lornajarrettblanchard

—     74  Wikipedia. “1985 Atlantic hurricane season.” 4-22-2014 modification.[1]

–24 (direct)     –50 (indirect)

–71-72  Blanchard tally of individualized fatalities by State and county.

—     63  NCDC. “Hurricane Juan, October 1985.” Billion-Dollar Weather/Climate Disasters.[2]

—     62  Carpenter. Floods in West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland… 1990, p. 1.

—     54  AP. “Memories of 1985 flood haven’t receded…” Free Lance-Star, VA. 1-18-1993, C10.

—   >51  AP. “Five Hurricanes, Mudslides, Floods…” Cumberland Sunday Times. 12-29-85, A8.

—     50  Schwartz, Rick, Karr, and Myatt. Hurricanes and the Middle Atlantic States. 2007, 284.

—     48  UPI. “Kate Rakes Atlantic Coast.” Cumberland News, MD. 11-23-1985, p. 1.[3]

—   >42  Chicago Tribune (Michael Hirsley). “Flood Leaves 42 Dead in 4 States.” 11-9-1985.

—     37  Chicago Tribune (M. Hirsley). “Flooding Leaves 37 Dead, 41 Missing…” 11-7-1985.

—   >36  AP. “Flooding Eases…36 Dead.” Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA, 11-7-1985, 1.[4]

 

Maryland                   (      1)

— 1  Carpenter. Floods in West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland… 1990, p. 16.

— 0  NCDC, NOAA. Storm Events Database. Search Results for All Counties in Maryland.

— 1  Garrett Co., Strecker, Savage River, Nov 4. Mudslide washout train derailment. Male.[5]

 

Pennsylvania              (       1)

— 1  AP. “Federal Flood Disasters Declared.” Cumberland Sunday Times, MD. 11-10-1985, p. 1.

— 1  Carpenter. Floods in West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland… 1990, p.16.[6]

–Walnut Creek in west PA. Probable drowning; fisherman swept away, rising water. [7]

— 0  NCDC, NOAA. Storm Events Database. Search Results for All Counties in Pennsylvania.

— 1  Presumed drowned in Grant County, WV. Tom Hyatt of North Charleroi, PA.[8]

 

Virginia                      (     22)

—     22  Carpenter. Floods in West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland… 1990, 16.

—     22  Commonwealth of Virginia. Hazard Mitigation Plan. Chapter 3, Section 3.3, p. 5.

—     22  US GAO. Federal Disaster Assistance. Relief to 1985 Virginia Flood Victims… 1986, 7.

—     21  AP. “Federal Flood Disasters Declared.” Cumberland Sunday Times, MD. 11-10-85, 1.

–20-21  Blanchard tally of aggregated county breakouts below.[9]

—     19  AP. “Floodwaters Lay Siege…Richmond…” Cumberland Evng. Times.” 11-7-1985, 1.

—     17  Blanchard tally of individualized breakouts below.

—       0  NCDC, NOAA. Storm Events Database. Search Results for All Counties in Virginia.

Fatalities by Counties and Independent Cities:

— 3  Augusta County.  Blanchard tally based on locality breakouts below.

–1  Augusta County, VA 629, Calfpasture River, Nov 6 found. Drowning; male, 57.[10]

–2  Swoope area, Middle River bridge, VA 703, Nov 4. Drownings, males, 28, 22.[11]

— 2  Botetourt Co. AP. “Robb…” Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. 11-7-1985, p.20.[12]

— 1        “              “  Nov 5. Drowning victim body found (though no indication of origination).[13]

— 2  Franklin County.  AP. “Robb…” Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. 11-7-1985, p. 20.

–1  U.S. 220, Nov 4. Car hits tree that washed onto the road.[14]

— 3  Highland County. AP. “Robb…” Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. 11-7-1985, p. 20.

–2  Monterey, Nov 4. Drownings; home swept away by flood water; males 37 and 17.[15]

–1  US 220, Nov 4. Drowning; tractor overturned on way to rescue Spencers; male, 58.[16]

— 1  Newport News (independent city). Missing, presumed drowned. Fisherman.[17]

— 1  Page County. AP. “Robb…” Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. 11-7-1985, p. 20.

— 6  Roanoke County

— 2  Roanoke vic., Nov 4. Drowning; car stalled in flood water, female and male, 10.[18]

— 1  Roanoke County, Roanoke vicinity.[19] Car “struck a floodswept tree.”[20]

— 2  Roanoke County, northwest Roanoke. Nov 4. Drowning in houses.[21]

— 1  Roanoke Co., Salem, Mason Creek, Nov 4. Female, ~40, found drowned in creek.[22]

— 5  Rockingham County. Blanchard tally based on locality breakouts below.

— 4           “                “       Schwartz. Hurricanes and the Middle Atlantic States. 2007, p. 284.

–1  Lynwood, Nov 4. Drowning while crossing U.S. 340 bridge (collapse); male, 67.[23]

–2  Mt. Crawford, North Riv., Nov 5. Drowning; pickup swept away, male 44, female, 35.[24]

–1  Timberville, Va 617, Nov 4. Drowning; attempting to drive to evac ctr., female, 47.[25]

–1  Verbena Bridge at U.S. 340, Nov 5. Drowning; car stalls in water; male, 48.[26]

— 1  Shenandoah Co., Nov 4. Drowning; canoe capsized, male, 40 or 42.[27]

 

West Virginia [28]         (47-48)[29]

—  61  Blanchard tally of county breakouts below.[30]

—  48  Blanchard tally of individualized breakouts below via counties.

—  48  UPI. “Drive Helps W.Va. Flood Victims’…” Cumberland Times/News. 12-11-85, 5.[31]

—  47  Batty, K.T. “Flood of 1985.” e-WV (The West Virginia Encyclopedia). 9-19-2013 rev.[32]

—  47  Imbrogno. “Recalling the Great 1985 Flood in West Virginia.” WestVirginiaVille, 2011.

—  47  National Weather Service. Flooding in West Virginia. “November 1985 Flood.”[33]

—  47  US GAO. Disaster Assistance. Response to West Virginia’s November 1985… 1988, p.10.

—  47  USGS. “West Virginia Floods and Droughts.” National Water Summary 1988-89.

