I had a baby 2 weeks before that crash. I was watching TV and the horrors of that event were unfolding. They pulled a frozen infant out of the water, looked like a doll. I was crushed, devastated. I held my newborn, crying, seeing that dead baby like that. That live clip was never shown again on the news.
You never forget an event like that. I had an event several years back that had I not been at the right place at the right time with the right person present, I would have died. In fact, when the event was happening, what was going through my mind was that this is the time and place that I am going to die and I was mentally preparing myself for that. I can remember every second of that event in vivid recollection. It will never go away.
I remember this crash very well myself I was just a kid but I lived about 15 miles away just over in Virginia it was all over the news it's very rememberable from my childhood
@@BillSmith-rx9rm it’s crazy how our minds burn these experiences into memory forever. I have been on deaths door, finally giving up the will to live when I was rescued. I understand what you mean by trying to accept death. It’s almost impossible to explain unless you’ve been there
What a sad, winter day that was. I'll never forget it. Those poor people.....and the HERO that jumped into the freezing water to save that woman. Unbelievable..... even 40 years later.
Lenny Skutnick. There was a "personal" in the Washington Post Valentine's Day personal ads section--some anonymous person had bought an ad saying "WE LOVE YOU LENNY SKUTNICK."
I was a resident (MD in training) at GW Hospital that day. None of us were allowed to go home - we were told to wait to take care of any survivors that might come in to our hospital. Sadly, none came in from the airplane. I had forgotten that a few on the flight did survive. We did get a couple of badly injured folks from the bridge who I think all died. It was a terrible day.
As a current MD student at GW, I respect and honor all those who worked tirelessly on that day to help with the rescue efforts/ medical response and I can only hope to serve with such fortitude if called upon to do so.
I was working for USAIR in crystal city. We heard the crash and everyone ran to the windows to see what happened. The storm was so heavy that it was hard to see. It was a horrific and devastating accident and I have prayed many times over the years for the survivors and those that sadly lost their lives. I also pray for the brave people who jumped into save strangers. The best people came forward that day. This, like 9/11, is a tragedy that I will never forget.
This accident made a big impression on me as a kid seeing that guy jump in to save the blinded woman that was drowning..... (See my comment above) I think that guy was the first hero I ever witnessed....
@@kuffarthedeplorable4289 That is Really Sweet prayer. I watched this Video duriing my 6 week Training. The Pilots were not at Fault. On Time Performance was #1 Priority for Airlines. I was a B-Scale Flight Attendant (pay) while a Rookie. We landed in Portland, Maine in a Blizzard. Scheduled to Overnight and depart 7 am next day.. We were in the Crew Van, when I Captain was noified to have us back on the Plane heading out (New Crew) because they didn't want us Stuck in Maine. We boarded as a Crew/. You couldn't see out the Porthole. Our Captain was pre-viously with Air Alaska. By the Grace of God, our flight was Cancelled. 1/4 inch of ice, Creates 40% Drag as I learned that night at Dinner with our Crew.
Wow Joe, I am so glad you shared this with us!! I was just a little guy when this happened. 5 years old, and I remember watching this on TV. To this very day, I always remember Air Florida flight 90. I just wish everyone could have survived. I have always heard there was a 6th survivor, but he kept passing the life preserver to others. And sadly when they went back for him he was no longer there. Alot of brave people there that day doing all they could to help. That man jumping in the water.... Wow!!
A few days after this disaster I had to fly back for the beginning of the Spring semester at Purdue University in Indiana from Syracuse, NY. This was like the second time I ever flew and had always before either taken a Greyhound bus (24 hours with a zillion stops) or car. By this time with all of the budget carriers becoming a thing and would continue in the 80s, it was almost as cheap to fly as take a bus so it was kind of a no brainer- I recall flying from Buffalo, NY (girlfriend there at the time) to NYC's LaGuardia on Peoples Express for $19!!! CHEAPER than a friggin Greyhound!!! Anyway, this accident made me second guess, not rational but also I was like 19 therefore pretty much immortal and omnipotent (....right). So my dad drove me from our home near Binghamton NY to the airport and weather was decent. Once in the air and getting toward western PA/eastern OHIO we flew into a squall and the captain announced a gathering storm cell on our route from which he indicated we would deviate a bit and I think he even requested clearance to ascend in altitude above the brunt of it. It seemed like whiteout conditions to me looking out my window seat and could scarcely see the wing, but not sure what forward visibility looked like from the flight deck or if that even mattered, like it could have been peculiar cloud formation for all I knew. I had no idea if planes could fly in weather like that back then, if pilots used instrument guidance in what was little more than a puddle jumper (in reality I think it was one of those flying buses like a DC-9 or Boeing 727)i. I think I thought snow like that would always be a MAYDAY scenario. I was ignorant of deicing and such. I was terror stricken. We encountered some of the worse turbulence I have ever to the present felt on aircraft. I was so panicked and anxious and everyone was talking about this accident in DC (where I would later work and live and cross that bridge hundreds of times probably). This really helped actually as I found myself not nearly as freaked out as some others and talked a few people down (no doubt acting like a seasoned flyer "this ain't nothing, completely typical turbulence, don't worry, etc) Then the captain came on the PA like 15 minutes later and informed us we would be going back a bit to the Pittsburgh airport and ground delay. Once on the ground it was announced that no more flights would go out that day as Indianapolis was closing their airport. I was so inexperienced, naive and frankly poor (little cash and no credit cards then) that I thought I would have to sleep on the floor of an airport. LOL. But then, a shuttle arrived to take us to an airport hotel with rooms for us on the airlines dime and I thought that was the coolest thing ever. They also forecasted that we would be able to resume the next morning. For a few moments there I was more scared than I had ever been in my life up to that time though. Not that it is a valid comparison, but in view of the heroics of this one passenger Joe and the poor man that drowned in his seat, I definitely relate to how helping others, helping each other, is not only courageous and morally right, it takes one's mind off of obsessing about things that you may have little control over and therefore kind of pointless as it can possibly impair your judgement, behave in ways inconsistent with your generally held ethics even (like when a drowning person will take down someone attempting to rescue them from sheer panic) Moreover, the things you have some control over can focus you and assess your strengths as equal to the situation and possibly in fact superior to some other helpless person that needs you. Just saying (in about 1000 words!!! sorry!!!)
