The ghosts of Flight 401 are perhaps some of the most credible accounts of life beyond the grave. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. The captain, 55-year-old Robert Loft, was a DC-8 pilot who had two-and-a-half hours of training in the new L-1011 plane, the report states. Gossip regarding the sighting of the spirits of Don Repo and Bob Loft spread throughout Eastern Air Lines to the point where Easterns management warned employees that they could face dismissal if caught spreading ghost stories. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. The Everglades were rushing towards them. Gray originally named the bay Bullfinch Harbor. [5]:2729, A company employeetechnical officer Angelo Donadeo, 47, returning to Miami from an assignment in New Yorkaccompanied the flight crew for the journey, but was officially an off-duty, "nonrevenue passenger". No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. Captain Robert Loft and First Officer Don Repo were among those who had perished in the crash, and the crew of other Eastern Airlines planes insisted their ghosts made appearances on-board later . You can always change this later in your Account settings. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Robert Albin Bob Loft I found on Findagrave.com. Sir, I presume upon your former Friendship for Colonel Robert Stuart to trouble you with the enclosed Extracts of a Letter I lately received from him, as the most effectual Method I can devise of complying with his Request. Flight 401 was under the command of Captain Robert Albin Loft, 55, a veteran Eastern Airline pilot. [4], Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 was a regularly scheduled flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York, to Miami International Airport in Miami, Florida. Only small fragments of metal marked the wingtip's first contact, followed 49ft (15m) further on by three massive 115ft (35m) swaths cut through the mud and sawgrass by the aircraft's extended undercarriage before two of the legs were sheared off. 20 strangest facts about dreams that you never heard of. [5]:4 For the next 80 seconds, the plane maintained level flight. Perhaps if we one day can understand the reasons for that, we can understand more of afterlife existence generally speaking. To Captain Robert McKenzie. Robert Loft, 55; First Officer Albert Stockstill, 39, and Second Officer Donald Repo, 51, all of Miami-Dade. [17] Over time, the reporting of ghost sightings stopped. The man would ask the attendant to pass a message to a woman, whom he named, that was on board the flight. What followed not only left a trail of body parts, broken hearts, mass hysteria, damning accusations but a mass grave now populated by alligators and ghosts. was a regularly scheduled flight that connected the Big Apples JFK airport with Miamis wild beach soaked riviera. The crash was followed by reports of the appearance of apparitions of Flight 401 crew members, including Captain Loft, on subsequent flights. As for the cargo, the flight was booked solid. After lowering the gear, First Officer Stockstill noticed that the landing gear indicator, a green light identifying that the nose gear is properly locked in the "down" position, had not illuminated. Captain Robert Albin Loft (Left), First Officer Albert Stockstill (Middle) and Second Officer Don Repo (Right) The flight departed JFK Airport on Friday, December 29, 1972, at 9:20 PM, with 163 passengers and a total of 13 crew members on board. It is said that Don Repo would appear only to warn of mechanical or other problems that needed to be checked. Our motto always is, "you make up your own mind". [10], Most of the dead were passengers in the aircraft's midsection. Robert Loft, the captain of Flight 401, was killed. Marquis received burns to his face, arms, and legsa result of spilled jet fuel from the crashed TriStarbut continued shuttling people in and out of the crash site that night and the next day. Search above to list available cemeteries. 29 Dec 1972 (aged 55) Miami, Miami-Dade County, Florida, USA. The TriStar's port outer wing structure struck the ground first, followed by the No. Officer Repo died the next day. Read more about how we fact-check content here. Frank Borman, prior to becoming CEO of Eastern Airlines, arrived at the scene after the crash to assist with rescue efforts. Captain Robert 'Bob' Loft believed that it was just a faulty light bulb. The Life Summary of Robert. Robert B Loft was born circa 1864, at birth place, Kentucky. Over time, the reporting of ghost sightings stopped. Robert attended the University of Colorado Boulder where he became a member of the Pershing Rifle Team. And one of the better-documented cases of the existence of something beyond death. Thank you for fishing with us! That's because last year, my flight from Chicago to Miami was visited by ghosts - and I'm pretty sure it was the crew Eastern Airlines Flight 401. