It's been 42 years since Air Florida Flight 90 struck the 14th Street Bridge before plunging into the icy Potomac River. But the daring helicopter rescue and.
Today marks 40 years since Jan. 13, 1982 the snowy day Air Florida Flight 90 crashed into D.C.’s 14th Street Bridge, and Metrorail experienced its first fatal derailment.
Today (Jan. 13) is the 40th anniversary of Air Florida Flight 90 crashing into the 14th Street Bridge, a tragedy that killed 78 people. It was a snowy January
It was snowing on the 14
th Street Bridge and traffic had ground to a standstill as thousands of federal workers and other rush-hour commuters tried to get home ahead of a major storm. With an awful metallic crack, a blue-and-white jet swept out of the swirling snow at 4 p.m., smacked against one of the bridge s spans, sheared through five cars like a machete, ripped through 50 feet of guard rail and plunged nose first into the frozen Potomac River.
Moments later in a crowded subway car underneath the National Mall:
The train reversed direction.. with a loud popping and crunching sound and a sudden showering of sparks and electrical arcing.. Dozens of people of both sexes screamed. Slowly, surrealistically, the concrete abutment grew larger, closer and actually pressed the left center-rear of the car. The side and roof slowly caved in, almost as a foot crushes a tin can. More screaming, arcing, then silence.