Various. Advertisement. He was looking forward to moving after receiving a promotion at work. And there was a Laguna Niguel businessman, ending a long weekend of partying with his sister in Detroit, heading back to work. They call themselves the "Flight 255 family." Twenty-five times now, they've gathered at a memorial near the crash site off the expressway. Sullivan, 27, of Chandler and Sup, now 48, of Mesa, met playing sand volleyball at Minder Binders in Tempe nearly 30 years ago. On the phone, Joanne Surowitz tried to cheer up her younger brother, Brian. The plane, now completely out of control, hit Middlebelt just before the I-94 overpass and exploded after striking it. 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. He finally bribed me by offering to pick up my lunch the next day.. Emanuel Christofis of Allen Park was at the airport with a young relative watching planes take off and land. (AP Photo, File) (AP Photo, File), Wedding plans exchanged for funeral plans: Michael Zanger, 23, (left) and his fiancee Hollins Langton, 26, of Phoenix, in their engagement picture. passenger flight and was en route to Phoenix, Arizona, with 149 Shortly after 8 a.m. it was in the air, headed east for stops in Minneapolis, Detroit, Saginaw, Mich., and back to Detroit to pick up passengers for the trip west again. 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. She knew her friend, Bonnie Monary, was planning to meet the Continental flight. As the afternoon shadows grew longer, passengers booked on Flight 255 began converging on the Detroit airport. heaven. The Saturday before she left, Hidi went to say goodby to her grandmother, Thelma Lesniewski. Answer (1 of 34): Graphic pictures of severely damaged bodies are found in this answer. At about 6:53 PM, on Sunday, August 16th, 1987, Flight 255 departed Saginaw and, at 7:42 PM, arrived at its terminal gate at the . each comment to let us know of abusive posts. 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. James Wieging was already en route to Detroit Metropolitan Airport. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. She was excited about the trip, her first to California. 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. Crew's failure to use taxi checklist to EJ Montini: Aug.16, 1987, Northwest Flight 255 took off from Detroit, bound for . I looked to my right and I could see an arm, kind of bent, coming out of a chair.. Now, Continental officials were telling passengers there was a problem with one of the planes wings. Image 1 of 5. . 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. Priest who ministered to families after Michigans 1987 plane crash, dug for survivors in wake of 9/11 remembered for heroic compassion. Steve drove his coworker to the airport. Pictured left to right: Mike Captain Crunch Sullivan, Dana McGinley-Schubert and Mike Benjamin in January, 1987. He learned the girl was alive several hours later. Registration: N312RC Then we heard a crash and the whole building shook. 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 (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. As of 2016, it ranks as the fourth deadliest aviation crash in United States history, and the fourth deadliest for the McDonnell Douglas MD-80 aircraft line. ROMULUS, Mich. -- Numbed and voices low, relatives of the victims of Northwest Airlines Flight 255 began arriving Monday to claim their dead. DETROIT, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - Many remember the tragic crash of Northwest Airlines flight 255 off of I-94. He was supposed to play volleyball with us that following Monday, and we wondered why he didnt show up, Sup added. The youngest was 4-month-old Katelyn Best, of Mesa, Arizona. They said they had no qualms about taking the same flight home. 30 years later: Flight 255 bonds victims' families. 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. Helios Airways Flight 522 was a scheduled passenger flight from Larnaca, Cyprus, to Prague, Czech Republic, with a stopover in Athens, Greece.Shortly after take-off on 14 August 2005, air traffic control (ATC) lost contact with the aircraft operating the flight, named Olympia; it eventually crashed near Grammatiko, Greece, killing all 121 passengers and crew on board. Sunday Services. Report No. DETROIT, Mich. (WJRT) - Tuesday marks 35 years since one of the worst airplane crashes in Michigan's history. 'Absurd:' Mother of Zion Foster blasts prison release of man who disposed her body into dumpster. Her incredible story started on August 16, 1987, when she was returning from a holiday with mum Paula, dad Michael and brother, David, six. The 25th anniversary of the Michigan crash will be commemorated by victims' families . We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. Crocker was interviewed a year ago and, for the first time since the crash, told documentary director Ky Dickens that she thinks about the crash all the time but does not fear flying. Two 12-year-olds flying alone also died in the crash. 