Heroes! Guy Lenny jumps in that river and saves that lady! Helicopter crew, they literally have the skids in the water standing out their grabbing people. Wow
I go to DC every year from Florida with our 8th graders...every time we go over that bridge the tour guide talks about this crash and they listen but don't seem to connect (they are kids after all lol)...the year of the government shut down when a lot of places were closed we had to change up our itinerary a bit and ended up at the Law Enforcement museum. They had a whole display on this and the rescue effort as well as the actual helicopter you see in this vid used by PD hanging from the ceiling. The kids were speechless...they spent the most time at that exhibit...some had tears. It's pretty powerful...
We all lose people we know. We all lose people we love. Sometimes we lose people we hate. Its okay to be lost and think about why we are still here when they are gone. We have to find purpose in our lives in order to live for them and give their death meaning through all the crap that makes us frail and impermanent. The best thing that we can do is also the hardest. We have to remember them or else it is like they never existed. I survived a war when others didn't. I'm whole but broken. Part of me is here. Part of me is still there. Somehow we all have to find a way to move on and remember those who were not lucky enough to stop the nightmare. Not everyone can wake up. Sleep well and rest in peace. You are the fallen and I wish you the sweetest dreams.
I can't understand how someone with a user name of "serenity inside" can make such a heartless and thoughtless comment. Ignore people like that. The only people who's opinion matter are those you love. I think every one of us at some point in our lives has to go through something that breaks us. It hard and it's brutal. Afterwards, we have to somehow get up and move forward, step-by-step. Those who can't become lost. And we must have kindness and compassion - for ourselves and for others. All the best to you. I wish you a wonderful 2022!
@@dkblack3461 and the same to you. As a matter of fact, have a better one than that, however your positivity is going to rub off on others & I’m no Medical Doctor but it sure seems contagious because; now, I’m smiling. Also, I don’t want to alarm you but you might want to have yourself checked…I think you are too. If other people read this in the future and they laugh I wonder, which one of us will be referred to as: “Patient Zero”, me or you? Either way, I’ll be happy just to have been nominated.😏 Happy New Year to everyone who survived 2021 & it could have been worse. I don’t know how but I don’t want to jinx anything. Well that year is over; what’s the worse that could happen now? …🤔 …🤭 …oh yeah…2022 is gonna take, like, a year.🤫
I remember seeing this as a kid. That poor woman was what stuck in my mind. She was blinded by jet fuel and was losing the fight to stay above the surface of the freezing water... A man could watch no more and jumped in to save her, putting himself into mortal danger as I'm sure I would have to save at least one person. I saw that as a kid and decided I'd save someone one day if ever I got the chance. Even if it meant serious injury or worse. I think that guy was the first full on hero I ever witnessed....... I actually pre planned in my mind several scenarios like burning cars or water rescue. I was a member of St Johns ambulance for years and was full on willing to get badly hurt if it would ever save someone's life that I would be willing to do that. I haven't needed it yet happily and I'm disabled now after a spinal injury. But I'm still totally up for getting hurt in order to save someone if I ever need to and it's because of seeing this one guy in this one accident long long ago.....
My heart is so broken. I remember this and I’m crying again. I should have known it was about that crash. It was in the newspapers and the news. My dear friend’s father was killed in the late 1970s coming home from D.C. it completely changed everyone l’s futures. He was my chiropractor and his daughter was my sweet friend. I’ll never forget him or her and the entire family. I’ve only seen a few of them since I left my hometown. I think of them often and I’m sure, I always will.
I remember watching the movie and crying so much at the end. That was so heartbreaking, and I cried out that it wasn't fair. I think it was my first experience, as a child, learning that movies based on something real were not like other movies with happier endings.
I hadn't thought about this in a long time, but I was on the bridge when it happened. By the Grace of God, that plane missed me. I lived in SW Washington and worked in Old Town Alexandria. They let us out of work early because of the snow storm. A coworker lived a couple of blocks from me and we took the same route to and from work every day, across the 14th Street Bridge onto the GW Parkway into Old Town. We left the office at the same time and she was a few cars behind me. The plane hit the inbound side of the bridge somewhere between me and her. She was devastated because she saw the carnage happen right in front of her. I'm not sure she ever got over it. And then, the Metro crash... There was such an air sadness in the city for... I don't know how long. Everybody knew somebody or was somebody who was directly affected by that tragedy. It makes me sad to think about it right now.
My grandma, when she was younger, was booked into that flight as well, but she was unable to wait since she couldn't afford a hotel room, so she was just crying as she held dad, who was screaming, and my aunt who was also crying. This lady who saw them felt bad, so she booked them on a different flight so they could go home.
I was born in Alexandria Virginia not far from this location in 1977. I was 4 and remember this on TV all afternoon and evening. My mom was a teacher and we were home that day because of the snow.
@@Jetup24 So on January 1, 1982 I turned 5 automatically? Does it matter what month this happened in 1982 and what month I was born in 1977? Have you seen the movie 'Idiocracy'? Are you imitating one of the characters?
