Kenneth Watson, 45, Nampa, Idaho, critical but stable. A National Transportation Safety Board investigation concluded the plane wasn't sufficiently deiced before takeoff. (Credit NASA) Confusion and delays NTSB investigators discovered that the fatal blow to Continental 1713 was ice contamination which was not removed prior to take-off. Fatalities From Flight 1713 | AP News However, investigators were reported to be focusing on a number of possible factors: --The weather. [1] [4] [5] Notable victims [ edit] Several famous passengers were among the dead, including: Former world lightweight boxing champion Carlos Cruz, his wife and their two children. Continental has since boosted its minimum-experience standards for pilots - the biggest reform to spring from the tragedy. So I wanted to sit in the back with my secretaries so they could take notes and type it up for me," Tom Allegrezza recalled. Some of those passengers were able to disentangle others from seat belts or wreckage. . He returned to a new job at the college in January: assistant to the president. I didnt feel any slipping or sliding or buffeting down the runway, Helpenstell said. '', He distributed a report from the FAA that said setting a 20-minute limit, ''is not considered in the best interest of flight safety,'' because it might encourage flight crews to always wait 20 minutes for an inspection after de-icing when sometimes ''ice may form in a much shorter period.''. Linck, who was leaving on a hunting trip to Idaho, said he was pinned for about an hour, and part of the time talked with a girl who was pinned beneath him. Air Lines Flight A survivor of a 1987 Continental Airlines crash has been awarded slightly more than $800,000 in damages, about half what Continental officials say she was offered in an out-of-court settlement. Survivors were taken to Denver-area hospitals, where three were in critical condition today. Investigators interviewed eight of the Continental survivors and several people who saw the crash from a United Airlines jet landing on the next runway. He had 12,125 hours of flight experience, but only 166 hours on the DC-9, or "in type." Web22 Continental Flight 1713 Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images FILTERS CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO 22 Continental Flight 1713 Premium High It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Continental Airlines Flight 1713". I thought I was going to die. The aircraft went up about 100 feet before it turned upside down and landed on its roof, according to Tom Allegrezza. DENVER, NOV. 16 -- Dr. Fred Helpenstell spent the first 10 seconds certain he would die. Continental Airlines Flight 1713 was a commercial airline flight that crashed while taking off in a snowstorm from Stapleton International Airport in Denver, Colorado, on The Douglas DC-9 airliner, operated by Continental Airlines, was making a scheduled flight to Boise, Idaho. "We slide for a quarter-mile upside down. . It is not in use anywhere else. He suffered hypothermia, despite rescuers attempts to warm trapped passengers with auxiliary power units. The boxes, one called a cockpit voice recorder and the other a flight data recorder, are expected to provide the NTSB with the conversations in the cockpit and data about the planes performance in the final seconds before the crash. Continental spokesman Bruce Hicks said the two surviving flight attendants from the five-member crew ignored their own injuries to help passengers in the aftermath of the disaster. [7], The NTSB investigated the accident. Much of the testimony is expected to focus on the relative inexperience of the pilot and co-pilot, and on the weather. WebSurvivors: 54: Continental Airlines Flight 1713 was a commercial airline flight that crashed while taking off in a snowstorm from Stapleton International Airport in Denver, The pounding he took in the Continental Airlines crash in Denver two years ago today has erased a full month from his consciousness. survival-factors group is trying to piece together its own a seating chart. Daniel and his lawyer, David Comstock of Boise, admit to being exasperated by the legal meanderings. Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is Copyright 2009-2022, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. DENVER (AP) _ Here are the people who died as a result of the crash of Continental Flight 1713, based on information provided by the airline, the Denver Department of Health and Hospitals and the Denver County Coroners Office: Capt. (The airline had erroneously said Sunday that the flight had come from Oklahoma City.). Agency Seeks Data. FLIGHT ATTENDANT TESTIFIES SHE TOLD PILOT One flight attendant, Diana Mechling, 33, died in the crash; two other flight attendants survived. https://www.nytimes.com/1987/11/23/us/rear-passengers-survived-air-crash.html. "I've made it through an air crash.". Frank Zvonek, 43, 18-year Continental pilot, Carlsbad, CVR - Continental Airlines Flight 1713 (Loss of control) (1987) [1] Combined with the effects of ice on the wing, the high climb rate caused the plane's left wing to stall and the plane to begin rolling over. I can remember saying to the guy next to me, Weve had it, something like that, Linck said, and smack. The crash killed 28 people. The NTSB said Bruecher, who had only 36 hours of flight time in a DC-9, was at the controls when the plane took off. More than half of the survivors were only slightly injured, and 21 were able to walk away. The girl, he said, was concerned about getting enough air. Helpenstell could hear screams and cries of distress from some passengers, while others prayed quietly. Engelhardt, of Denver, was released from the hospital Monday but asked not to be disturbed. Continental Airlines Flight 1713 was a commercial airline flight which crashed while taking off in a snowstorm from Stapleton International Airport in Denver, The cause of the crash is under investigation, but many survivors and witnesses say the plane veered wildly to the right and then to the left before crashing. Flight 1713 was operated using a 21-year old McDonnell Douglas DC-9-14, a twin-engined, narrow-body jet airliner with the registration number N626TX. Helpenstell had been flying home from his father's funeral when the DC9 jetliner cartwheeled seconds after takeoff and skidded, almost upside down, for a quarter-mile on the ground. Twenty-eight people lost their lives on Nov. 15, 1987. Tom Allegrezza, 45, Meridian, Idaho, serious. Allegrezza, a chiropractor from Boise, Idaho, was the first of the 54 surviving passengers to be interviewed by safety board investigators. United Airlines All Rights Reserved, SCARS REMAIN FROM DENVER DC-9 CRASH 2 YEARS LATER. [4], At the time of the accident on Sunday afternoon, the National Weather Service was reporting moderate wet snow at Stapleton International Airport. On Nov. 15, 1987, a Boise-bound DC-9 jetliner flipped and crashed shortly after takeoff at the busy Denver airport. The last survivor was removed from the wreckage four hours after the crash. He was thrown from the plane into a snowbank, where his burning clothing was extinguished. It broke into three large chunks of metal and slid a quarter-mile down the runway. Fifty-four people survived. But a split-second later, he said, the plane began to tilt sharply to the right. Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. [5] At 13:03, Flight 1713 taxied from its gate to the deicing pad; unfortunately, air traffic controllers were not aware that Flight 1713 had departed the gate because the flight crew had done so without first requesting taxi clearance. The crash was the subject of episode 10, season 18 of Mayday, titled "Dead of Winter". Anyone can read what you share. 'Fog of bees' briefly interrupts PGA Tour's Mexico Open. The dead included a 3-year-old and a 6-month-old, both of whom had been riding on the laps of adult passengers. Dr. Fred Helpenstell, 56, Nampa, Idaho, released. Frank B. Zvonek, 42, Continental pilot, Carlsbad, Calif. First Officer Lee Edward Bruecher, 26, Houston, Texas. Times researcher Dallas Jamison contributed to this story. Some were screaming, but most people were real calm - just waiting their turns to get out.. The crash was observed by passengers on a Continental flight that was returning to Denver from a Las Vegas, Nev., convention of psychiatrists. Continental spokesmen would not say where the survivors had been seated in the plane. Burnett recalled that the FAA had rejected the suggestion, ''and we reconsidered and concurred. Douglas Fels of Kennewick, Wash., suffered only cuts and bruises after being ejected, still strapped in his seat. As he emerged into the arms of a fireman, he began to realize how fortunate he was. Eventually, they cut a hole in the side of the plane beside him and slid him out feet first. The tragic crash killed Airline officials confirmed that the DC-9 was briefly airborne before it veered off the slushy runway and slammed into a shallow gully. Everyone tried to find the exit door and they couldnt. Anthony Nasballah, Jacksonville, Fla., age unknown. I found that if I could disconnect and think about