AIR CRASH INVESTIGATIONS GHOSTS? The Crash of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401

On December 29 1972 an Eastern Air Lines’ Lockheed L-1011 as Flight 401 on its way from John F. Kennedy International Airport New York to Miami International Airport Miami Florida crashed at 2342 eastern standard time in the Everglades approximately 18 miles west northwest of Miami International Airport. The aircraft was destroyed. There were 163 passengers and a crew of 13 aboard the aircraft 99 people died in the crash. The flight was diverted because of problems with the nose landing gear The aircraft climbed to 2000 feet while the crew attempted to correct the problem. Surviving passengers and crewmembers stated that the flight was routine and operated normally before impact with the ground. The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was preoccupation with a malfunction of the nose landing gear position indicating system distracted the crew’s attention from the instruments and allowed the descent to go unnoticed.