40 years ago today and have not forgotten and never will. Besides Joe the only other survivors still alive are Kelly Duncan and Priscilla Tirado. I hope life has been better for them.
I remember the day of that crash. I just got my drivers license a few days before and my dad had us in a empty parking lot in town trying to teach me how to apply gas and brake in the snow. When we got home it was all over channel 10 action news.
I was working in DC at the time of the crash. I left that morning to go home around 11 am due to the blizzard. I remember watching the coverage on the News, and it was so surreal and so frightening. One of the ladies on the ice tried to start swimming instinctually I believe. She was flailing in the air due to her being on ice and not in the water. It was eerie and sad also. I remember this like it was yesterday.
If rescue workers saw Arland Williams was immobile in the water, why didn't they draw closer to him in the boats or have the underwater divers try to free him from the stuck seat belt ? Arland passed the rescue line to others and then he drowned. I'm no one, but I never understood why Arland Williams could not also be saved.
I remember this horrible event. Lots of media coverage. A very bad snowstorm and the this resulted in bad judgement by the person who makes the final decision, the Captain (pilot) of that plane.
@@soybins6902 I think it was that the plane needed to de-ice but instead of de-icing the pilot maneuvered the plane in a way that when they were in queue to the runaway he let the engine heat melt the ice on his plane but that only made the made freeze more towards the back of the wing. he should completely de-iced the plane before taking off but he didn't
Totally confused by this video, not these facts?Arland Dean Williams Jr. (September 23, 1935 - January 13, 1982) was a passenger aboard Air Florida Flight 90, which crashed on take-off in Washington, D.C., on January 13, 1982, killing 74 people. One of six people to initially survive the crash, he helped the other five escape the sinking plane before he himself drowned.
this video is slanted to the guy who didn't save any lives, frankly. BIg beef for every one was and is, all those triple time paid "first responders" doing nothing while leaving any real rescue to civilians. He said best and worst. The firemen were the worst. I saw the same thing 2 years ago in the Thomas fire as the firemen stayed back from the fire and fireline, while guys like me went into harms way and rescued people from their burning homes. dailymessenger.blogspot.com/2017/12/burning-down-southern-california.html The only guys in firesuits in danger were the prisoners Calif uses to fight fires while HIGHLY PAID wankers stand back around the tankers with their hands in their pockets. 23 days of this. I have pictures and video. I will never say to one, ever again, thank you for your service.
@@uwantsun Sadly, for some reason I believe you. I am so sorry you had this experience. I was evacuated during the Thomas fire. I could see the flames from a window in my home in Ventura. There are far too few true heroes and far too few courageous people among us. I only hope that if I am ever in a situation to truly help someone, I will have the courage to do so. I hope someone or something restores your belief in people. I'm sure it was horribly disappointing to experience something like that.
@@bobtaylor170 it's obvious that this particular video was strictly devoted to this one particular guy. There are several other videos on RUclips that more fully explain the entire events of all survivors and rescuers. I think this guy does indeed deserve some credit. The helicopter guys wanted to bring him up by himself, but he refused to leave the other two women behind. Were it not for that, one or both of the women might not have survived. And I tend to agree with the one comment above that some of the firefighters and other so-called rescuers did not rise to the calling given to them that day.
I'm a little confused. He said all his fingers were broken but when they were interviewing him in the hospital those fingers were moving around pretty good.
Contributing to the events that caused this accident was the Captains neglect in turning on the planes engine anti-ice system...I just can't fathom why he would decide not to use that system in blizzard conditions!!! *THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS DESIGNED FOR* good Lord.
@@taittinger1092 Lol engine anti-ice is a real thing. Every jet liner has them wether they are heated wings, or boots. This plane had a heated wing which because of this crash it is protocol to have them on when there is visible moisture outside, or the temperature is within 5 degrees of freezing. This crash, like others, changed aviation for the better. The captain on this flight also wasn’t the best aviator. Failed multiple line checks and proficiency checks.
Back in 82’ , I was then 8 & a half years old around the time when this story aired on the news worldwide because this jet crashed into an icy cold river because 78 people died and only 5 survivors were saved then .
I remember this quite well, I faked being sick so I could stay home from school. Regular TV programming was interrupted ( The Price is Right ) to show the rescue as it unfolded in real time. We were glued to the TV watching the coverage. This was one of the first disasters which was broadcast on TV live as it happened.
I’m pretty sure Larry was flying this Plane. When your aircraft doesn’t want to gain altitude give the plane full throttle. He wasn’t familiar with iced wing take off. Poor guy. I feel for everyone on this flight. I was 8 years old when this happened. My neighbor was stuck in traffic on the bridge.
The Fire dept rescue that was used as the command post when Florida Air flight 90 crashed into the Potomac on 13 Jan 1982 has a V12. It was purchased by a volunteer fire company in Ohio and is still in service.
O.K., so Joe is talking about his right arm being broken, and all his fingers being broken. Then they show someone? In the hospital with his RIGHT arm behind his head, talking, no bandages on his hands or fingers, so it doesn't make sense. If Joe's arm was broken, that could not have been Joe they showed in the hospital with his RIGHT arm behind his head and his head resting on his arm. Doesn't make sense.
@@stiofanmcareavey1697 I have enough common sense not to be an asshole and tell someone to have common sense. Obviously you did not understand my comment. Have a lovely Christmas. You are a WONDERFUL person!
@@paulaneary7877 but you question someone's integrity after just about surviving a fatal crash..in great detail might i add...but im the asshole lol. You have a merry Christmas too.