how Thanksgiving would be, or something in the future, that would help. Watson recently joined the majority of survivors in accepting a settlement offer from the airline's insurance carrier. WebThe aircraft then descended until it hit the sea about two miles south of the airport. "My mind got banged around, and it left me different. Fifty-four survived. Two years after Continental Airlines flight 1713 crashed while on take-off at Denver's Stapleton International Airport killing 28 people, memories among survivors still are vivid and their hearts and minds still are healing. Everyone was afraid of a fire, she said. April 28 (UPI) -- A lost dog in Northern Ireland was found 26 days later after walking more than 40 miles to the home of his former owners. Two of the 54 survivors were Tom and Jennifer Allegrezza. After an eerie, stunned silence, the screams began. April 28 (UPI) -- A South Carolina woman won a $300,000 prize from a scratch-off lottery ticket just three years after winning a $250,000 lottery jackpot. The cabin crew consisted of three flight attendants. Continental Airlines Flight 1713 - Alchetron, the free social Reporting on early interviews and the first examination of the wreckage, Burnett acknowledged that the first order of business will include exploring suspicions such as those expressed by Allegrezza that the crash was caused by ice buildup on the wings, a phenomenon aviators call ''leading edge accretion.''. A lot of people were screaming. We have one rule in our house and it's 'Do the right thing.' The tragic crash killed 28 people, and 54 people survived. There were no survivors among the 97 passengers and five crew members on board. He said he was wedged between the wall of the plane on his right side and another trapped passenger on his left. [14] [15] Investigators likewise determined that First Officer Bruecher was at the controls at the time of the accident. There was a big gasp on our flight, he said. [1] It was originally delivered to Air Canada in May 1966 and sold to Texas International Airlines in 1968, where it served the majority of its service until Texas International was acquired by Continental in 1982. But Laura Hobbs, of Eagle, Idaho, survived with minor injuries despite flying out of the plane and sliding along the snowy runway, still strapped into her seat. Boise was selected because most of the victims were from the Boise area. The captain, the first officer, one flight attendant and 11 of the passengers died from blunt trauma. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. As survivors struggle to heal bodies and minds, a liability tug-of-war drags on, possibly for years to come. "I thought, my Lord," he said today. . 'After you've been through one (crash), you sometimes think you're all alone with your feelings. Copyright 2023 Deseret News Publishing Company. Get the day's top news with our Today's Headlines newsletter, sent every weekday morning. And legal battles continue. John Galipault, founder of the Aviation Safety Institute, said the front of an airplane hits first in most crashes. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) characterized the crash as "nonsurvivable". But he said seat selection is unimportant because fire often spreads throughout an airplane after a crash. Continental Airlines Flight 1713 Explained 25 people died while the other 52 survived. Twenty-one passengers were able to walk out of the wreckage, and were treated for shock. He made five flights before he had to stop because of the terrible nightmares. "I feel guilty because people died. . ''All I know is that the middle took it the worst,'' Mr. Benzon said. 'It was my idea, but Mom and Dad have done most of the work because they live in Boise.'. Continental Airlines, Inc., Flight 1713 McDonnell Douglas DC-9 S.C. woman wins $300,000 lottery prize -- her second jackpot in 3 years. I can see the pilot and I want to take control. He said McDonnell Douglas Corp., maker of the planes, has issued warnings that these planes are more prone to ice buildup because they lack slats that were installed in later models to prevent that problem. DENVER For two hours after the crash of Flight 1713, Dr. Tom Allegrezza sat upside down, strapped into his seat, while jet kerosene fuel dripped down on his clothing and soaked the blanket firefighters had provided to keep him warm during their rescue effort. But the pilot was among the dead, and an airline employe who had talked to a survivor said most passengers near the front of the plane also had died. Josephine Bliss Glynn, 51, Kansas City, Mo.] Patti