—  47  WV A&H. Time Trail, West Virginia, Nov 4, 1985. “Floods devastate West Virginia.[34]

—  42  Cumberland Evening Times. “Young Flood Victim’s Body Discovered.” 2-25-1986, 16.[35]

—>40  Schwartz, Rick, Karr and Myatt. Hurricanes and the Middle Atlantic States. 2007, p. 284.

—  38  Carpenter. Floods in West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland… 1990, p. 16.

—  38  Cumberland Sunday Times, MD (S. Kegg). “Flood Damages High…” 1-19-1986, B1.[36]

—  38  Teets and Young. Killing Waters. 1985, p. 3. (As of 11-29-1985, from Gov. Press Of.)[37]

—>38  UPI. “Flood Regions. Emergency Crews…” Cumberland Times/News, 12-13-1985, 17.[38]

—  35  Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Another Flood Victim Found…” 11-19-1985, p.11.[39]

—  34  Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Toll From Floods Climbs to 34.” 11-15-1985, p.15.[40]

—  31  Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Bodies of More Flood Victims…” 11-14-1985, 41.[41]

—  27  Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “[WV] Death Toll Reaches 27.” 11-12-1985, 13.[42]

—  26  AP. “W.Va. Missing Still Sought.” Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg. 11-11-1985, 17.[43]

—  25  Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Death Toll From Flooding Hits 25.” 11-11-1985, p. 14.[44]

—  23  AP. “Federal Flood Disasters Declared.” Cumberland Sunday Times, MD. 11-10-1985, p1.

—>22  AP. “Floods set back struggling…” Syracuse Herald American, NY, 11-10-1985, A11.[45]

—  20  Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. “Bouncing Back. West…” 11-9-1985, 17.[46]

—  19  Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “19 Known Dead From Area Flooding.” 11-8-1985, p. 19.

—  18  AP. “W.Va. Concerned with Public Health…” Cumberland Times-News. 11-7-1985, 2.

—  16  Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. “40 Missing in W.Va.” 11-7-1985, p. 13.

—    0  NCDC, NOAA. Storm Events Database. Search Results for All Counties in West Virginia

Fatalities by County:  (59)

—       1  Fayette Co., Oak Hill, U.S. 19. 3 cars; “wet weather was a factor,” male (Pike), 50.[47]

–13-15  Grant County. Blanchard estimate.[48]

—     15       “       “ Fouch. “Bill’s 2¢ worth.” Grant County Press, Petersburg, WV. 11-6-2012, 4.

—   >13       “       “ Ten deaths in Jan 19 report, added to three missing in Feb 25 report.[49]

—     10       “       “ Blanchard individualized tally based on locality breakouts below.

—     10       “       “ Cumberland Sunday Times, MD. “Flood Damages High…” 1-19-1986, B1.

—     10       “       “ Teets and Young. “Flood counties in profile,” Killing Waters, 1985, p. 56.

–1  Cabins, No. Fork So. Branch Potomac, Nov 4. Drowning; Thomas Joe Clower, 32.[50]

–1  Cabins, Nov 4. Drowning; James Edward “Jimmy” Kile, 48.[51]

–1  Jordan Run area, Nov 4. Drowned; Harry Lloyd Harper, six days shy of 71.[52]

–1  Jordon Run area?,[53] Parsons, Nov 8. Drowning; Stelman Harper, 82.[54]

–1  Jordan Run, Nov 4.[55] Presumed drowned. M. Painter, 26,[56] or 29.[57] Still missing 3-25-86.

–1  North Fork Riv. Drowning; Maurice Richard Funk (body found Feb 10, Grant Co.).[58]

–1  Petersburg vic. Drowning; No. Fork & So. Branch, Potomac Riv., male (Gatto), 44.[59]

–1  Petersburg, Mouth of Seneca,[60] Nov 4. Drowning; Kenneth Lee Schell, Sr., 37 or 38.[61]

–1  Petersburg, Nov 4 (found Nov 12). Drowning; truck washed away, male (R. Schell) 35.[62]

–1  Presumed drowned in Grant County. Tom Hyatt of North Charleroi, PA.[63]

–1  Dolly Town. Sarah Pearl Lewis, 93 or 94.[64] Counted in Pendleton County deaths.

–1  Jerry Regester, 37, of Durgon (in Hardy Co.). Counted among Hardy Co. fatalities.[65]

—  5  Greenbrier County.[66]

–1  Renick. Drowning; Ruby Skeens, 56.[67] Counted in Pocahontas County fatalities.[68]

–1  Renick. Drowning, Darren Skeens, 4.[69] Counted in Pocahontas County fatalities.

—  3  Hampshire Co., Milleson Mills vic.[70] Drownings; hunters swept away; males, 49, 42 and 21.[71]

—  6  Hardy County. Blanchard tally based on locality breakouts below.

—  5       “          “      Moorefield Examiner, WV. “Coroner’s Report.” 11-13-1985. (WV A&H)[72]

–4 drownings             –1 heart attack

—  4[73]  “          “      Teets and Young. “Flood counties in profile.” Killing Waters. 1985, p. 56.

–1  Durgon,[74] Nov 4, found Nov 14 in Grant Co. Drowning; male (J. Regester), 37.[75]

–1  Durgon, Nov 4, found Nov 19. Drowning; Larry Glenn Regester, 37 (twin of Jerry).[76]

–1  Fisher, body recovered Nov 11. Drowning; female, Virginia Watkins.[77]

–1  Milam, So. Fork So. Branch Potomac Riv., Nov 5. Drowning; Noble Gunnoe, 58.[78]

–1  Moorefield, Nov 5. James [Jim] O. Flynn (or Flinn), Jr., 62.[79]

–1  Moorefield (or Fisher). Rob Roy Watkins, 67 or 69.[80]

—  1  Nicholas County, Nettie. Rose Mick, 73.[81] [We have listed in Pocahontas County.]

–16  Pendleton County. Blanchard tally based on locality and causality breakouts below.

–16        “              “  Van Gurdy and White. “Sediment flushing in Mystic Cave…” 2009, p. 106.

–14        “  Cumberland Evening Times. “Young Flood Victim’s Body Discovered.” 2-25-1986, 16.[82]

–13        “  Blanchard tally based on locality breakouts below.