Of the five survivors only three are still living Nikki Felch Died April 21 2002 due to cancer and Bert Hamilton died April 5 2002 I believe he died due to heart attack
The Documentary of WHY, blames the Flight Crew Captain and 1st officer (2nd pilot). said they both were unexperienced for this weather, besides back then they didn't have Strick rules like today. Aviation has LEARNED a lot from this crash and have new Policies in place. 78 people died, ONLY 5 were rescued and lived. Very Sad. The captain has more blame. The last words that were said: Larry, we are going Down, per the 2nd pilot. The captain said "I KNOW!!
I remember hearing that the water was so cold that day that theyd have become a liability themselves within a few seconds. Theyd maybe be able to swim out to them but by that time... theyd be so cold. Its hard to rescue an injured adult in calm water but in frigid water its like really really hard.
Nothing more pathetic than an armchair hero. Water was at freezing. It was a complete ice debris. jet fuel in the water. But I am sure you would have been Captain America
How can his right arm be broken when it's behind his head in the video, and he's resting on it. And how can all his fingers be broken when he's using them in the video? 🧐
2:54 *He’s in bed resting his head on his right hand, and gesturing with his left, no splints. A moment later he says his right arm and all his fingers were broken.* 🤨
I noticed that too 🤨 he was in the hospital and talking about it in front of a wall of cameras. Looked like it was just after the crash not months later. Also looked like he had a fresh scrape on his nose, presumably from the crash. Not a big deal just struck me as odd too.
ok so I live in md supposed true story I asked my friend why he ale=ways drank so much itturns out at the time of the crash he had a boss that owed a car business used cars and was seeing about a real estate sale in Orlando to buy. is boss said will you go with me and my friend said sure.the next day is boss said he had the worst flu of his life so he was not going and the plane crashed.
I had a baby 2 weeks before that crash. I was watching TV and the horrors of that event were unfolding. They pulled a frozen infant out of the water, looked like a doll. I was crushed, devastated. I held my newborn, crying, seeing that dead baby like that.
That live clip was never shown again on the news.
Omg how haunting is that 😢
Damn that ending got me.. you can tell that after all those years he remembers that day like it was yesterday and he remembers those who died
You never forget an event like that. I had an event several years back that had I not been at the right place at the right time with the right person present, I would have died. In fact, when the event was happening, what was going through my mind was that this is the time and place that I am going to die and I was mentally preparing myself for that. I can remember every second of that event in vivid recollection. It will never go away.
I remember this crash very well myself I was just a kid but I lived about 15 miles away just over in Virginia it was all over the news it's very rememberable from my childhood
@@BillSmith-rx9rm it’s crazy how our minds burn these experiences into memory forever. I have been on deaths door, finally giving up the will to live when I was rescued. I understand what you mean by trying to accept death. It’s almost impossible to explain unless you’ve been there
What a sad, winter day that was. I'll never forget it. Those poor people.....and the HERO that jumped into the freezing water to save that woman.
Unbelievable..... even 40 years later.
Idiot captain who hurried to death
I clearly remember that too, like it happened yesterday. I could not believe how brave that guy was, jumping into the icy water to help someone.
Lenny Skutnick. There was a "personal" in the Washington Post Valentine's Day personal ads section--some anonymous person had bought an ad saying "WE LOVE YOU LENNY SKUTNICK."
I was a resident (MD in training) at GW Hospital that day. None of us were allowed to go home - we were told to wait to take care of any survivors that might come in to our hospital. Sadly, none came in from the airplane. I had forgotten that a few on the flight did survive. We did get a couple of badly injured folks from the bridge who I think all died. It was a terrible day.
As a current MD student at GW, I respect and honor all those who worked tirelessly on that day to help with the rescue efforts/ medical response and I can only hope to serve with such fortitude if called upon to do so.
There was also a fatal derailment on the Washington Metro system that same day on the Orange Line which killed 3 passengers.
I was working for USAIR in crystal city. We heard the crash and everyone ran to the windows to see what happened. The storm was so heavy that it was hard to see. It was a horrific and devastating accident and I have prayed many times over the years for the survivors and those that sadly lost their lives. I also pray for the brave people who jumped into save strangers. The best people came forward that day. This, like 9/11, is a tragedy that I will never forget.
We Watched this Video during our Flight Attendant Training.
This accident made a big impression on me as a kid seeing that guy jump in to save the blinded woman that was drowning..... (See my comment above) I think that guy was the first hero I ever witnessed....
My father was booked in that flight but ended up staying because of a last minute change in work schedule.
wow he must been so glad
He died in 2018 but yes he dodged a bullet
@@mikey65dean rest in peace
Thank goodness!
that work is a angel
I will never forget that day and that crash. I was just a kid in Virginia but I remember it like it was yesterday.
I was on the Maryland side in school in Wheaton. I remember it well. We said a prayer in school.
@@kuffarthedeplorable4289 That is Really Sweet prayer. I watched this Video duriing my 6 week Training. The Pilots were not at Fault. On Time Performance was #1 Priority for Airlines. I was a B-Scale Flight Attendant (pay) while a Rookie. We landed in Portland, Maine in a Blizzard. Scheduled to Overnight and depart 7 am next day.. We were in the Crew Van, when I Captain was noified to have us back on the Plane heading out (New Crew) because they didn't want us Stuck in Maine. We boarded as a Crew/. You couldn't see out the Porthole. Our Captain was pre-viously with Air Alaska. By the Grace of God, our flight was Cancelled. 1/4 inch of ice, Creates 40% Drag as I learned that night at Dinner with our Crew.