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. Robert A.Loft. He served as cornet, quartermaster, and lieutenant in the Continental Dragoons. After graduating Dubuque Senior High School in 1936, Captain Martin enrolled at Iowa State University where he graduated with an electrical engineering degree and a pilot's license. Drag images here or select from your computer for Robert Albin Bob Loft memorial. Real Paranorms. Robert Malcolm Young's script doesn't contain enough flavor to . His body may have been found in County Louth. New York 20th March 1777. [25] A television film of the same name was aired in October 1978. It is arguably one of the strongest indicators of the presence beyond death on record. At this moment, the First Officer Albert Stockstill noticed that the landing gear indicator was not illuminating. Even the Vice President of Eastern Airlines would go on record stating a mysterious encounter before his flight. However, a push on the steering systems in a specific way, would disengage the autopilot. [5]:3, The cockpit crew removed the light assembly,[6]:102 and Second Officer Repo was dispatched to the avionics bay beneath the flight deck to check via a small porthole whether the landing gear was indeed down. [6]:110, Investigation into the aircraft's autopilot showed that the force required to switch to CWS mode was different between the A and B channels (15 and 20lbf or 65 and 90N, respectively). Coincidentally or not, the entire galley area where the flight attendants saw Repos face was made from materials recovered from the downed Flight 401. The Quiet Before The Storm Of The Modern UFO Era, The Mini UFO Waves And Strange Encounters From The End Of The Second World War, The Surge Of UFO Encounters Before The Second World War: The Final Years Of The Thirties. Shortly before midnight on December 29, 1972, the Lockheed L-1011-1 TriStar crashed into the Florida Everglades,[1][2][3] causing 101 total fatalities. Inexhaustible walker, gambler and pugilist, he was also a friend to Royalty. From 2005 to 2007, Captain Sanders served as Executive Officer and ultimately served his first tour as Commanding Officer of Navy Legal Service Office North Central. The reported hauntings were said to only be seen on the planes that used the spare parts. MYSTERIESRUNSOLVED & MRU MEDIA, 2019-2022. Please enter your email and password to sign in. The disintegration of the aircraft that followed scattered wreckage over an area 1,600ft (500m) long and 330ft (100m) wide in a southwesterly direction. The other crew members assisted Stockstill, but he also became distracted by the problem. Flight 401 crashed headlong into one of the most inhospitable parts of the United States, the Everglades. [6]:110 Visually, since it was nighttime and the aircraft was flying over the darkened terrain of the Everglades, no ground lights or other visual signs indicated the TriStar was slowly descending. "[5]:2324, In response to this and other accidents in the 1970s, many airlines started crew resource management training for their pilots. His flight crew were all experienced veterans. Get notified of the best booming posts weekly. Standing room only so to speak. Although 75 people survived, the accident still resulted in the deaths of 101 occupants, including Captain Robert 'Bob' Loft and Flight Engineer Donald 'Don' Repo. Maybe the salvaged pieces of Flight 401s wreckage also contained the final energies of the crew. There is a problem with your email/password. Many of them were happy to tell of their experiences. Captain Robert L. Martin was born in Dubuque in February 1919. Setimus And The Aztec UFO Crash The First Alien Contact Encounter Of Modern Times? Gray's Harbor, the large estuarine bay about 45 miles north of the mouth of the Columbia River, is named in recognition of Captain Robert Gray, the first Euro-American to enter it on May 7, 1792. Captain Loft had been with the airline for 32 years and had accumulated a total of 29,700 flight hours throughout his flying career. All three of them now saw Repos face in the oven door. Rockport Fishing Charters. He may have established Glenury Royal distillery, but the whisky achievements of Captain Robert Barclay Allardice pale in comparison with his other exploits. Marcus Lowth is a writer with a love for UFOs, aliens, and the Ancient Astronaut Theory, to the paranormal, general conspiracies, and unsolved mysteries. Scared but calm, she went to find other colleagues and returned with two other flight attendants. Template:Unreferenced Over the following months and years, employees of Eastern Air Lines began reporting sightings of the dead crew members, captain Robert Loft and second officer (flight engineer) Donald Repo, sitting on board other L-1011 (N318EA) flights. Captain Robert Falcon Scott was the first British explorer to reach the South Pole and explore Antarctica extensively by land in the early 1900s. The individual looked outside to see what the pilot was looking at and after turning to look back at the next seat over, Robert Loft had disappeared. The 13 crew members on board were passing up cocktails, the 163 passengers were passed out either drunk or asleep. Over the following months and years, rumors began circulating that employees of Eastern Air Lines were reporting sightings of the dead crew members, captain Robert Loft and second officer (flight engineer) Donald Repo, sitting on board other L-1011 (N318EA) flights. Subsequent