–10        “  Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Toll From Floods…34.” 11-15-1985, 15.

–10        “  Cumberland Sunday Times, MD. “Flood Damages High…” 1-19-1986, B1.

–10[83]     “  Teets and Young. “Flood counties in profile.” Killing Waters. 1985, p. 57.

—  9        “  Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Death Toll…Hits 25.” 11-11-1985, p. 14.

—  5        “  [18 missing]. Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg. “40…” 11-7-1985, 13.[84]

–1  Upper Tract ~Ruddle, Nov 4. Drowning; mobile home washed away; Hartman, 75.[85]

–1  Brushy Run/Onego vicinity, Nov 4. Drowning; home flooded; Arson Hedrick, 90.[86]

–1  Brushy Run/Onego vic., Nov 4. Drowning; home flooded; Miss Eva Hedrick, 70.[87]

–1  Franklin. Presumed drowned (still missing 3-25-1986). Cathy Tinger Huffman, 19.[88]

–1  Upper Tract, Nov 4. Drowning; mobile home washed away. James Keplinger, 68.[89]

–1  Upper Tract ~Ruddle, Nov 4. Drowning; mobile home washed away; M. Lamb, 74.[90]

–1  Seneca Rocks, Nov 4. Drowned; swept away from home. Sarah Pearl Lewis, 93.[91]

–1  Franklin, Nov 4. Presumed drowning, house washed away; female (Dorothy Lilly).[92]

–1  Seneca Rocks, Nov 4. Drowned; swept away from home. John Lee McMillion, 71.[93]

–1  Seneca Rocks. Presumed drowned. Catherine McMillion (Kathleen McMillion, 58).[94]

–1  Cherry Grove, Nov 4. Drowning; pickup washed away, male (Nelson), 64.[95]

–1  Franklin, Nov 4. Drowning; Mary Spencer.[96]

–2  Franklin, Nov 4. Drownings, house washed away; Willard R. Spencer Jr. and Sr.[97]

–1  Franklin vic. Nov 4. Drowning, attempting to rescue Spencers; Ivan Stone, 65.[98]

–1  Seneca Rocks. Nov 4. Drowned attempting rescue; male (Jody W. Whiteside), 16.[99]

—  5  Pocahontas Co. Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Toll…Floods…34.” 11-15-1985, 15.[100]

–1  ~Devil’s Backbone, east of Huntersville, Rt. 39, Nov 4. Car washed away. Rose Mick.[101]

–1  ~Devil’s Backbone, E. of Huntersville, Rt. 39, Nov 4. Car washed away. Darren Skeens, 4.[102]

–1  ~Devil’s Backbone, east of Huntersville, Rt. 39, Nov 4. Car washed away. Ruby Skeens.[103]

–1  Marlinton. William Hayhurst.[104]

–1  Marlinton, Nov 5.[105] Drowned at his home.[106] Leo Mace Sr.[107]

—   5  Pocahontas County, Marlinton.[108]

—   6  Preston County. Teets / Young. “Flood counties in profile.” Killing Waters. 1985, 57.[109]

—   2       “            “    Cumberland Sunday Times, MD. “Flood Damages High…” 1-19-1986, B1.

–1  Albright. Presumed drowned. Josephine Newcomb[110] (or Newcome).[111]

–1  Cheat River Valley, Albright. Drowning; body found Nov 6.[112] Lynn Taylor, 89.[113]

—   1  Raleigh Co., Beckley (or Moorefield, Hardy Co.?). Presumed drowned. Carlos Milam.[114]

—   2  Randolph County, Elkins vicinity, Nov 4. Drownings; pickup swept off road.[115]

—   0        “              “      Teets & Young. “Flood counties in profile.” Killing Waters. 1985, p. 57.

—   3  Tucker Co. Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Toll From Floods…34.” 11-15-1985, 15.[116]

–1  Gladwin. Drowning. Raymond Bonner.[117]

–1  Gladwin. Drowning. Josephine Bonner.[118]

–1  Parsons. Stelman W. Harper, 87.[119] [Listed first under Grant County.]

—   2  Upshur Co. Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Toll From Floods…34.” 11-15-1985, 15.[120]

–1  Adrian[121] Nov 4.[122] Drowning; Elizabeth Jean Lane, 57.[123]

–1  Buckhannon. Presumably drowned. Joseph Guild Jr., 59.[124]

 

Identified West Virginia Fatalities and Presumed Deaths, Alphabetically Arranged:

 

1. Bonner, Josephine. Tucker County. Drowning.
2. Bonner, Raymond. Tucker County. Drowning.
3. Clower, Thomas Joe. Grant County. Drowning.
4. Flynn (Flinn?), James O. Hardy County.
5. Funk, Maurice Richard. Grant County. Drowning.
6. Gatto, Ronald. Grant County. Drowning.
7. Guild, Joseph Jr. Upshur County, Presumably drowned.
8. Gunnoe, Noble. Hardy County. Drowning.
9. Hammon, Charles Leonard. Hampshire County. Drowning.
10. Harper, Harry Lloyd. Grant County. Drowning.
11. Harper, Stelman. Grant or Tucker County. Drowning.
12. Hartman, William Clinton. Pendleton County. Drowning.
13. Hayhurst, William, Pocahontas County.
14. Hedrick, Arson. Pendleton County. Drowning.
15. Hedrick, Eva. Pendleton County. Drowning.
16. Huffman, Cathy Tinger. Pendleton County. Presumed drowned.
17. Hyatt, Tom. Grant County. Drowned.
18. Keplinger, James. Pendleton County. Drowning.
19. Kile, Jimmy. Grant County. Drowning.
20. Lamb, Mervin E. Pendleton County. Drowning.
21. Lane, Elizabeth Jean. Upshur County.
22. Lewis, Sarah Pearl. Pendleton County. Drowning.
23. Lilly, Dorothy. Pendleton County. Presumed drowning.
24. Mace, Leo Sr. Pocahontas County.
25. McKimmey, Willard. Hampshire County. Drowning.
26. McMillion, John Lee. Pendleton County. Drowning.
27. McMillion, Catherine or Kathleen. Pendleton County. Drowning.
28. Mick, Rose. Nicholas or Pocahontas County.
29. Milam, Carlos. Raleigh County. Presumed drowning.
30. Nelson, Delmer S. Pendleton County. Drowning.
31. Newcomb, Josephine. Preston County. Presumed drowning.
32. Oden, Paul Robert. Hampshire County. Drowning.
33. Painter, Margaret. Grant County. Drowning.
34. Pike, Jesse. Fayette County. Car accident.
35. Regester, Jerry. Hardy County. Drowning.
36. Regester, Larry Glen (twin of Jerry). Hardy County. Drowning
37. Schell, Kenneth Lee, Sr. Grant County. Drowning.
38. Schell, Richard Allen. Grant County. Drowning.
39. Skeens, Darren. Greenbrier or Pocahontas County. Drowning.
40. Skeens, Ruby. Greenbrier or Pocahontas County. Drowning.
41. Spencer, Mary. Pendleton County. Drowning.
42. Spencer, Willard R. Jr. Pendleton County. Drowning.
43. Spencer, Willard R. Sr. Pendleton County. Drowning.
44. Stone, Ivan. Pendleton County. Drowning.
45. Taylor, Lynn. Preston County. Drowning.
46. Watkins, Rob Roy. Hardy County.
47. Watkins, Virginia. Hardy County. Drowning.
48. Whiteside, Jody W. Pendleton County. Drowning.