I was 13 when this happened. I’ve always known of the incident, but had long forgotten the details. Thank you for posting!
Wow Joe, I am so glad you shared this with us!! I was just a little guy when this happened. 5 years old, and I remember watching this on TV. To this very day, I always remember Air Florida flight 90. I just wish everyone could have survived. I have always heard there was a 6th survivor, but he kept passing the life preserver to others. And sadly when they went back for him he was no longer there.
Alot of brave people there that day doing all they could to help. That man jumping in the water.... Wow!!
I remember seeing the man jump in the water. Considering how fast hypothermia can set it, that was an incredibly brave thing to do.
A few days after this disaster I had to fly back for the beginning of the Spring semester at Purdue University in Indiana from Syracuse, NY. This was like the second time I ever flew and had always before either taken a Greyhound bus (24 hours with a zillion stops) or car. By this time with all of the budget carriers becoming a thing and would continue in the 80s, it was almost as cheap to fly as take a bus so it was kind of a no brainer- I recall flying from Buffalo, NY (girlfriend there at the time) to NYC's LaGuardia on Peoples Express for $19!!! CHEAPER than a friggin Greyhound!!! Anyway, this accident made me second guess, not rational but also I was like 19 therefore pretty much immortal and omnipotent (....right). So my dad drove me from our home near Binghamton NY to the airport and weather was decent. Once in the air and getting toward western PA/eastern OHIO we flew into a squall and the captain announced a gathering storm cell on our route from which he indicated we would deviate a bit and I think he even requested clearance to ascend in altitude above the brunt of it. It seemed like whiteout conditions to me looking out my window seat and could scarcely see the wing, but not sure what forward visibility looked like from the flight deck or if that even mattered, like it could have been peculiar cloud formation for all I knew. I had no idea if planes could fly in weather like that back then, if pilots used instrument guidance in what was little more than a puddle jumper (in reality I think it was one of those flying buses like a DC-9 or Boeing 727)i. I think I thought snow like that would always be a MAYDAY scenario. I was ignorant of deicing and such. I was terror stricken. We encountered some of the worse turbulence I have ever to the present felt on aircraft. I was so panicked and anxious and everyone was talking about this accident in DC (where I would later work and live and cross that bridge hundreds of times probably). This really helped actually as I found myself not nearly as freaked out as some others and talked a few people down (no doubt acting like a seasoned flyer "this ain't nothing, completely typical turbulence, don't worry, etc) Then the captain came on the PA like 15 minutes later and informed us we would be going back a bit to the Pittsburgh airport and ground delay. Once on the ground it was announced that no more flights would go out that day as Indianapolis was closing their airport. I was so inexperienced, naive and frankly poor (little cash and no credit cards then) that I thought I would have to sleep on the floor of an airport. LOL. But then, a shuttle arrived to take us to an airport hotel with rooms for us on the airlines dime and I thought that was the coolest thing ever. They also forecasted that we would be able to resume the next morning. For a few moments there I was more scared than I had ever been in my life up to that time though.
Not that it is a valid comparison, but in view of the heroics of this one passenger Joe and the poor man that drowned in his seat, I definitely relate to how helping others, helping each other, is not only courageous and morally right, it takes one's mind off of obsessing about things that you may have little control over and therefore kind of pointless as it can possibly impair your judgement, behave in ways inconsistent with your generally held ethics even (like when a drowning person will take down someone attempting to rescue them from sheer panic) Moreover, the things you have some control over can focus you and assess your strengths as equal to the situation and possibly in fact superior to some other helpless person that needs you. Just saying (in about 1000 words!!! sorry!!!)
@@michaelesgro9506 I enjoyed reading your comment, I felt like I was on that flight with you 😅
I can remember watching it on the news with my grandma. She was crying and praying for everyone.
Heroes! Guy Lenny jumps in that river and saves that lady! Helicopter crew, they literally have the skids in the water standing out their grabbing people. Wow
Lenny was such a hero!
One of my father's customers was on that flight..although he didn't survive...
Robyn Hardy cap
Damn that loss of business sucks
it's been a year plus now. will you finish this statement, please?
@@Mitchell_is_smart._You2bs_dumb that's a complete statement...
So many people call fake but 6 degrees Isn't hard...
@@drdre4397 I see what you did there
I go to DC every year from Florida with our 8th graders...every time we go over that bridge the tour guide talks about this crash and they listen but don't seem to connect (they are kids after all lol)...the year of the government shut down when a lot of places were closed we had to change up our itinerary a bit and ended up at the Law Enforcement museum. They had a whole display on this and the rescue effort as well as the actual helicopter you see in this vid used by PD hanging from the ceiling. The kids were speechless...they spent the most time at that exhibit...some had tears. It's pretty powerful...
God Bless the survivors, and the people who passed away. RIP 😇
RIP
To the 74 passengers and crew of Air Florida Flight 90 and the four people on the ground
We all lose people we know. We all lose people we love. Sometimes we lose people we hate. Its okay to be lost and think about why we are still here when they are gone. We have to find purpose in our lives in order to live for them and give their death meaning through all the crap that makes us frail and impermanent. The best thing that we can do is also the hardest. We have to remember them or else it is like they never existed. I survived a war when others didn't. I'm whole but broken. Part of me is here. Part of me is still there. Somehow we all have to find a way to move on and remember those who were not lucky enough to stop the nightmare. Not everyone can wake up. Sleep well and rest in peace. You are the fallen and I wish you the sweetest dreams.
What schmaltzy nonsense 🙄
@@serenityinside1 it’s nonsense because you don’t understand it. Walk in my boots and you’ll know.