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. The reason for the absence of electrical power could not be determined, according to the NTSB. Executive Summary: About 2046 eastern daylight time on August Along the way, they stopped for lunch and to buy some magazines. By Patrice Gaines-Carter and. The Rev. They knew little of what had happened beyond what appeared on the Northwest flight announcement screen: Canceled Flight. They had flown to Syracuse where they were from to have Katelyn baptized. I dont think Ill ever get that out of my mind, Thiede said at that milestone anniversary. They were in Monroe, Michigan, visiting family and friends the weekend of August 16, 1987 and were killed on the, They say they expect the film to be completed in September. It is a story of survival that defies belief. Winds light and variable. David watched Joanne board Continental Flight 657 and saw the plane taxi away. 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. The National Transportation Safety Board determined the crash probably was due to the crews failure to use a taxi checklist to ensure the flaps and slats were extended for takeoff. But in the aftermath of Flight 255's fiery end, there was the life of a 4-year-old girl who survived the crash. She lost her parents and her 6-year-old brother. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. I thought it was lightning and thunder at first. There were 155 people on the plane, including 148 passengers and six crew members. She understands that she was involved in an accident. But I . For those Downriver 35 years ago, such an event took place at Detroit Metropolitan Airport. On Thursday, at Sisk Park in the Sun Lakes community in Chandler near South Alma School and Riggs roads, Rosemarie Geiger Testa, the mother of Ron Geiger, 36, who was on the flight with his family, will hold a memorial picnic for family members and Geigers friends. Many Valley residents knew someone or know of someone who knew a person on that flight engineers who worked at General Motors Proving Grounds in Mesa; parishioners of St. Timothys Catholic Community church in Mesa; 18-year-old Benjamin Turner, the son of Pastor Dan Turner of St. Matthews Church in Mesa; and Nick Vanos, second-string center for the Phoenix Suns, to name a few. accounts, the history behind an article. No release date has been set yet. You have permission to edit this article. There's a name for Friedman and other relatives of Flight 255 victims. A British woman whose dad feared her flying is one of the first victims identified from the Ethiopian Airlines plane crash that claimed the lives of passengers and crew from 35 countries. The Associated Press contributed to this report. We saw a big ball of yellow flames roll down the street.. 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, . Rhett Bushong finally had it worked out. And nowhere does it live on stronger than in Cecelia, the miracle survivor of Flight 255. ROMULUS Twenty-five years after the worst aviation disaster in state history, the sole survivor of Northwest Flight 255 is sharing her story. 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. The aircraft was cleared for takeoff on Detroit Metro's runway 03C and began its takeoff roll. 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 . Report Date: May 10, 1988 He was traveling a lot and doing well. remembers professor killed in 1987 crash. Northwest flight 255 was preparing for takeoff on the evening In memory of the victims of the flight PS752 on the first anniversary of the plane crash. The jet was manufactured in 1981, entering service as a Republic Aircraft. That aircraft had started the day at John Wayne Airport, where crews cleaned and fueled it at dawn for the cross-country workout that followed. A Comair flight crashed 18 miles short of the airport on Jan. 9. Sup met Sullivan playing sand volleyball at Minder Binders near University and McClintock drives in Tempe in the early 1980s. Outside of Phoenix City Hall, there is a memorial containing the names of those who died on Northwest Flight 255. I turned around and went back to the truck, because it was just too hot., You ever seen one of those gory movies? Valasquez asked. Metro Airport. Copyright 2003 Flight 255 Memorial. August 16, 1987 . FAMILIES TELL OF FOREBODING. 2023 Getty Images. Only one person survived: Cecelia Cichan, who was 4 at the time. Twenty-nine passengers on board Flight 255 were under the age of 20. This undated photo made available by Deepak Jaiswal shows Deepak's younger brother Sonu Jaiswal, 25, who died in an air crash in Nepal on Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023. . The flight was meant to be a non-stop journey from Chicago to Los Angeles, but it never left the . 27 March 2015. He was running, so I threw my jacket on him, Valasquez said. There were a lot of bodies lying around, he said. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. 