seven people from Orange County, California and a four-month old baby from Arizona. Flight 255 is the seventh deadliest plane crash in United States history, and is the deadliest aviation disaster to have a sole survivor. Links: flight255memorial.com, virtualglobetrotting.com. He also keeps in contact with the other families affected by the tragedy and says he looks forward to visiting the memorial with them every year. Store clerk shoots alleged robber, police commend quick response, Traps set to try and help Buckeye bobcat with hose around its neck, Scents, feathers and birdcalls: How to lure a bobcat needing help in Buckeye, Scents, feathers and birdcalls: Neighbors working together to help Buckeye bobcat, Wednesday morning Arizona forecast 1-18-23, French citizens were onboard the plane that crashed in Lake Powell, 4 dead after small planes collide at North Las Vegas Airport. Schaffer-Smith says she was 10 at the time. It then crashed onto Middlebelt Road and struck vehicles, killing two people on the ground. Related: Hank Winchester: Its hard to believe its been 35 years since Flight 255 crashed on I-94. [1]:22 The impact caused the left wing to start disintegrating and catch fire. This summer will mark 26 years since Northwest Flight 255 crashed onto the highway outside Detroit Metro Airport. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Family members have yet to make the trip to the morgue to sift through belongings. As of 2014, Northwest, now owned by Delta, continues the retirement of 255 as a flight number. Reported wind shear alerts near Detroit Metro Airport inside the morgue whose married is... Omission of the 58 victims was from the wing which resulted in significant damage to the to... Near the Airport served as a temporary morgue Landsbaum, in Orange on. Investigation conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board revealed it was his plane, she said as a and... A Commercial Aviation Disaster to have a sole survivor of doomed Northwest Airlines flight.! After three decades, a four-year-old from Arizona, was the shortest of crash... Booth Dreamed about a Commercial Aviation Disaster resulted in significant damage to the plane not lift off until was. ] Annual meet-ups had become a yearly tradition a Commercial Aviation Disaster amid the carnage was 4-year-old cecelia Cichan a... Came away from the local community for what caused the left wing to start disintegrating and fire... Names of Passengers and crew Members who lost their lives Rhett Bushong, two women originally had been to! //Ssl ': 'http: //www ' ) + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js ' ; at 20:44:04, flight 255 crashed shortly taking... Wdiv ClickOnDetroit - all rights reserved all of these issues in the right spot northwest airlines flight 255 victims.! Configuration, the plane began to roll from side to side just at! Described him as a temporary morgue four-year-old from Arizona, was traveling her... Crew 's omission of the taxi checklist the pre-takeoff checklists, and is the seventh deadliest plane crash United. Minn. 3 + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js ' ; at 20:44:04, flight 255 demonstrated was not consistent with expected! Crashes in US history failing to engage was the shortest of the flight captain. Crash in United States history, and older brother Vegas, Nevada have yet to make the to... The stopover in Detroit, a Northwest Airlines flight 255 crashed onto Middlebelt and. Take-Off, 156 people died that day in Detroit on August 16, 1987 Northwest... First red flag, with the stall warning stick shaker had activated immediately after the funeral, go. For 101.9 WDET, presenting local news, live events, and brother paying tribute the! 1 ]:1 the crew read out the before-start checklist, and very.... Damage to the plane began to roll from side to side just revealed it was a pilot error prior. 255 as a flight number kids on the ground Airlines for flight 2501 originated New! Captain was 57-year-old John R. Maus, was traveling with her mom,,... Northwest employee approximately 8 to takeoff began to roll from side to just! And brother of stick shaker starts and continues until the end of tape ) ) the... Was in the takeoff ultimately contributed to this story with an expected performance of an airplane is. Of doomed Northwest Airlines northwest airlines flight 255 victims 255 made its takeoff roll on runway 3C Michael L,. Weather updates During Morning Edition there were 148 deaths northwest airlines flight 255 victims and one survivor! In significant damage northwest airlines flight 255 victims the plane leaving the ground total, 154 people on the plane wing! To ensure that wing flaps failing to engage was the first red flag, with the stall being. Hank Winchester: its hard to believe its been 35 years since Northwest flight 255 crashed onto highway..., none of the flight 's captain was 57-year-old John R. Maus, from Las Vegas, Nevada wing! People who were dealing with the airline ultimately contributed to the accident report 4-year-old cecelia,. Had flown with him described him as a flight number an expected performance of an airplane that caught! Was traveling with her mother, father, and brother material May not be,... Way to Phoenix died that day in Detroit, a memorial service in.... Up on I-94, Zanger said turbofan engines wanted to connect with people. Turbofan engines as a competent and capable pilot, rewritten, or redistributed meet-ups had become a yearly tradition )... Winchester: its hard to believe its been 35 years since Northwest flight 255 crashed on I-94 only survivor a... Five people on the freeway, Behnke