I can't understand how someone with a user name of "serenity inside" can make such a heartless and thoughtless comment. Ignore people like that. The only people who's opinion matter are those you love. I think every one of us at some point in our lives has to go through something that breaks us. It hard and it's brutal. Afterwards, we have to somehow get up and move forward, step-by-step. Those who can't become lost. And we must have kindness and compassion - for ourselves and for others. All the best to you. I wish you a wonderful 2022!
@@dkblack3461 and the same to you.
As a matter of fact, have a better one than that, however your positivity is going to rub off on others & I’m no Medical Doctor but it sure seems contagious because; now, I’m smiling.
Also, I don’t want to alarm you but you might want to have yourself checked…I think you are too.
If other people read this in the future and they laugh I wonder, which one of us will be referred to as: “Patient Zero”, me or you?
Either way, I’ll be happy just to have been nominated.😏
Happy New Year to everyone who survived 2021 & it could have been worse. I don’t know how but I don’t want to jinx anything. Well that year is over; what’s the worse that could happen now?
…🤔
…🤭
…oh yeah…2022 is gonna take, like, a year.🤫
@@serenityinside1barf
R.I.P Arland 💖 a true hero
Hats off to the first responders for getting there quickly and saving these survivors.
I can close my eyes and see the fear and desperation on Pricilla Tirado’s face as she was fighting for her life.
She was also blinded by jet fuel and lost her husband and baby
@@RockStar_Love It's hard to Watch again. We watched the Video during our 6 week Flight Attendant Training.
Good grief.
@@RockStar_Love
I can't imagine the grief
that woman went through, and no doubt
still goes through today, plus her family too. So sad.
Two weeks before I was born, and I’m from DC. I think about this a lot, for some reason. God bless this man, and RIP to all of the victims.
I remember seeing this as a kid. That poor woman was what stuck in my mind. She was blinded by jet fuel and was losing the fight to stay above the surface of the freezing water... A man could watch no more and jumped in to save her, putting himself into mortal danger as I'm sure I would have to save at least one person. I saw that as a kid and decided I'd save someone one day if ever I got the chance. Even if it meant serious injury or worse. I think that guy was the first full on hero I ever witnessed....... I actually pre planned in my mind several scenarios like burning cars or water rescue. I was a member of St Johns ambulance for years and was full on willing to get badly hurt if it would ever save someone's life that I would be willing to do that. I haven't needed it yet happily and I'm disabled now after a spinal injury. But I'm still totally up for getting hurt in order to save someone if I ever need to and it's because of seeing this one guy in this one accident long long ago.....
I was 15 then. I haven't heard of anyone as brave as that man was to this day. A true Hero.
Cool! Thank you.
My heart is so broken. I remember this and I’m crying again. I should have known it was about that crash. It was in the newspapers and the news.
My dear friend’s father was killed in the late 1970s coming home from D.C. it completely changed everyone l’s futures. He was my chiropractor and his daughter was my sweet friend. I’ll never forget him or her and the entire family. I’ve only seen a few of them since I left my hometown. I think of them often and I’m sure, I always will.
I remember watching the movie and crying so much at the end. That was so heartbreaking, and I cried out that it wasn't fair. I think it was my first experience, as a child, learning that movies based on something real were not like other movies with happier endings.
Which movie?
@OlOleander It was one made for TV in the 80's.
I hadn't thought about this in a long time, but I was on the bridge when it happened. By the Grace of God, that plane missed me. I lived in SW Washington and worked in Old Town Alexandria. They let us out of work early because of the snow storm. A coworker lived a couple of blocks from me and we took the same route to and from work every day, across the 14th Street Bridge onto the GW Parkway into Old Town. We left the office at the same time and she was a few cars behind me. The plane hit the inbound side of the bridge somewhere between me and her. She was devastated because she saw the carnage happen right in front of her. I'm not sure she ever got over it. And then, the Metro crash... There was such an air sadness in the city for... I don't know how long. Everybody knew somebody or was somebody who was directly affected by that tragedy. It makes me sad to think about it right now.
That’s terrible. I’m sorry you too had to go through that and am glad you’re both okay. What’s the Metro crash you’re referring to?
My grandma, when she was younger, was booked into that flight as well, but she was unable to wait since she couldn't afford a hotel room, so she was just crying as she held dad, who was screaming, and my aunt who was also crying. This lady who saw them felt bad, so she booked them on a different flight so they could go home.
I was born in Alexandria Virginia not far from this location in 1977. I was 4 and remember this on TV all afternoon and evening. My mom was a teacher and we were home that day because of the snow.
If you were born in 1977 and the event happened in 1982, you would be 5 years old sir
@@Jetup24 So on January 1, 1982 I turned 5 automatically? Does it matter what month this happened in 1982 and what month I was born in 1977? Have you seen the movie 'Idiocracy'? Are you imitating one of the characters?
40 years ago today and have not forgotten and never will.
Besides Joe the only other survivors still alive are Kelly Duncan and Priscilla Tirado. I hope life has been better for them.
I remember watching this.
Especially when the chopper pulled the woman out..
Very horrific event
I remember the day of that crash. I just got my drivers license a few days before and my dad had us in a empty parking lot in town trying to teach me how to apply gas and brake in the snow. When we got home it was all over channel 10 action news.
So what is your age now?
53
DC doesn't have a Channel 10 Action News....where are you from?
I was working in DC at the time of the crash. I left that morning to go home around 11 am due to the blizzard. I remember watching the coverage on the News, and it was so surreal and so frightening. One of the ladies on the ice tried to start swimming instinctually I believe. She was flailing in the air due to her being on ice and not in the water. It was eerie and sad also. I remember this like it was yesterday.