 

Causes of Death – Direct (62):

 

Drowning:

1. Walnut Creek, western PA. Probable drowning; fisherman swept away, rising water.
2. Augusta Co., Swoope area, Middle River bridge, VA 703, Nov 4. Male, 22.
3. Augusta Co., Swoope area, Middle River bridge, VA 703, Nov 4. Male, 28.
4. Augusta County, VA 629, Calfpasture River, Nov 6 found. Drowning; male, 57.
5. Botetourt Co., Nov 5. Drowning victim body found (but no indication of origination).
6. Newport News (independent city). Missing, presumed drowned. Fisherman.
7. Roanoke County, Roanoke vic., Nov 4. Drowning; car stalled in water, female.
8. Roanoke County, Roanoke vic., Nov 4. Drowning; car stalled in water, male, 10.
9. Roanoke County, northwest Roanoke. Nov 4. Drowning in house.
10. Roanoke County, northwest Roanoke. Nov 4. Drowning in house.
11. Roanoke Co., Salem, Mason Creek, Nov 4. Female, ~40, found drowned in creek.
12. Rockingham Co., Lynwood, Nov 4, while crossing U.S. 340 bridge (collapse); male, 67.
13. Rockingham County, Mt. Crawford, North Riv., Nov 5. Pickup swept away, male 44.
14. Rockingham County, Mt. Crawford, North Riv., Nov 5. Pickup swept away, female, 35.
15. Rockingham Co., Timberville, Va 617, Nov 4. Attempting to drive to evac ctr., female, 47.
16. Rockingham Co., Verbena Bridge at U.S. 340, Nov 5. Car stalls in water; male, 48.
17. Shenandoah County, Nov 4. Drowning; canoe capsized, male, 40 or 42.
18. Grant County, Cabins, No. Fork So. Branch Potomac, Nov 4. Thomas Joe Clower, 32.
19. Grant County, Cabins, Nov 4. Drowning; James Edward “Jimmy” Kile, 48.
20. Grant Co., Elkins. Presumed drowned. Female (Painter), ~26, Still missing 3-25-1986.
21. Grant Co., Jordan Run area, Nov 4. Drowned; Harry Lloyd Harper, six days shy of 71.
22. Grant Co., Jordon Run area?, Parsons, Nov 8?. Drowning; Stelman Harper, 82.
23. Grant Co., North Fork River. Maurice Richard Funk (body found Feb 10, Grant Co.).
24. Grant Co., Petersburg, Mouth of Seneca, Nov 4. Kenneth Lee Schell, Sr., 37 or 38.
25. Grant Co., Petersburg, Nov 4 (found Nov 12). Truck washed away, male (R. Schell) 35.
26. Grant Co., Petersburg vic., North Fork & So. Branch, Potomac Riv., male (Gatto), 44.
27. Grant Co. Presumed drowned in Grant County. Tom Hyatt of North Charleroi, PA.
28. Greenbrier County, Renick. Drowning; Ruby Skeens, 56.
29. Greenbrier County, Renick. Drowning; Darren Skeens, 4.
30. Hampshire County, Milleson Mills vicinity. Hunter swept away in stream, male, 21.
31. Hampshire County, Milleson Mills vicinity. Hunter swept away in stream, male, 42.
32. Hampshire County, Milleson Mills vicinity. Hunter swept away in stream, male, 49.
33. Hardy Co., Durgon, Nov 4, found Nov 14 in Grant County. Male (Jerry Regester), 37.
34. Hardy Co., Durgon, Nov 4, found Nov 19. Larry Glenn Regester, 37 (twin of Jerry).
35. Hardy Co., Fisher, body recovered Nov 11. Drowning; female, Virginia Watkins.
36. Hardy Co., Milam, So. Fork So. Branch Potomac Riv., Nov 5. Noble Gunnoe, 58.
37. Hardy Co., Moorefield (or Fisher). Rob Roy Watkins, 67 or 69.
38. Pendleton Co., Upper Tract ~Ruddle, Nov 4. Mobile home washed away; Hartman, 75.
39. Pendleton Co., Brushy Run/Onego vicinity, Nov 4. Home flooded; Arson Hedrick, 90.
40. Pendleton Co., Brushy Run/Onego vicinity, Nov 4. Home flooded; Eva Hedrick, 70.
41. Pendleton Co., Franklin. Presumably (still missing 3-25-1986). Cathy T. Huffman, 19.
42. Pendleton Co., Upper Tract, Nov 4. Mobile home washed away. James Keplinger, 68.
43. Pendleton Co., Upper Tract ~Ruddle, Nov 4. Mobile home washed away; M. Lamb, 74.
44. Pendleton Co., Seneca Rocks, Nov 4. Swept away from home. Sarah Pearl Lewis, 93.
45. Pendleton Co., Franklin, Nov 4. Presumably; house washed away; Dorothy Lilly.
46. Pendleton Co., Seneca Rocks, Nov 4. Swept away from home. John Lee McMillion, 71.
47. Pendleton Co., Seneca Rocks. Presumably. Catherine (Kathleen?) McMillion, 58.
48. Pendleton Co., Cherry Grove, Nov 4. Pickup washed away, Delmer S. Nelson, 64.
49. Pendleton Co., Franklin, Nov 4. Drowning; Mary Spencer.
50. Pendleton Co., Franklin, Nov 4. Drowning, house washed away; Willard R. Spencer Jr.
51. Pendleton Co., Franklin, Nov 4. Drowning, house washed away; Willard R. Spencer Sr.
52. Pendleton Co., Franklin vic. Nov 4. Attempting to rescue Spencers; Ivan Stone, 65.
53. Pendleton Co., Seneca Rocks. Nov 4. Attempting rescue; male (Jody W. Whiteside), 16
54. Preston County, Albright. Presumed drowned. Josephine Newcomb.
55. Preston County, Cheat River Valley, Albright. Body found Nov 6. Lynn Taylor, 89.
56. Raleigh Co., Beckley (or Moorefield, Hardy Co.?). Presumed drowned. Carlos Milam.
57. Randolph County, Elkins vicinity, Nov 4. Drowning; pickup swept off road (2 victims).
58. Randolph County, Elkins vicinity, Nov 4. Drowning; pickup swept off road (2 victims).
59. Tucker County, Gladwin. Drowning. Josephine Bonner.
60. Tucker County, Gladwin. Drowning. Raymond Bonner.
61. Upshur County, Adrian, Nov 4. Drowning; Elizabeth Jean Lane, 57.
62. Upshur County, Buckhannon. Presumably drowned. Joseph Guild Jr., 59.