Halford, 27, Boise, Idaho, released. [1] According to the aircraft's manufacturer, even a modest amount of ice contamination on the upper wing could impair the lifting performance of the wings and lead to loss of roll and pitch control. Dr. Ron Semlow of Troy, Mich., said he looked out the window and saw the other plane somersault. Paschkov was uninjured but suffered shock, and Melissa was in fair condition, being tested for internal injuries. [1], The NTSB also determined that First Officer Bruecher's poor performance during takeoff had likely contributed to his loss of control of the airplane. As the DC-9 skidded, the left side was tilted over and the tail was inverted; this action caused the middle part of the DC-9 to compress and crush many of the passengers on board. "When I got back to the present and started thinking about things, that was kind of scary.". And so, as far as it shaped me who I am because Im just glad to be here more than anything.". [1] Not kept properly informed of Flight 1713s position, the air traffic controllers tried repeatedly to have different planes take off, leaving Flight 1713 standing in the falling snow for several minutes and opening the airliner to the risk of "wing contamination" by ice. Flight attendant Diana Mechling, 33, Aurora, Colo. Anthony Nasrallah, 2 1/2 , Jacksonville, Fla. Peter Nasrallah, 6 months, Jacksonville, Fla. Herman A. Klaassen, 53, Mountain Home, Idaho. Revisiting the crash of Flight 1713 UPI NewsFeature The haunting memories of Continental 1713, Carolyn Holly reports on 1987 Denver-Boise crash, Pre-crash photos of the airliner at airliners.net, Continental Airlines, Inc., Flight 1713, McDonnell Douglas DC-9-14, N626TX, Stapleton International Airport, Denver, Colorado, November 15, 1987, Registration Details for N626TX (Continental Air Lines) DC-9-14 - PlaneLogger, Continental pilot, co-pilot were inexperienced, Plane Crashes in Snow at Denver; 26 of the 82 Aboard Are Killed, Inquiry Into Denver Jet Crash Looks at Possible Ice Buildup, Rescue Coordinator Testifies In Continental Crash Hearing, Airline Says Several Errors Caused Crash Fatal to 28, U.S. Panel Lays Denver Air Crash To Failure to De-ice Second Time, Pilot in Denver Air Crash Had Failed 3 Flight Exams, http://www.aviationexplorer.com/audio/delta_1141.wav. [1] Investigators also concluded that enough wet snow landed on Flight 1713 after deicing was complete to melt and dilute the deicing fluid, which allowed ice to reform on the wings. BIOG: Burnett also raised questions Tuesday night about whether the pilot and copilot of the ill-fated jet had enough experience to have been assigned to the flight. Some passengers on Flight 1713 were thrown from the plane by the impact. James Marria, 38, Boise, Idaho, critical. See the latest news from around the Treasure Valley and the Gem State in our YouTube playlist: Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. I never passed out. Chicago mayor calls on Texas to cease sending migrants to the city, Daughter of Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Shaquil Barrett drowns in family pool, First Republic Bank seized by regulators, sold to JPMorgan Chase, Florida Panthers rally past Boston Bruins for NHL playoff series upset, SpaceX Falcon Heavy launches following aborted mission, delays. and there was a thump--not a violent thing--and then it lurched to the left in the same way, the Idaho surgeon said. He spent the next 10 hours wondering why he hadn't. Continental Airlines Flight 1713 - Infogalactic: the planetary Or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to real news you can count on. Continental Airlines Flight 1713 | Detailed Pedia Some witnesses reported a brief fire on-board as the plane crashed, although the NTSB said that none of the victims suffered burns. Passengers, Witnesses Recall "Fireball" Crash of Continental The NTSB concluded that a build-up of ice on the wings of Flight 1713 had contaminated the surfaces of both of the wings prior to departure, based on reports from surviving passengers that they had seen "patches" of ice on the wings after deicing was complete. Robert Linck, 60, Green Pond, N.J., fair. Helpenstell, who was returning from his fathers funeral, was wedged into a fetal position for what seemed like an eternity in temperatures that plunged below freezing. Linck said a fireball erupted through the passenger compartment about five seconds after takeoff and the plane pitched wildly out of control. He doesn`t know what caused his night of terror aboard Continental Airlines Flight 1713. "I haven't found a way to put it out of my mind," said Dave Daniel, a Melba High School teacher, who lost his wife in the wreckage. Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. With his parents, Vermeulen is promoting a first anniversary memorial service at the First Presbyterian Church in Boise on Nov. 15 to remember the 28 victims. Two other survivors, Robert Linck, 60, of Green Pond, N. J., and Laura Hobbs, 20, of Eagle, Ida., also told dramatic stories on Monday. WebDead of Winter (Season 18, Episode 10), featuring Continental Airlines Flight 1713. A U.S. District Court jury deliberated three days before awarding $779,000 to Karen Johnson of Boise, Idaho, plus $21,700 for her husband, Bob The flight was headed for Boise, Idaho, when the crash occurred in a severe snowstorm. The decision found the airlines guilty of "reckless misconduct" but innocent of gross negligence. The plane sat on the ground 27 minutes after being de-iced, although Continental's policy requires de-icing every 20 minutes. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. He said she was rescued first and he never learned her name. Last year at this time, survivors and their families assembled for a memorial service in a Boise church. [3] The first officer was 26-year-old Lee Edward Bruecher, hired by Continental four months earlier; he had previously flown for Rio Airways[3] and passed his initial proficiency check in the DC-9 in mid-September. Both airport officials and survivors, including Helpenstell, said the twin-engine DC-9 appeared to accelerate down Runway 35-Left and lift off normally. The plane crashed during takeoff Sunday, killing 26 people and injuring 56. Paschkov said her seat and others became unbolted so that when the plane came to a stop upside down she was seated right side up while her daughter was hanging upside down. U.S. District Judge Sherman Finesilver held that all but a few more recently filed cases were bound by Johnson's "exemplar" judgment, and thus could not seek punitive damages. Caldwell police arrest New Jersey man suspected of sexually assaulting teen, 'It was a real surprise': Eagle Senior Center Inc. frustrated with city's decision to terminate lease, Record heat continues with isolated t-storms, then cooler by Friday, Flood watch in effect for portions of southeast Idaho, Wood River Foothills, 1 dead at site of small plane crash near Snoqualmie Pass, Plane crashes into building near Milan; all 8 aboard die, Remembering 9/11 through the eyes of three Idahoans. I came very close to hypothermia and I did my best to keep calm by using self-hypnosis.''. During the six weeks he tried to work this fall, takeoffs and landings were a white-knuckle experience that seemed to get worse. [1] The aircraft was equipped with two Pratt & Whitney JT8D-7B engines. Vermeulen suffered four broken ribs and a punctured lung in the crash, but had recovered enough by late winter to run in the Long Beach, Calif., marathon. ''It was very, very bad,'' he recalled. Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Shaken survivors recounted the last terrible moments of Flight 1713 on Monday as federal investigators began trying to find out why the Continental jetliner She was rubbing his hands to keep him as warm as possible, Hicks said. Remembering the 1987 Stapleton Airport crash of Flight WebOn November 15, 1987, Continental Airlines, Inc., flight 1713, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-14, N626TX, was operating as a regularly scheduled, passenger-carrying flight between But a N.T.S.B. The flight, which left in a blinding snowstorm, was en route to Boise with 77 passengers and a crew of five. A few terrible moments later, the mangled remains of the plane came to rest in the snow. There were five crew members and 77 passengers aboard, most from Idaho. The teacher is torn between wanting to put the disaster behind him and a burning desire to force Houston-based Continental and its deregulated competitors to implement extensive safety measures. In 1982, after an Air Florida jet became ice-bound and crashed into the Potomac River on takeoff from Washington`s National Airport, the board recommended that the FAA require pilots and ground crews to inspect wings and control surfaces whenever an airplane remained on the ground 20 minutes after being de-iced. Climate change sparks disaster fears, Police manhunt continues for suspect in Texas mass shooting, A powerhouse U.S. doctor slain in Sudan, killed for nothing, In final Mass in Budapest, pope urges Hungary to open doors, What GOPs plan for Medicaid work requirements would mean.