I can't imagine sitting in a car on the bridge and seeing a plane headed straight for you.
or a plane heading for your building 9/11
@@moaningpheromonesdo you mean bush plan ? Yeah i think so buddy
If rescue workers saw Arland Williams was immobile in the water, why didn't they draw closer to him in the boats or have the underwater divers try to free him from the stuck seat belt ?
Arland passed the rescue line to others and then he drowned. I'm no one, but I never understood why Arland Williams could not also be saved.
Aparently he was trapped among the remans of the airliner, i think he was still attached to his seat
Never seen this, know a lot about that accident, what a man
I currently live in Priscilla Tirado house here in Clearwater Florida that she purchased a couple years after this accident..
I remember this horrible event. Lots of media coverage. A very bad snowstorm and the this resulted in bad judgement by the person who makes the final decision, the Captain (pilot) of that plane.
If you mind, can you tell me what did the pilot made a bad judgment considering that I don't have any knowledge about this.
@@soybins6902 I think it was that the plane needed to de-ice but instead of de-icing the pilot maneuvered the plane in a way that when they were in queue to the runaway he let the engine heat melt the ice on his plane but that only made the made freeze more towards the back of the wing. he should completely de-iced the plane before taking off but he didn't
Totally confused by this video, not these facts?Arland Dean Williams Jr. (September 23, 1935 - January 13, 1982) was a passenger aboard Air Florida Flight 90, which crashed on take-off in Washington, D.C., on January 13, 1982, killing 74 people. One of six people to initially survive the crash, he helped the other five escape the sinking plane before he himself drowned.
Well, they named the bridge after him so there's that.
this video is slanted to the guy who didn't save any lives, frankly. BIg beef for every one was and is, all those triple time paid "first responders" doing nothing while leaving any real rescue to civilians. He said best and worst. The firemen were the worst. I saw the same thing 2 years ago in the Thomas fire as the firemen stayed back from the fire and fireline, while guys like me went into harms way and rescued people from their burning homes.
dailymessenger.blogspot.com/2017/12/burning-down-southern-california.html
The only guys in firesuits in danger were the prisoners Calif uses to fight fires while HIGHLY PAID wankers stand back around the tankers with their hands in their pockets. 23 days of this. I have pictures and video.
I will never say to one, ever again, thank you for your service.
He was a great hero, and they didn't bother to mention him, or Lenny Skutnik and the other civilian who dived in and tried to help.
@@uwantsun Sadly, for some reason I believe you. I am so sorry you had this experience. I was evacuated during the Thomas fire. I could see the flames from a window in my home in Ventura. There are far too few true heroes and far too few courageous people among us. I only hope that if I am ever in a situation to truly help someone, I will have the courage to do so. I hope someone or something restores your belief in people. I'm sure it was horribly disappointing to experience something like that.
@@bobtaylor170 it's obvious that this particular video was strictly devoted to this one particular guy. There are several other videos on RUclips that more fully explain the entire events of all survivors and rescuers.
I think this guy does indeed deserve some credit. The helicopter guys wanted to bring him up by himself, but he refused to leave the other two women behind. Were it not for that, one or both of the women might not have survived.
And I tend to agree with the one comment above that some of the firefighters and other so-called rescuers did not rise to the calling given to them that day.
I'm a little confused. He said all his fingers were broken but when they were interviewing him in the hospital those fingers were moving around pretty good.
Wow what a day that was. god bless all the victims.
I was only 9 yrs old when this happened, but I remember it very vividly.
Contributing to the events that caused this accident was the Captains neglect in turning on the planes engine anti-ice system...I just can't fathom why he would decide not to use that system in blizzard conditions!!! *THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS DESIGNED FOR* good Lord.
Are you a Pilot? The Magic button " Engine Anti-Ice system" maybe appears in. a Movie "FROZEN";
@@taittinger1092 No...better, aircraft mechanic!
@@taittinger1092 Lol engine anti-ice is a real thing. Every jet liner has them wether they are heated wings, or boots. This plane had a heated wing which because of this crash it is protocol to have them on when there is visible moisture outside, or the temperature is within 5 degrees of freezing. This crash, like others, changed aviation for the better. The captain on this flight also wasn’t the best aviator. Failed multiple line checks and proficiency checks.
One of the Video's Watched during Flight Attendant Training for USAir.
@@tima.478 cheers man
40 years ago today we will never forget
Truly when someone is on the verge of dying, he sees life for what it is, and sees people for who they are. Stop selfishness and be caring!
Good Lord that water must have been so cold. What a horrific event.
Live your life as positive as you can to honor the 78 that were lost
I can't even imagine how scary this would be.
Im truly sorry.
I was 21 when this happened. I think Joe was a ray of light and a hero under very dire circumstances.
The Captain was no t a pilot at all a murderer is what Wheaton is or was
Back in 82’ , I was then 8 & a half years old around the time when this story aired on the news worldwide because this jet crashed into an icy cold river because 78 people died and only 5 survivors were saved then .
God bless you Joe!
We need a civilian Medal of Honor.
That’s an example of what people should remember
I worked with Joe and Nikki - the day was surreal.
The Chopper pilot was Don Usher. Usher was a 'Nam veteran, he and Rescue Tech Melvin Windsor ACTED!
I was just a kid when this happened but I remember it well.
"Were going down Larry"
"I know" pilot and second
a horrible time is being on a flight that crash lands..
How the hell was the dude in the boat just chillin like there wasnt a life or death situation going on 50 feet from him.