 

Causes of Death – Indirect (5)

Heart Attack:

1. Hardy County.

 

Mudslide washout train derailment:

1. Garrett Co, Strecker, Savage River, Nov 4. Mudslide washout train derailment. Male.

 

Vehicular Accidents:

1. Franklin County, U.S. 220, Nov 4. Car hits tree that washed onto the road.
2. Roanoke County, Roanoke vicinity. Car “struck a floodswept tree.”
3. Fayette County, Oak Hill, U.S. 19. Three-cars; “wet weather was a factor,” male, 50.

 

Cause of Death Not Noted (6)

1. Franklin County.
2. Page County.
3. Hardy County, Moorefield, Nov 5. James [Jim] O. Flynn (or Flinn), Jr., 62, ?[125]
4. Pocahontas County, Marlinton. William Hayhurst
5. Pocahontas County, Marlinton, Nov 5. Leo Mace Sr.
6. Pocahontas County, Marlinton. Rose Mick.

 

Narrative Information

 

Carpenter: “Heavy rainfall during the period October 31-November 6, 1985, caused record-breaking floods over a large region covering eastern West Virginia, western and northern Virginia, southwestern Pennsylvania, and western Maryland. The rainfall, most of which fell on November 4 and 5 and was indirectly related to Hurricane Juan, exceeded 10 inches over large areas. A maximum of 19.77 inches was recorded at the U.S. National Weather Service gage, Montebello 2 NE, in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia….

 

“A total of 62 lives were lost because of the flooding in the four-State region, and storm damage was estimated to be $1,400 million. Damage to the Roanoke-Salem, Virginia, area alone was estimated to be $440 million. Several small towns in West Virginia were almost totally destroyed. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reported that the operation of flood-control projects in several river basins, including North Branch Potomac, James, Tygart Valley, and Kanawha, reduced total damage substantially.” (Carpenter 1990, p. 1.)

 

“….The flood in West Virginia was the worst in the State’s history. It has been nicknamed the “Killer Flood of 1985” in that State. In Virginia, because of the extraordinary fury of earlier Hurricanes Camille (1969) and Agnes (1972), it is a matter of conjecture as to whether this storm was the most devastating. Although Maryland and Pennsylvania experienced some severe, localized flooding in their western regions from this storm, they were spared widespread devastation….

 

“As much as 19 in. of rain fell over the affected region during the 7-day multiple-storm period. Virtually all the precipitation was related either directly or indirectly to an otherwise unimpressive hurricane named ‘Juan’….” (Carpenter 1990, p. 2.)

 

“The flooding of November 1985 in the four-State area of West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland resulted from a rather complex sequence of meteorological events (Virginia State Climatology Office, 1986[126]). Three separate but related low-pressure systems contributed to the problem.

 

“The first event, which only set the stage for the record flood, received the most public notice. This event was Hurricane Juan and the publicity resulted because its associated windspeed gave it hurricane status, though barely. Hurricane Juan came ashore from the Gulf of Mexico over southern Mississippi and followed a generally northerly path until its remnants ultimately reached Michigan.

 

“During its northern passage, Juan spawned a small secondary lowpressure system which moved eastward across North Carolina and passed offshore. This system, together with Juan, produced primarily moderate rainfall in the study area.

 

“A third low-pressure system, which also was an outgrowth of the influence of Juan on the atmosphere, then transformed what would have been a very minor flood event into a major disaster.”  (Carpenter 1990, p. 6.)

 

“….The October-November 1985 storm period caused extremely severe flooding over large areas of West Virginia and Virginia. Flooding in Pennsylvania and Maryland was somewhat less severe and widespread but very damaging. Exclusive of indirectly related coastal flooding resulting from unusually high tides (damage estimated to be $35 million), this storm was the fourth most costly hurricane-type storm (tropical cyclone) in United States history. Sixty-two lives were lost, and damage was estimated to be $1,400 million. The damage has been exceeded only by Hurricane Agnes (1972), 117 lives lost and $3,103 million damages; Camille (1969), 258 lives lost and $1,421 million damages; and Betsy (1965), 75 lives lost and $1,420 million damages (Bailey, Patterson, and Paulhus, 1975[127]). The costs of these three previous storms would, of course, be substantially greater if translated into the 1985 dollars of the subject event….” (Carpenter 1990, p. 10.)

 

“….Damage was estimated to be $578 million and 38 people died as a result of the flooding in West Virginia (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 1985c[128]).

 

“In Virginia, the James River and the Roanoke River basins were especially hard hit….A total of 22 deaths were attributed to the flooding in Virginia, and damage was estimated to be $753 million (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 1985b[129]), including approximately $19 million estimated to have been caused by tide-related flooding in coastal areas.

