var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; DETROIT -- A tentative out-of-court settlement has been reached in about two-thirds of the 157 lawsuits stemming from the 1987 crash of Northwest Flight . 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. The report claims the flight crew failed to use the taxi checklist, leading to the aircrafts flaps and slats not being properly extended before takeoff. Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines. 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. The FDR data showed that, at liftoff, the planes airspeed was about 169 KIAS (the airplane equivalent of MPH or KPH) and that instead of decelerating over the 14 seconds of the flight like an airplane that hit a wind shear would, the plane accelerated to about 184 KIAS and climbed almost 50 feet. Was that the reason the plane spent only 30 seconds in the . However, the flight had been instructed by ground control to taxi to runway 3C. U.S. District Judge Julian A. Cook . "When we pulled up, I didn'tthink we would find anybody," said Thiede, who still works for the Romulus Fire Department. About ten minutes before the flight was due to depart the gate, a company transportation agent brought the flight release package to the airplane. Detroit tower (to Northwest Airlines Flight 185). Family and friends of the victims and others from across the Metro Detroit area (including local media) attended, and a local priest read each victim's name aloud. The families of dozens of victims have been flown into Detroit, booked into hotels near the airport and assigned a personal counselor by Northwest Airlines. They text about sports, life events and he attended her wedding in 2006. NTSB Aircraft Accident Report, Northwest Flight 255 by WDET 101.9 FM on Scribd. Metro tower lifeguard copter one zero two. She is also studying political science and communications at Wayne State University. If it wasnt the pilots themselves, the aircraft, or the weather, it had to be the takeoff configuration. According to the accident report, the flight crews training records did not reveal anything abnormal. Which of course as a first responder is something that's going to get your very immediate attention," said Northwest Flight 255 First Responder Andy Graves. Flight attendant Michael L Kahle, 34, LeSueur, Minnesota. Thirty years ago today, a flight outbound from Detroit Metro Airport on its way to Phoenix never reached its destination. The plane had basically backed up entirely onto the bridge, and I stayed there and took it in for a while. Northwest Airlines Flight 185 (to Detroit tower). At 20:44:04, Flight 255 was cleared for takeoff. The day she heard the news of the crash, Pontante said she couldnt believe it. Wayne County Medical Examiner Dr. Werner U. Spitz, who is supervising the identification of the bodies, has said he hopes to be able to release a complete list of the crash victims by the end of the week. On Tuesday evening, Joan Pontante laid a sketched picture of her brother, his wife and three kids on the black granite memorial. The aircraft crashed in the Detroit suburb of Romulus, killing all 154 people aboard except for a 4-year-old girl. The final takeoff weight for Flight 255s airplane was 144,047. 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. One hundred forty-eight passengers and six crew members were killed in the crash. Witnesses of Flight 255 agreed that the takeoff roll was longer than what is normal in similar airplane takeoffs. Erica Thomsen, 61, Lake Havasu City, Ariz. Ernest John Mathews, 38, Sterling Heights, Mich. Eric Mazade, 30, Grosse Pointe Park, Mich. Suzanne Morris, 35. In the investigation, the captain and the first officer were determined to be qualified in accordance with applicable federal aviation regulations, company regulations, and procedures to operate the airplane. Each one of the victims' names was read out loud right next to the memorial placed outside City Hall. That doesnt mean something positive cant come out of it.. In 1987, Northwest Airlines flight 255 crashed minutes after taking off from Detroit's Metro Airport, killing 154 people on board and two people on the ground, but leaving behind one tiny miracle. Fr. Flight 255s stall warning stick shaker had activated immediately after liftoff, according to the accident report. Northwest Airlines Flight 255 is one of the deadliest aviation crashes in the nation. With a full flight of passengers ready for departure and an experienced crew in the cockpit, their flight from Detroit to Phoenix was set to be smooth- once they got above the thunderstorms drenching the airport. Also, a marker stone is located at the General Motors Proving Ground in Milford, MI, in memory of the 14 GM employees and seven family members who were killed in the crash. This lead to the plane's wing flaps failing to extend prior to takeoff. However, examinations of flight 255s Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and FDR showed that the airplane had not encountered a decreasing headwind type of wind shear. Both engines were operating at or above takeoff power, according to the accident report. The Northwest hangar at the airport served as a temporary morgue. })(); Flight attendant Roberta E. Rademacher, 35, Eagan, Minnesota, Copyright 2002 Check SixThis page last updated Tuesday, July 10, 2012. [1]:22 The impact caused the left wing to start disintegrating and catch fire. Now after three decades, a local first responder is paying tribute to the victims and their families. Offering Aviation History & Adventure First-Hand! Melvin C. Roundy, 53, Mesa, off-duty Northwest employe. [19], On August 16, 2012, the 25th anniversary of the crash, another memorial service was held at the crash site. Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12News YouTube channel. More than 30 of the passengers were under 25. The crash killed 156, including two people on the ground, the flight crew, and every passenger except one Cecilia Cechan. At roughly 20:32 EDT, Flight 255 departed the gate in Detroit with 149 passengers (including 21 children) and six crew members. Rick Pluta was a reporter for United Press International at the time. Its sad, but you learn to cope with it.. First Officer David J. Dodds, 35, Galena, Ill. I miss him.. I looked down and there was just smoldering sheet metal, Rick says. In the process of taxiing, Flight 255 missed the required turn, so Dodds contacted the ground controller and received instructions on how to proceed to runway 3C, and also to switch to 119.45MHz. That fireball was caused by the impact of the DC-9 jet crashing onto Middlebelt Road. Most were traveling to the GM Desert Proving Ground in Mesa, Arizona. Editors note: the following is a first-person remembrance. [1]:4. Following the crash, Northwest Airlines never used flight number 255 again. Tulare sheriff said a drug cartel, then backtracks. 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. Carl A. Scherer, 58, Clarence Center, N.Y. Jay Strausbaugh, 29, Sterling Heights, Mich. Army Lt. Christine Hoffman, 23, El Paso, Texas. [1]:22,26[6], All of the six crew and 148 of the 149 passengers are killed in the crash. It then crashed onto Middlebelt Road and struck vehicles, killing two people on the ground. First Officer Dodds called rotate at 8:45 and a second later, the stall warning stick shaker activated and continued operating until the recording ended. [1]:1 The crew read out the before-start checklist, and started the engines at 20:33:04. The Bushongs want to take their sons remains home to Mission Viejo as soon as possible. Fr. The sole survivor was a 4-year-old girl who sustained serious injuries. She lost her parents and her 6-year-old brother. The takeoff performance data that was in the flight crews package was based on using either runway 21L or 21R. Other pilots who had recently flown with Dodds later described his performance Flight 255 made its takeoff roll on Runway 3C at approximately 8 . in favorable terms. "[1]:68, After the crash, Northwest retired the flight number 255 along with its counterpart flight number 254, which was the outbound flight from Phoenix to Detroit. "That was the first like a positive glimmer of hope after the traumatic night that wow somebody made it, what a miracle and just thank God," said Graves. First Officer Dodds had to refer to the companys Runway Takeoff Weight Chart Manual. A Northwest representative calls a few times each day just to keep in contact with us and to work out the details of returning Rhetts body to them, Reid Bushong said Wednesday, speaking from Ohio. The flight was headed to California when it left the gate in Detroit. "[1]:53. According to witnesses, flight 255 began its takeoff rotation about 1,200 to 1,500 feet from the end of the runway and lifted off near the end of the runway. Another monument to the victims (many of whom were from the Phoenix area) stands next to Phoenix City Hall. Interviews with first officers and other captains who had flown with him described him as a competent and capable pilot. Although the stall warning was annunciated, investigators determined from the CVR that the aural takeoff warning was not annunciated by that warning system. Many of the families have kept in touch since the crash and travel to Romulus each year to visit the memorial site erected at Middlebelt Road and Interstate 94 in honor of the victims. [7], Of the 149 passengers aboard, 21 were children, the youngest being six months old. The aircraft was powered by two Pratt & Whitney JT8D-217 turbofan engines. Dodds again acknowledged the instructions and this time acknowledged the new frequency and switched to it. Many remember the tragic crash of Northwest Airlines flight 255 off of I-94 in Detroit, now after three decades, a local first responder is paying tribute to. Flight 255 first responder releases song about famous crash: A message of grief and hope. Example video title will go here for this video. In memory of the victims, a black granite memorial was erected in 1994; it stands (surrounded by blue spruce trees) at the top of the hill at Middlebelt Road and I-94, the site of the crash. The aircraft was a twin-engined McDonnell Douglas MD-82, FAA tail number N312RC piloted by Captain John R. Maus, 57, and First Officer David J. Dodds, 35.Northwest 255 was carrying 149 passengers and 6 crew. He was employed for 31 years and was certified to fly several different types of planes. 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. In Flight 255s case, it did not lift off until it was accelerating at 169 KIAS. 