I remember this quite well, I faked being sick so I could stay home from school. Regular TV programming was interrupted ( The Price is Right ) to show the rescue as it unfolded in real time. We were glued to the TV watching the coverage. This was one of the first disasters which was broadcast on TV live as it happened.
Title: The moment Air Florida Flight 90 crashed into the Potomac River
Reality: no footage of the crash
Yes the moment was recounted by an actual survivor.
So you came to see a plane crash and people die ?
@@KK-zb3xc correct
@@young.cesped370 some people will wank to anything
@@KK-zb3xc How weird of you K K... I just came to watch a plane crash & people die.
I’m pretty sure Larry was flying this Plane. When your aircraft doesn’t want to gain altitude give the plane full throttle. He wasn’t familiar with iced wing take off. Poor guy. I feel for everyone on this flight. I was 8 years old when this happened. My neighbor was stuck in traffic on the bridge.
Joe Stiley is a hero
I remember that day😢
''All the survivors had serious injuries, and a sixth person that had survived the crash drowned in the river. '' :(
I remember this😢
I was supposed to be on the flight. My father had a stroke . I missed the flight. I was in my twenties. My father died the same year.
Rest In Pieces 💀💀💀💀
?? u serious rn
I remember the Potomac River crash in Washington D.C. in 1982 like it was yesterday
The Fire dept rescue that was used as the command post when Florida Air flight 90 crashed into the Potomac on 13 Jan 1982 has a V12. It was purchased by a volunteer fire company in Ohio and is still in service.
How do you know this? Were you with Arlington FD? I'm writing a book about Air Florida 90 and would like to know more.
So sad 😢
O.K., so Joe is talking about his right arm being broken, and all his fingers being broken. Then they show someone? In the hospital with his RIGHT arm behind his head, talking, no bandages on his hands or fingers, so it doesn't make sense. If Joe's arm was broken, that could not have been Joe they showed in the hospital with his RIGHT arm behind his head and his head resting on his arm. Doesn't make sense.
Was after his recovery...use your common sense.
@@stiofanmcareavey1697 I have enough common sense not to be an asshole and tell someone to have common sense. Obviously you did not understand my comment. Have a lovely Christmas. You are a WONDERFUL person!
@@paulaneary7877 but you question someone's integrity after just about surviving a fatal crash..in great detail might i add...but im the asshole lol. You have a merry Christmas too.
@@paulaneary7877 you come across as a total bitch. Go back to watching reality TV please.
@@KK-zb3xc HAHAHAHAHAHA! That is hilarious!
A REAL man !
He said his right arm was broken as well as all his fingers. So why is he moving them just fine in the hospital footage the following day? Liar liar
wtf......No mention of the hero who dove in to save the flight attendant????
can you not have the end of the video covered by other video icons please?
You can clearly see in this video that both hands and arms look fine.
Of the five survivors only three are still living Nikki Felch Died April 21 2002 due to cancer and Bert Hamilton died April 5 2002 I believe he died due to heart attack
41 years ago today,damn.
The plane crashed below take off speed and despite no explosion only 5 survied
Thank you for your your bravery Joe and Lenny Stutnik.
What about Arland?
I heard he gave his life saving people
The Documentary of WHY, blames the Flight Crew Captain and 1st officer (2nd pilot). said they both were unexperienced for this weather, besides back then they didn't have Strick rules like today. Aviation has LEARNED a lot from this crash and have new Policies in place. 78 people died, ONLY 5 were rescued and lived. Very Sad. The captain has more blame. The last words that were said: Larry, we are going Down, per the 2nd pilot. The captain said "I KNOW!!
I remember a girl splashing in The water but not very coherent and cant remember if she made it
..they were having problems getting to her
Omg 🥺
So you spray -x- strength de-icer at 25 degrees, more at 28 degrees. Sounds like typical US cost cutting to me!
My dad was doing the story on that, too.
Why didn’t more people dive in from the bank? They stood and watched people perish.
I remember hearing that the water was so cold that day that theyd have become a liability themselves within a few seconds. Theyd maybe be able to swim out to them but by that time... theyd be so cold. Its hard to rescue an injured adult in calm water but in frigid water its like really really hard.
Nothing more pathetic than an armchair hero. Water was at freezing. It was a complete ice debris. jet fuel in the water. But I am sure you would have been Captain America
People said it was scp-787
1:25 Ford Grenada Mercury Cougar and Renault LeCar.
Alaska Air Ad before video
How can his right arm be broken when it's behind his head in the video, and he's resting on it. And how can all his fingers be broken when he's using them in the video? 🧐
2:54 *He’s in bed resting his head on his right hand, and gesturing with his left, no splints. A moment later he says his right arm and all his fingers were broken.* 🤨
It was after his recovery
I noticed that too 🤨 he was in the hospital and talking about it in front of a wall of cameras. Looked like it was just after the crash not months later. Also looked like he had a fresh scrape on his nose, presumably from the crash. Not a big deal just struck me as odd too.
ok so I live in md supposed true story I asked my friend why he ale=ways drank so much itturns out at the time of the crash he had a boss that owed a car business used cars and was seeing about a real estate sale in Orlando to buy. is boss said will you go with me and my friend said sure.the next day is boss said he had the worst flu of his life so he was not going and the plane crashed.
Had no idea this happened in 82
I came here because of the fake photos of the plane hitting a bridge lol
Instagram?
Joe one word, powerful
would you want to be rescued by a helicopter after being in a plane crash...... NO, I'll wait for the Boat thank you very much.
My school was skipped because if storm and the Metro had 2 fatalaties that day,
The DC school system ducked back then, no Buses from SE
why was this edited like 9/11
Why was this recommended to me on 9/11, not cool youtube.
I watched this live