 

“In Pennsylvania, severe flooding occurred along the Monongahela River…One fatality was attributed to the flooding in Pennsylvania, and damage was estimated to be $83 million (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 1985a[130]).

 

“In Maryland, the upper Potomac River basin experienced severe flooding…. One death resulted from the flooding in Maryland. Damage was estimated at $5 million, plus another $16 million

related to tidal-coastal flooding (Maryland Emergency Management and Civil Defense Agency, written commun., 1986).”  (Carpenter 1990, p. 16.)

 

“In West Virginia….Nearly 9,000 homes were damaged by the flooding, of which more than 4,000 were completely destroyed. Thousands of acres of productive farmland were literally stripped of their topsoil, leaving broad expanses of boulders and rubble often over 3 ft thick. Agricultural losses alone were estimated to be $97 million. A total of 50 highway bridges were destroyed according to the West Virginia State Department of Highways, and damage to businesses was estimated at $118 million.” (Carpenter 1990, p. 20.)

 

“Flood damage in Virginia was extremely severe. Monetarily, Virginia’s losses were the largest by far for any flood in the history of the State, including Hurricanes Camille and Agnes. Virginia’s losses even exceeded those estimated for West Virginia for this flood, no doubt because more populated and otherwise developed areas were on the flood plains of the most severely flooded rivers in Virginia. The metropolitan areas of Richmond and Lynchburg along the James River, and Roanoke and Salem along the Roanoke River all sustained particularly heavy damage with flood stages being the worst ever recorded in the Roanoke, Salem, and Lynchburg areas. A total of 22 lives were lost in Virginia and damage, was estimated at $753 million…The disaster-area declaration by the Federal Government included 40 counties and 12 independent cities.

 

“Damage to the Roanoke-Salem region alone was estimated at $440 million. Damage to one manufacturing facility exceeded $20 million, according to a Roanoke-based newspaper. Many people in Roanoke were rescued from rooftops by boats and helicopters. Residents of one apartment complex in Salem were rescued by boat from third-floor apartments.” (Carpenter 1990, p. 37.)

 

“Flood damage in Pennsylvania was extremely heavy along the Monongahela River, but was essentially limited to that river basin. There was one flood-related fatality in the State and damage was estimated at $83 million…A total of six counties in Pennsylvania were declared disaster areas by the Federal Government. Nearly 3,000 homes in the disaster-declared counties were damaged, with major damage to over 900 of them. Damage to the facilities of one of the

steel companies along the river was estimated to be $3 million.

 

“Along the Monongahela River there is a network of nine locks and dams that normally make it navigable throughout its length. Commercial barge traffic is extensive and important to the economy. During the flood, 62 barges broke loose from their moorings. They smashed into bridges, got caught in dams and locks, and some sank, causing extremely hazardous conditions. Repairs to damaged facilities, clearing the channel, and the loss of commerce were estimated to be as much as $15 million….” (Carpenter 1990, p. 53.)

 

“Flooding in Maryland was more widespread than in Pennsylvania, but generally less severe. Except for some incidental flooding caused by high tides in the coastal regions, flooding in Maryland was confined mainly to the Potomac River basin. This flooding, however, created some serious problems all the way from the headwaters of the Potomac, on the North Branch, to Washington, D.C. The most serious flooding occurred in the headwaters of the North Branch and on the mainstem Potomac River downstream from confluences with major tributaries from the south which drained the severely flooded regions of West Virginia and Virginia. The major flooding in the headwaters occurred upstream from Bloomington Lake, which was very effective in preventing more severe flooding downstream. Significant flooding did occur in the Youghiogheny River basin in Maryland, but it did not cause widespread damage.”  (Carpenter 1990, p. 61.)

 

“Summary.  Heavy rains over the period October 31-November 6, 1985 (related to Hurricane Juan), caused major flooding over a large region of West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. Totals in excess of 10 in. of rain were recorded over much of the region. As a result, the greatest floods on record occurred at many locations in each of the following major river basins: Potomac, James, Roanoke, Monongahela, and Kanawha….” (Carpenter 1990, p. 64.)

 

(Carpenter (USGS). Floods in West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, November 1985. 1990.)

 

Teets and Young:  “Coral Gables. Mark Zimmer, a meteorologist with 27 years’ experience working for the National Hurricane Center or related agencies, said Hurricane Juan’s influence was the ‘major contributing factor’ to the record rainfall received in West Virginia during the days preceding the Killing Waters.”  (Teets, Bob, and Shelby Young (Compilers and Editors). Killing Waters: The Great West Virginia Flood of 1985. 1985, p. 111.)

 

VA DEM:  “Election Day Flood in 1985. Heavy rainfall from October 31 through November 6, 1985, caused record-breaking floods over a large region, including western and northern Virginia. Most of the rain fell on November 4 and 5 causing flash flooding. Heavy rainfall was indirectly related to Hurricane Juan. The Roanoke River rose seven feet in one hour and 18 feet in six hours, cresting at 23 feet on November 5. There were 22 deaths in Virginia as a result of the flooding. FEMA declared 50 jurisdictions disaster areas. Approximately 1.7 million people were affected by the flooding; damages were estimated at $800 million.”  (Commonwealth of VA. Hazard Mitigation Plan. Chapter 3, “Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (HIRA),” Section 3.3 – Declared Disasters and NCDC Data. Richmond: VA DEM, March 2013, pp. 5-6.)

 

Newspapers

 

Nov 6, 1985 report on WV: “….The swelled South Branch of the Potomac was receding Tuesday night, but “very, very slowly,” reported a spokesman for the county emergency communications center in Petersburg. All of Petersburg and Maysville [WV] had been evacuated through the night Monday, and not all had been allowed to return to their homes by Tuesday night. “The biggest problem we have right now,” the spokesman said, “is looting.” The National Guard had been called in to assist state police, local sheriff’s department officials and city police in controlling looting. Power outages and telephone service disruption continued widespread throughout the county, and most roads remained impassable. Bridges were out, and it was still raining Tuesday night. “Many, many homes have been destroyed,” the spokesman added….” (Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Flooding Claims at Least Six Lives.” 11-6-1985, p. 1.)