to these press stories, The Ghost of Flight 401 was published in 1976. Required fields are marked *. Captain Robert Cleveland was born in Virginia around 1744 and moved with his family to western North Carolina around 1766. Learn more about managing a memorial . Robert Loft, First Officer Albert Stockstill and Second Officer Donald Repo steered Flight 401 toward Miami International Airport after an uneventful flight from New York. Captain Loft died before he could be pulled from the wreckage. Repo was evacuated to a hospital, but later died from his injuries. Long was born on 7 November 1967 to Michael and Charlotte Long in Tishomingo, OK. [6]:102,108 Stockstill was killed on impact, while Captain Loft died in the wreckage of the flight deck before he could be transported to a hospital. You may not republish the article in its entirety. Marcus has been Editor-in-Chief for several years due to his excellent knowledge in these fields. You should read this article with an open mind and come to a conclusion yourself. 2023 Copyright Miami Haunts. By this time, Frank Borman was the CEO of Eastern Airlines who called the stories a haunting garbage and considered suing the producers of the 1978 made-for-TV movie The Ghost of Flight 401 for tarnishing Eastern Airlines reputation. As it turned out, Robert Loft was in fact the name of the pilot and Don Repo was the flight engineer who both passed away in the crash. With thirty-two years of seniority, he was ranked fiftieth among the airlines four thousand pilots. Captain Bob Loft and Second Officer Don Repo died in the crash, as did ninety-nine other people on board in what was one of the worst commercial air disasters in United States history. Fuller describes anecdotes of strange happenings aboard other Eastern aircraft. Mysterious unknown script By Newton Stone, Recent skeletal DNA analysis proves German, Danish & Dutch origins of the English people. It crashed on the ground within 4 minutes. Iain Russell tells his story. No one, not a single one noticed, when the autopilot switched on so teh crew could focus on the lightbulb started to act up. These reports received extensive publicity by the news media. Al DeSa April 17, 2007, 10:46 am Back to index. Captain Loft had been with the company for over 32 years; a total of 29,700 flight hours. And the damn light It was just a burned-out lightbulb. Robert Loft, 55, a seasoned pilot with 32 years under his belt. They were the parents of at least 4 sons and 5 daughters. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. Out of thin air, Repos voice would say, Watch out for fire on this plane. However, it also complicated the survivors' recuperation, as organisms in the swamp caused infection, with the potential for gas gangrene. [5]:3, The flight was routine until 23:32, when the plane began its approach into Miami International Airport. For reasons unknown, there are no reports of them together. The crash was documented in Rob and Sarah Elder's 1977 book Crash. Based on the book, it dramatized the crash, rescue efforts, and NTSB investigation. Related To Virginia Gancio, Judith Gancio. This is the tragic tale of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 and the madness it left in its wake. If you don't like what you read, you can unsubscribe at any time. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. In 1635, his occupation is listed as owner of three cranes inn in Charlestown, Middlesex, Massachusetts . TheNational Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation later discovered that the crash happened due to a burned-out light bulb. Then, it dropped 100ft (30m), and then again flew level for two more minutes, after which it began a descent so gradual it could not be perceived by the crew. Those were the last words of Captain Robert Loft, 38 years ago tonight. A captain serving under Colonel Lanser in the military regiment that invades the town. Captain Roberts is a level 45 Elite NPC that can be found in Dalaran. The . Investigations into the sightings would prove not only that the witnesses were of sound mind (and some very high-ranking, to boot), but the details and descriptions offered of these apparent visitors from the other side matched the former pilots almost exactly. Both pilots, the flight engineer, 2 of the 10 flight attendants, and 96 of the 163 passengers all died. The television film The Ghost of Flight 401, which aired on NBC in February 1978, offers a fictionalized depiction of the crash and alleged ghost sightings. On his 1979 albumThree Hearts, musician Bob Welch also recorded a song titled The Ghost of Flight 401. Everyone in the cockpit was fascinated and fixated on the damn light. [5]:4 This altitude alert, designed to warn the pilots of an inadvertent deviation from the selected altitude, went unnoticed by the crew. The investigators were particularly fascinated by the various accounts of hauntings within planes that contained pieces of Flight 401. Captain Loft died in the wreck remains of Flight 401 before he could be transported to a hospital. The town `` you make up your own mind '' analysis proves German Danish! 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