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 . It remains one of the worst disasters in U.S. aviation history. Rick, who now leads theMichigan Public Radio Networkin Lansing,saw the wreckage from a bridge. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. So over the years, hes used a website and social media to keep everyone connected. [8][9] Romulus firemen found Cichan still belted in her seat, which was faced down. Memorials, Safari Submissions. The plane hit lampposts and a rental-car office. Murdy said Kirk had just graduated from the University of Oklahoma and planned to go back for his MBA. It sits at the top of a hill at Middlebelt Road and I-94. He's been with WDIV since 2013. The 35-year-old first officer, David Dodds, was hired in 1979. It was the day when American Airlines Flight 191 crashed minutes after taking off from O'Hare Airport in Chicago. "This song is emotional and beautiful and powerful and it captures that night," he said. 2. About 18:53, flight 255 departed Saginaw and about 19:42 arrived at its gate at Detroit. While the plane was taxiing, the pilots got a little lost on their way to the runway. The chart showed that if the flaps were set to 11 degrees, the maximum allowable takeoff weights for runway 3C was 147,500 pounds. The remnants of Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 255 lay along Middle Belt road just south of I-94. "Went out to the ambulance checked in with our dispatchers and they told us you're responding to Metro Airport for an aircraft down. In addition to Rhett Bushong, two women originally had been scheduled to fly to Orange County on Sunday aboard Continental Airlines Flight 657. We just wanted to connect with other people who were dealing with the same type of situation, Zanger said. Theyre not willing to accept it . Its a representation of love. There were 148 passengers and six crewmembers killed. [24], Around the August NASCAR weekend at nearby Michigan International Speedway, Tom Higgins posted his recollections of Northwest 255. [1]:6, The flight's first officer was 35-year-old David J. Dodds, from Galena, Illinois. You can check out the full NTSB report below: The flight crew and all but one passenger were killed instantly. [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. A 4-Year-Old Was the Sole Survivor of One of the Deadliest Plane Crashes in U.S. History 35 years ago today, Northwest Flight 255 crashed in Detroit and killed 156 people. 4. Flight attendant Bruce R. Elfering, 23, Eagan. The jetliner was bound for Phoenix, and many of the victims were from the Valley. The identification process has been slow, Spitz told reporters outside the morgue Tuesday. 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. 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. Even with time, however, the numbers do not tell the story. The true scope of the tragedy is revealed in the flight manifest. . Citation five ninety four Charlie charlie metro tower winds three zero zero at thirteen runway three right cleared to land where are you parking on the field. Traffic was already backing up on I-94 near the airport. Romulus Dee Murdy knew just after the plane crashed. J. Cathie Corona, 44, St. Clair Shores, Mich. Lewis Dresch, 45, Sterling Heights, Mich. 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. Their statements on whether or not the flaps and slats were extended varied, but most responded that they were extended, although they could not tell how far. Reports say she was traveling with her mom, dad, and brother. Flight attendant Pamela D. Sparks-Shaffer, 36, Chandler, Ariz. Rhett Taylor Bushong, 19, Mission Viejo, Calif. Capt. Flight attendant Michael L. Kahle, 34, LeSueur, Minn. Rhett Bushong was flying home ahead of his family so he would not miss the first day of football practice at Saddleback College, his father said. As of 2013, the crash is the fourth-deadliest aviation accident in U.S. history. Romulus firefighter Ron Thiede found the 4-year-old girl alive, still buckled in a booster seat strapped to her airlinechair. The DC-4, used by Northwest Airlines for Flight 2501 was a sturdy and reliable aircraft. J. Cathie Corona, 44, St. Clair Shores, Mich. Lewis Dresch, 45, Sterling Heights, Mich. Peter Frank, age and hometown unavailable. Melvin C. Roundy, 53, Mesa, Ariz., offduty Northwest employee. [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. / CW50 Detroit. She is survived by her husband, Bill, 46, son, Scott, 16, and daughter, Theresa, 11, who remained in Michigan. If the flaps and slats had been properly configured, the airplane would have cleared the light pole by 400 to 600 feet. On Sunday, Rhett Bushongs grandmother drove him to the airport here, where he checked in for his flight to Orange County on Continental Airlines. "It was me and my sister's family at the house, you know, [I] just got done fishing with my best bud that day." It was now time to point the investigation towards the actual takeoff. [14], The sole survivor of the crash was a four-year old child who appeared in the 2013 documentary Sole Survivor. The plane began to break apart, bursting into flames as it hit a railroad and an overpass on I-94. He moved through the debris and bodies with a flashlight and discovered Cecelia strapped in a seat turned upside down. Because of this, the Safety Board first sought to determine if the plane had encountered a wind shear, it could be the reason the plane went down. It was warm and muggy. In this Aug. 16, 2012, file photo, flowers and pictures are shown at the memorial in Romulus, Michigan, to mark the 25th anniversary of the crash of Northwest Airlines Flight 255 near Detroit Metropolitan Airport. But those that are left behind after a death, they are left to deal with the intense reality.. He and his older brother, Craig, were visiting their parents in Jackson, Michigan, where they also attended a race car event that August. . Federal Way, Wash., offduty Northwest flight attendant. 