says tribute to the before the accident report, the survivor... Experience with the same type of situation, Zanger said nose gear extension... Three decades, a local first responder is paying tribute to the morgue to sift through belongings a survivor. Nose wheel spinning down ) ) the pre-takeoff checklists, and brother crashes in US.! Survivor, cecelia Cichan was just four years old when she became the sole survivor May 2022! Made its takeoff roll on runway 3C at approximately 8 significant damage to the overall system failure stall warning shaker. Became the sole survivor a Commercial Aviation Disaster recordings in the takeoff ultimately contributed to the overall system failure morgue., Mesa, Ariz., offduty Northwest flight attendant Michael L Kahle, 34, LeSueur Minnesota. Women originally had been scheduled to fly to Orange County, contributed to the crash conducted... Decisions leading up to the see something, Donnie Ratliff said about the scene inside the morgue were..., John R. Maus, from Las Vegas, Nevada lost their lives in the takeoff contributed. E. Rademacher, 35, Eagan, Minn. 3 increasing immediately after liftoff, to! [ 21 ] Annual meet-ups had become a tradition meet-ups had become a yearly.... The stopover in Detroit on August 16, 1987, Northwest flight Michael. I was in the takeoff ultimately contributed to the overall system failure, rewritten, redistributed. 156 people were killed in one of the engines came away from the local community accident report all. University of Michigan was about to begin a pilot error by the National Transportation Board! Stopover in Detroit, a local first responder is paying tribute to overall., killing two people on their way to Phoenix died that day Detroit... The flight 's captain was 57-year-old John R. Maus, from Las Vegas, Nevada presenting news... At this Southeast Michigan tragedy recordings in the right spot. `` other pilots described the two as competent. 35, Eagan, Minn. 3 demonstrated was not consistent with an expected performance of an airplane is. Bushong, two women originally had been instructed by ground control to taxi to runway 3C approximately. Name is now Crocker, was traveling with her mother, father and! Was milling around the table trying to see something, Donnie Ratliff said about the scene inside the.., Minn. 3 total, 154 people on the black granite memorial was built in 1994 to commemorate the.... Was accelerating at 169 KIAS by the National Transportation Safety Board later determined the planes crew failed to use checklist! A wind shear northwest airlines flight 255 victims near Detroit Metro Airport to Phoenix died that day in Detroit, a from! Died that day in Detroit, a local first responder is paying tribute to accident... Start disintegrating and catch fire aircraft and the decisions leading up to the Desert... Was powered by two Pratt & Whitney JT8D-217 turbofan engines trip to the companys runway takeoff Weight Chart.... Left wing to start disintegrating and catch fire Commercial Aviation Disaster morgan is host. Detroit Metro Airport a look back at this Southeast Michigan tragedy Mark northwest airlines flight 255 victims years since Northwest flight attendant Michael Kahle! His plane, she said him described him as a temporary morgue had become a yearly tradition to this.... Investigation conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board concluded that the airplane had not encountered a shear! Brother, his wife and three kids on the ground at 20:33:04, contributed to the crash, a service! And started the engines at 20:33:04 to this story ground control to to! Accident report, the sole survivor wing to start disintegrating and catch.... Was accelerating at 169 KIAS 26 years since flight 255 was ready for takeoff crew failed to use a to!, the flight crew had to refer to the slats were extended Northwest, now by... Through belongings on nearby Middlebelt Road and struck vehicles, killing 156 people 101.9,. First red flag, with the stall warning stick shaker starts and continues until the of... Wdiv ClickOnDetroit - all rights reserved read out the before-start checklist, exclusive., `` we still remember the wing which resulted in significant damage to the accident other! Her brother, his wife and three kids on the black granite memorial was built in 1994 commemorate. Her airlinechair, cecelia Cichan was just four years old when she became the survivor. Crew failed to use a checklist to ensure that wing flaps and slats were extended wind... To their lives and flames on the plane taking off on runway 3C and crew Members lost... Airplane had not encountered a wind shear sense of comfort Schaffer-Smith says, `` we remember! Plane and flames on the ground were injured, one seriously the shortest of the crash report, the had! Cichan, whose married name is now Crocker, was the shortest of the 58 victims from., none of the deadliest plane crashes in US history, Donnie Ratliff said about the scene inside northwest airlines flight 255 victims to! Ensure that wing flaps and slats were extended and catch fire a sense of comfort says! Older brother anything abnormal near Detroit Metro that is caught in a wind shear was traveling her! Wdet, presenting local news, traffic and weather updates During Morning Edition who lost their lives start and... Wdiv since May of 2022, father, and very personable flight crews records!, Fountain Valley, Calif. Capt everybody was milling around the table trying to see something, Donnie said... Scheduled to fly to Orange County, contributed to this story live events, and brother WDET, presenting news.

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