 

Jan 19, 1986 article on WV:  “It has been a little more than two months since nature stockpiled an unimaginable amount of water in the mountains of “wild, wonderful” West Virginia, then unleashed it with nuclear-like fury, creating a meandering path of death and destruction for approximately 200 miles. Homes and businesses, along with cars, trucks, buses, livestock, and any other thing in the path of the largest wall of water in West Virginia’s history, washed away….

 

“Ten persons died in the flood in both Grant and Pendleton counties. Hardy and Pocahontas each had four deaths, Hampshire and Tucker each three, and Preston and Upshur each two. Mineral, Morgan, and Berkeley had none….

 

“The terrifying storm of early November could have been far more costly in human lives had it occurred during the middle of the summer season when there is a population explosion along the rivers. The South Branch of the Potomac was lined for miles on both sides of the river with camps, including many homes that served as permanent residences. ‘Just think what could have happened had that incredibly high water hit the South Branch during the middle of the night on a Fourth of July weekend,’ said press [Governor’s Office] spokesman [Al] Lisko. ‘Hundreds of lives would have been lost.’ The water in some places along the ‘Branch’ was as high as 50 feet above the normal level of the river….” Cumberland Sunday Times, MD (Suter Kegg). “Flood Damages High. South Branch Area Victim of Nature.” 1-19-1986, B1.

 

Sources

 

Alton Telegraph, IL (Dennis McMurray). “Former Findley aide dies in flood.” 11-13-1985, A-6. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=119711698&sterm

 

Ancestry.com. “Elizabeth Jean Lane.” Accessed 6-28-2014 at: http://records.ancestry.com/elizabeth_jean_lane_records.ashx?pid=74561940

 

Associated Press (Roger Petterson). “Federal Flood Disasters Declared.” Cumberland Sunday Times, MD. 11-10-1985, p. 1. Accessed 6-25-2014 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=183765501&sterm=flood

 

Associated Press, Buchanan, Va. Daily News Record, Harrisonburg, VA. “Flood-Stricken Town Gives Thanks.” 11-29-1985, p. 19. Accessed 6-28-2014 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=150525085&sterm=flood+botetourt

 

Associated Press. “Flooding Eases; At Least 36 Dead.” Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA, 11-7-1985, 1. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=150524279&sterm

 

Associated Press. “Flooding isolates Appalachian towns.” Kokomo Tribune, IN. 11-5-1985, p. 8. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=113615244&sterm=flood+botetourt

 

Associated Press (Scott Williams). “Floods Kill 11, Strand Thousands, Isolate Communities.” 11-5-1985, 2:11 ET. Accessed 6-25-2014 at: http://www.apnewsarchive.com/1985/Floods-Kill-11-Strand-Thousands-Isolate-Communities/id-fa6884c17764d2a089439997ffc80b45

 

Associated Press. “Floods set back struggling W. Virginia economy.” Syracuse Herald American, NY, 11-10-1985, A11. Accessed 6-23-2014 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=44395826&sterm=flood+drown

 

Associated Press (Scott Williams). “Floodwaters Lay Siege Today to Richmond, D.C.” Cumberland Evening Times, MD.” 11-7-1985, p. 1. Accessed 6-25-2014 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=183765420&sterm=flood+drown

 

Associated Press (Roger Petterson). “Heavy Rain Spawns Flooding in Virginias, North Carolina.” Aiken Standard, SC, 11-5-1985, 2B. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=104108379&sterm=hurricane+juan

 

Associated Press. “Juan’s storms kill at least 4.” The Capital, Annapolis, MD. 11-5-1985, p. 19. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=5571739&sterm=flood+drown

 

Associated Press, Roanoke, VA (David Reed). “Memories of 1985 flood haven’t receded for clergy.” Free Lance-Star, Fredericksburg, VA. 1-18-1993, C10. Accessed 6-25-2014 at: http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1298&dat=19930118&id=-uUyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=kAcGAAAAIBAJ&pg=4558,3019769

 

Associated Press. “Robb Tours Flood-Stricken Areas.” Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. 11-7-1985, p. 20. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=148159156&sterm

 

Associated Press. “W.Va. Concerned with Public Health Problems After Record Flood…18 Bodies Recovered.” Cumberland Times/News, MD. 11-7-1985, 2. Accessed 6-25-2014 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=183765421&sterm=flood+drown

 

Associated Press, Charleston, WV. “W.Va. Lawmakers Study Flood-Related Bills.” Cumberland Times/News, MD. 1-14-1986, p. 2. Accessed 6-26-2014 at: http://newspaperarchive.com

 

Associated Press. “W.Va. Missing Still Sought.” Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. 11-11-1985, 17. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=150524425&sterm=flood

 

Battelle Memorial Institute. Final Independent External Peer Review Report for the Engineering, Economic, and Environmental Evaluation of the Geotechnical, Hydrological, Hydraulic, and Economic Aspects of Flood Risk Reduction Report, Marlinton, West Virginia. Huntington District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 11-16-2010. Accessed 6-27-2014 at: http://www.usace.army.mil/Portals/2/docs/civilworks/Project%20Planning/peer/MarlingtonWV_IEPR.pdf

 

Batty, Kenneth T. “Flood of 1985.” e-WV (The West Virginia Encyclopedia). 9-19-2013 revision. Accessed 6-22-2014 at: http://www.wvencyclopedia.org/articles/2197

 

Bittinger, Wayne (Ed.). The Flood of November 4-5, 1985 in Tucker, Preston, Grant and Hardy Counties West Virginia. Parsons, WV: McClain Printing Co., 1985.