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. Flight 255, a McDonnell Douglas MD-82 aircraft, bound for Phoenix, Arizona, attempted to takeoff from Minneapolis-Saint Paul . She started to go on about it, and I said, Hidi, can this wait until youre home tonight? . Flight 255 crashed seconds after taking off from Detroit for Phoenix, killing 156 people, including 110 from Arizona, on Aug. 16, 1987. (Photo courtesy Tony Zanger). She now is one of 14 people who have been interviewed for the documentary Sole Survivor, which sought out people who are the only ones to live through major air crashes. NEW! Bound for Phoenix and continuing on to Orange Disclaimer: I must start out by saying that my heart goes out to the victims and their surviving friends and relatives. By that time, Kish had gone in another direction to search for survivors. She returned to the Northwest counter the next night, choosing a seat for the same flight with the same number. Cecelia suffered horrific injuries including a fractured skull, broken leg and collarbone and third-degree burns. It was the end of a two-week vacation to visit family in Michigan. When customers are seeking sparkly, unusual jewelry to brighten a loved ones special occasi, Salt River Project announces new general manager/CEO, Just after his first week of official practice, new transfer Jesse Miritello persuaded sever. About 200 family and friends from around the United States are expected to converge at the memorial in Romulus on Thursday to remember loved ones lost on that tragic day, possibly more than the amount of people who turned out for the 20th anniversary of the crash. That was it. eMail Her parents and brother were among the 154 on board the plane who died. The sole survivor of the crash: 4-year-old Cecelia Cichan (now Cecelia Crocker) formerly of Tempe. Two people on the . The black granite memorial was erected in 1994 and stands on a hill above the road where the passengers perished. They were in Monroe, Michigan, visiting family and friends the weekend of August 16, 1987 and were killed on the crash of Northwest Flight 255 in Romulus, Mich. returning home that evening. He wanted to go into sports medicine and attending Saddleback College was the first step, said his father, Reid Bushong, a science teacher at a Newport Beach middle school. Slats Cichan discussed the crash for "Sole Survivor," an upcoming documentary featuring stories of plane crash survivors. After an longer than normal roll, 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. KK: Tell us about the crash. Ten years ago Saturday, that But there would be plenty of time to call when the plane landed at Phoenix. When I look in the mirror, I have visual scars.. The two went together to have Lisas bridesmaids dress fitted. The men said the plane hit the ground about 50 feet behind their truck. All rights reserved. Mary Ann flew back Aug. 4 and Hidi wanted to return then, too, Mary Ann recalls. Among other victims were all five members of the William Best family of Mesa including the youngest 4-month-old Katelyn Best; all four members of the Ronald Geiger family of Gilbert; and all four members of the Donald Byelich family of Chandler. I took a couple of moments and just stood there, said Barton, 30. On 16 August 1987, shortly after takeoff from Detroit Metropolitan Airport, Northwest Airlines Flight 255 stalls and crashes just beyond the runway, killing . Now, officials say some trees planted at the site are being replaced. A memorial for the plane in Romulus was put up to remember and honor the victims. Bill and the children Teri, 11, and Scott, 16, were staying two more days. With 58 persones aboard the airplane plunged into the Pontchartrain-Sea. There were 283 passengers and 15 crew members aboard the Boeing-777. Date: August 16, 1987 Origins: The aftermath of . Cecelias grandfather identified her by her front chipped tooth and by the purple fingernail polish her grandmother had applied on her for the trip. But its better than nothing.. Today she is a happily and recently married 29-year-old. A financial consultant from Huntington Beach, she had been visiting her parents in the Arizona capital. He was not expected to start, but he had a chance of seeing lots of playing time. Among the 150 passengers and crew on board the crashed Germanwings flight were babies, exchange students, two . Dnausers.d-n-a.net 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. Dec 04, 2012 at 11:25 am. Now, sitting aboard Flight 255, he knew, and was anxious to fly home and get started. Neil Warrior, 47, a PR executive for Mazda Europe, and an unnamed Welsh woman were also on the flight. Winds light and variable.. 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. She had just checked her baggage at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport when the ticketing agent gave her the news: Flight 255 had crashed in Detroit. Now after three decades, a local first responder is paying tribute to the victims and . "We take our chairs, our cushions, and the whole gang goes, everbody." Images of Flight 255 still haunt Michigan And the plane was packed. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions. Her daughter had been out with friends at an amusement park on Lake Erie until 2:30 a.m., and her father was angry. As Joanne and David began to leave, her grandmother cried. Access the best of Getty Images and iStock with our simple subscription plan. Both died on Flight 255 that crashed in Romulus on Aug. 16, 1987. Be Truthful. to the aircraft takeoff warning system. Randy Ryckman, Santa Monica. The jet was manufactured in 1981, entering service as a Republic Aircraft. Don't Threaten. This Sole Survivor project is more about a group, and thats why Im willing to get involved and be part of something bigger.. 