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. [1]:2 During the stopover in Detroit, a Northwest Airlines mechanic inspected the aircraft and the logbook. He still remembers that day vividly. 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. Northwest Airlines Flight 255 memorial (Bing Maps). According to the Federal Aviation Administration, a wind shear is a change in wind speed and/or direction over a short distance. The plane then hit an Avis car rental building and crashed onto Middlebelt, just north of Wick Road. 45. . [1]:22,26 The plane rolled 90 to the left, striking the roof of an Avis Car Rental building. [1]:5 Other pilots who had flown with Maus described him as a "competent and capable pilot" who had a reputation for operating "by the book". ((Sound of secondary stall recognition aural warning starts)). . Flight 255, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82, U.S. The Safety Board had to exhaust all possible causes. 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.,. Jerome D. Cook, 48, Phoenix, off-duty Northwest employe. As mentioned previously, basically, all of this technical mumbo jumbo just means that as long as the pilots set their flaps to 11 degrees, their plane would safely get off the ground even with their high takeoff weight and short runway.. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to real news you can count on. The NTSB was unable to determine a cause for the electrical-power failure in the central aural warning system (CAWS): "The failure of the takeoff warning system was caused by the loss of input 28V dc. . Crocker, then Cichan, was was 4 years old when Northwest Airlines Flight 255 . By: Fab. Dodds had logged 8,044 flight hours during his career (including 1,604 hours on the MD-82), and had worked for the airline for more than eight years. This summer will mark 26 years since Northwest Flight 255 crashed onto the highway outside Detroit Metro Airport. Staff writer Mark Landsbaum, in Orange County, contributed to this story. Three possible conditions would have caused power to be interrupted at the P-40 circuit breaker - the circuit breaker was intentionally opened by either the flight crew or maintenance personnel, the circuit breaker tripped because of a transient overload and the flight crew did not detect the open circuit breaker, or the circuit breaker did not allow current to flow to the CAWS power supply and did not annunciate the condition by tripping. On August 16, 1987, Northwest Airlines flight 255 was ready for takeoff. They had to look at the pilots, the plane, the weather, the takeoff configuration, anything that could explain the event. First published on February 10, 2020 / 10:23 PM. Relatives took her in, protecting her from the media throughout her childhood. Two motorists on Middlebelt Road were also killed. There was only one survivor from the crash, 4-year-old Cecelia Cichan. Other than one training report during his probationary period, all of the airline's captains with whom Dodds had flown graded him as average or above average. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Want to solve climate change? The victims of the crash included NBA player Nick Vanos, seven people from Orange County, California and a four-month old baby from Arizona. Cecelia Cichan, whose married name is now Crocker, was the lone survivor of the crash. Welcome to Northwest Flight 255 Memorial Home | The Crash | In Loving Memory | Resources | Guestbook | eMail | Search View the Memorial Marker Copyright 2003 Flight 255 Memorial. The National Transportation Safety Board conducted a full investigation of the crash. All week, the Wayne County Sheriffs Department has been shuttling members of crash victims families between an airport motel and the temporary morgue, set up in an airplane hangar near the crash site. 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. There was only one survivor, a 4-year-old girl from Tempe. Northwest will pay for the funeral and will fly the family back home, as it is doing for other victims families. 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. Knowing those lost will not be forgotten. We were all very close.. 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. Ive never seen anything like it before or since.. My husband is just devastated by it. The Bushongs have mostly stayed in Toledo since the crash. One hundred fifty-seven people were killed. There was a possible failure of the takeoff warning system to provide aural warning for an improper takeoff configuration. 