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. Two seconds later, we saw the smoke about two miles down., Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. I can see that site as it was. In Toledo, Ohio, a week ago today, Hidi Ratliff was eager to get home to Santa Ana and begin cheerleading practice. person will not be tolerated. She shunned the media, she said for the film, because: I feel it would be very individual about me. Gus Burns | fburns@mlive.com. Just to see her in person was something., Filmmaker Ky Dickens said: Cecelia is an astounding person, a humble observer and an inspiring example of how one can pick up their life after a tragedy.. Share with Us. Arlene Nelson, age 12, was from Detroit and Justin Keener, also 12, was from Scottsdale, Arizona. Contact Staff Writer Scott Held at 1-734-246-0865 or sheld@heritage.com. Airlines Flight 255, a McDonnell Douglas MD-82, crashed on takeoff Use the 'Report' link on (AP Photo/Dale Atkins). Luck--the explanation for the unexplainable twists and turns that spare some from disasters--was evident here, too. His 23-year-old brother, Michael, who lived in Phoenix, was in Monroe that weekend for his high school graduating class five-year reunion and Michaels fiancee, Hollins Langton, 26, was in town for their bridal shower. Tulare sheriff said a drug cartel, then backtracks. 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. Nevada funeral for pilot John Maus noted; co-pilot David Dodds' flight experience mentioned. Its like an empty hole that cant be filled. Her son was on board. Wow. Karl Sup, a computer software engineer for JDA Software in Scottsdale, remembers friend Mike Sullivan who was among 156 people killed in the crash of Northwest Flight 255 on August 16, 1987 as it . 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. takeoff from runway 3C at Detroit Metro Airport.. Its mostly on my mind because of the tight bond we developed with the Flight 255 families.. Of the 154 people on board Flight 255, 110 were from Arizona. ROMULUS, Mich. (AP) _ Horrified motorists who saw the crash of Northwest Airlines Flight 255 say they were turned away by heat and flames, unable to help victims of the nations second-deadliest air crash. Donald St. Germain, San Diego George Saunders, Rancho Palos Verdes Marla Scavia, La Mesa Dave Schmidt, Sacramento Ralph Schueler, Sacramento Four-year old Cecelia Cichan, the only survivor of Flight 255, is shown at the hospital days after the crash. Cecelia said that she had finally decided to open up about the crash because the film was a group project and thats why Im willing to get involved and be part of something bigger. 0. Flight 255 first responder releases song about famous crash: A message of grief and hope. Geocities.com/pilots MI Aircraft:MCDonnell Douglas DC-9-82, registration: N312RC Injuries: Some events are so traumatic they become seared into memory. Romulus Dee Murdy knew just after the plane crashed. There was not much we could do.. It was the nation's second-worst aviation disaster. In total, 154 people on their way to Phoenix died that day in Detroit on August 16, 1987. At least four Orange County-bound passengers on Flight 255 were scheduled to catch an earlier Continental flight from Detroit. Cecelia became known as the miracle child and her story captivated the world. The crew, in a hurry Its kind of hard not to think about it. Her remaining family moved her to Alabama. Seconds after taking off from Detroit Metropolitan-Wayne County Airport, the left wing of the plane clipped an Avis car rental business sign and was torn from the aircraft, sending the plane smashing to the ground and exploding into dozens of pieces as it skidded through an overpass. The family also set up a trust fund after she received more than $150,000 in donations. consultant to an aircraft company. Nineteen-year-old Jennifer Moy of nearby Detroit . We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions. The trip back on Flight 255 would add several thousand miles to his frequent flier plan for a free ticket. I remember what it was like that night. Within minutes, the plane began to roll from side to side just under 50 feet off the ground and nearly 2,800 feet past the end of the runway, the planes left wing struck a light pole at an airport rental car lot. Collect, curate and comment on your files. It isn't so, but that is how . Aircraft: McDonnell Douglas Super MD-80 (MD-82) Cecelia Crocker, nee Cichan, was the only survivor of Northwest Flight 255, which crashed after takeoff from Detroit Metropolitan Airport on Aug. 16, 1987. All 176 people on board the airliner died. Families of the 156, Home Nobody will ever replace her.. Kathy Best also had once saved the Weavers son by pulling him out of the Weavers family pool seconds after he fell in it. The teasing brought a smile to her grandmothers face, and they kissed. She will speak out about the crash for the first time in a forthcoming documentary, Sole Survivor, about the sole survivors of plane crashes. Cecelias aunt and uncle later raised her in Birmingham, Ala. and shielded her from the spotlight. They bought three souviakias, and ate one each. The names of all those who died are inscribed under a dove which holds a ribbon in its beak, inscribed with the words: Their spirit still lives on.. They had just bought their first home, a three-bedroom house in a quiet, woodsy El Toro neighborhood. Although pursued for interviews for years, it wasnt until 2013 that Cichan spoke publicly about the crash and losing her parents and brother in the wreckage.