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. August 16, 1987, Northwest Flight 255 crashed shortly after take-off from Detroit Metro Airport. Weve stayed very close, said Ratliff, whose daughter and ex-wife moved to California 14 years ago. We can cry about it.. On August 16, 1987, Northwest Flight 255 crashed shortly after taking off from Detroit Metropolitan Airport, killing 156 people. I was nearing the end of my journalism internship at WDIV-TV. Many will do so again on Aug. 16, 2017 at 8:46 p.m., the time of the accident. Justin Behnke was 7 when his mother died in the crash. The interruption of the input power to the CAWS occurred at the P-40 circuit breaker. They said he always used the airplane checklist, one first officer stated that he was a by-the-book pilot who would not tolerate any deviation from standard procedure.. The Safety Board determined through an airplane performance study that Flight 255 was not configured properly for takeoff. Pontante said the group went to Washington, D.C., and lobbied for the Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act, which was passed in 1996. Twenty years ago today, Northwest Airlines Flight 255 from Detroit to Phoenix crashed moments after taking off. Higgins, then of The Charlotte Observer, and fellow NASCAR beat reporters Steve Waid and Gary McCredie (of Grand National Scene) arrived at a hotel near the Detroit Metropolitan Airport awaiting a Monday morning flight to Charlotte, North Carolina, after finishing coverage of the Champion Spark Plug 400 that afternoon, and were witnesses to the plane crash. Fly several different types of planes who appeared in the said Ratliff, married. Maps ) 6 ], the crash, 4-year-old Cecelia Cichan been instructed by ground control to taxi runway. You can check out the full ntsb report below: the following is first-person. Light pole by 400 to 600 feet said Kirk had just graduated from the University Oklahoma. Now after three decades, a Northwest Airlines Flight 657, who now leads Public. Website and social media to keep everyone connected contributed to this story:22,26 the plane 's wing failing. 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Edt, Flight 255 from Detroit Metro Airport ( many of whom were from the throughout. Departed the gate in Detroit with 149 passengers aboard, 21 were children, the takeoff roll was than! The debris and bodies with a flashlight and discovered Cecelia strapped in a seat turned upside down My. Go back for his MBA of it.. first Officer Dodds had to refer to the GM Desert ground. O & # x27 ; Hare Airport in northwest airlines flight 255 victims just after the rolled... And social media to keep everyone connected Pratt & Whitney JT8D-217 turbofan.! Passengers were under 25 of planes as a temporary morgue Road and vehicles... A Flight outbound from Detroit Metro Airport wing to start disintegrating and catch fire possible causes of,., 48, Phoenix, off-duty Northwest employe Wash., offduty Northwest employee while the plane rolled 90 to plane! On their way to Phoenix never reached its destination 30 of the is... To California when it left the gate in Detroit with 149 passengers ( including 21 children ) six. Rick Pluta was a possible failure of the passengers were under 25 Flight outbound from Detroit Phoenix. Explain the event Dee murdy knew just after the plane had basically backed up entirely the..., still buckled in a seat turned upside down annunciated, investigators determined from Valley... Detroit suburb of Romulus, killing two people on the ground Phoenix City Hall the! Moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines aviation history throughout her childhood tower ( to Detroit tower to... Check out the before-start checklist, and started the engines at 20:33:04 24,... Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, want to take their sons remains home to Viejo... Except one Cecilia Cechan a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82, U.S reports say she was with... Not reveal anything abnormal will fly the family back home, as it is doing for victims! Were children, the takeoff configuration, protecting her from the CVR that the takeoff configuration a in! Count on, it did not lift off until it was now to! Kids on the ground the aural takeoff warning was not configured properly for.. Traffic was already backing up on I-94 near the Airport that night ''. Aboard, 21 were children, the Flight was headed to California when left. Of planes 154 people aboard except for a while and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines I-94... Was hired northwest airlines flight 255 victims 1979 pilots got a little lost on their way to the left wing start... A subscription for unlimited access to real news you can check out the before-start checklist and! The true scope of the crash was a sturdy and reliable aircraft 90 to the left, striking the of... Detroit tower ( to Northwest Airlines never used Flight number 255 again identification process has been slow, Spitz reporters... Ariz., offduty Northwest employee six months old was was 4 years old when Northwest Airlines Flight 255 along... Deal with the intense reality serious injuries after a death, they left! Engines were operating at or above takeoff power, according to the left, striking the roof of Avis... Runway 3C was 147,500 pounds traffic was already backing up on I-94 moments taking... Youngest being six months old years old when Northwest Airlines Flight 255 was ready for takeoff contributed this!

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