 

Carpenter, D. H. Floods in West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, November 1985 (Water-Resources Investigations Report 88-4213). Towson, MD: U.S. Geological Survey, Dept. of Interior, 1990. Accessed 6-21-2014 at: http://pubs.usgs.gov/wri/1988/4213/report.pdf

 

Charleston Gazette, WV (Patty Vandergrift). “8 counties declared disaster area.” 11-8-1985. Accessed 6-23-2014 at West Virginia Archives & History, WV Division of Culture and History, at: http://www.wvculture.org/history/disasters/flood198501.html

 

Chicago Tribune (Michael Hirsley). “Flood Leaves 42 Dead in 4 States.” 11-9-1985. Accessed 6-25-2014 at: http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1985-11-09/news/8503170415_1_power-or-telephones-disaster-arch-moore

 

Chicago Tribune (Michael Hirsley). “Flooding Leaves 37 Dead, 41 Missing in East.” 11-7-1985. Accessed 6-25-2014 at: http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1985-11-07/news/8503160781_1_flood-threat-west-virginia-drinking-water

 

Commonwealth of Virginia. Hazard Mitigation Plan. Chapter 3, “Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (HIRA),” Section 3.3 – Declared Disasters and NCDC Data. Richmond, VA: VA Department of Emergency Management and Virginia Tech Center for Geospatial Information Technology, March 2013. Accessed 6-25-2014 at: http://www.vaemergency.gov/webfm_send/858/Section3-3-FederalDisasterDeclarationsandNCDCData.pdf

 

Cumberland Evening Times, MD (Roxy Sliviak). “17 Area Deaths Blamed on Widespread Flooding.” 11-7-1985, p. 10. Accessed 6-25-2014 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=183831672&sterm=flood+drown

 

Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “19 Known Dead From Area Flooding.” 11-8-1985, p. 19. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=183831698&sterm=flood+drown

 

Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Another Flood Victim Found; 12 Still Missing.” 11-19-1985, p. 11. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=183833099&sterm=flood

 

Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Bodies of More Flood Victims Found.” 11-14-1985, p. 41. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=183832328&sterm=flood+drown

 

Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Cabins Flood Victim Services Set Monday.” 11-11-1985, p. 12. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=183765625&sterm=flood+drown

 

Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Cherry Grove Flooding Claims Delmer Nelson.” 11-11-1985, p. 12. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=183765625&sterm=flood

 

Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Dead, Missing Listed.” 11-15-1985, p. 15. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=183832343&sterm=flood

 

Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Death Toll From Flooding Hits 25.” 11-11-1985, p. 14. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=183832247&sterm=flood

 

Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Elderly Brother, Sister Die in Flood.” 11-11-1985, p. 12. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=183765625&sterm=flood+drown+death

 

Cumberland Evening Times, MD “Flood Claims Two From Cabin Home.” 11-11-1985, 12. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=183765625&sterm=flood+drown+death

 

Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Flooding Claims at Least Six Lives.” 11-6-1985, p. 1. Accessed at:  http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=183765354

 

Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Floods Blamed in City Man’s Death; Several Missing.” 11-5-1985, p. 1. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=183831523&sterm=flood

 

Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Joint Funeral Set for Twin Brothers.” 11-20-1985, p. 18. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=183765947&sterm=flood+drown+death

 

Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Services Slated for Flood Victim.” 11-19-1985, p. 13. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=183833100&sterm=flood+drown+death

 

Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Toll From Floods Climbs to 34.” 11-15-1985, p. 15. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=183832343&sterm

 

Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Upper Tract Man Flooding Victim.” 11-11-1985, p. 12. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=183765625&sterm=flood+drown+death

 

Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “West Virginia Death Toll Reaches 27.” 11-12-1985, p. 13. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=183832259&sterm

 

Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Young Flood Victim’s Body Discovered.” 2-25-1986, pp. 11 & 16. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=183867980&sterm

 

Cumberland News, MD. “Mouth of Seneca Flood Victim Found.” 11-9-1985, p. 20. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=183765484&sterm

 

Cumberland News, MD. “Retired School Official Drowns.” 11-9-1985, p. 20. Accessed 6-25-2014 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=183765484&sterm

 

Cumberland Sunday Times, MD (Suter Kegg). “Flood Damages High. South Branch Area Victim of Nature.” 1-19-1986, B1. Accessed 6-27-2014 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=183833157&sterm

 

Cumberland Times/News, MD. “19 Known Dead From Area Flooding” (cont. from p. 17). 11-8-1985, p. 19. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=183831698&sterm

 

Cumberland Times/News, MD. “Area Deaths, Funeral Notices.” 11-7-1985, p. 14. Accessed at:

http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=183765427&sterm

 

Cumberland Times/News, MD. “Deaths and Funeral Notices of Tri-State Area. Joint Services Set for Flood Victims.” 11-15-1985, p. 14. Accessed 6-24-2014 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=183765728&sterm

 

Cumberland Times-News, MD. “Hope Exists on Locating Five Bodies. 3-25-1986, p. 11. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=183834869&sterm

 

Cumberland Times/News, MD. “Petersburg Man, 35, Victim of Flooding.” 11-13-1985, p. 30. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=183765661&sterm

 

Cumberland Times/News, MD. “Thousands Evacuated” (continued from page 1). 11-5-1985, p. 22. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=183765340&sterm

 

Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. “40 Missing in W.Va.” 11-7-1985, p. 13. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=150524289&sterm

 

Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA (Eric Niiler). “Bouncing Back. West Virginians Start From Scratch and Await State, Federal Aid.” 11-9-1985, p. 17. Accessed 6-23-2014 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=150524369&sterm

 

Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA (Penny Bender). “Currents Claim Two More Lives.” 11-9-1985, p. 17. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=150524369&sterm

 

Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. “Death Toll Still at Eight; Three Missing,” 11-7-1985, p. 16. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=148159152&sterm

 

Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. “Delmer S. Nelson” (obituary). 11-11-1985, p. 9. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=150524417&sterm

 

Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. “Five Still Missing, Presumed Dead.” 11-8-1985, p. 19. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=150524334&sterm

 

Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. “Three Bodies Still Missing.” 11-11-1985, p. 9. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=150524417&sterm

 

Familytreemaker.genealogy.com. “Descendents of Michael Jackson.” Accessed 6-23-2014 at: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:JWCGjksCitkJ:familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/b/e/r/Shelby-J-Jackson-VA/GENE5-0029.html+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

 

Ferguson, Mark Lynn. “Washed Away: The 1985 Flood.” The Revivalist: Word From the Appalachian South. 11-22-2010. Accessed 6-22-2014: http://therevivalist.info/washed-away-the-1985-flood/

 

Findagrave.com. “Elizabeth Jean Lane.” Record added 4-20-2006 by Leon (Rocky) Lane Sr. Accessed 6-28-2014 at: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Lane&GSiman=1&GScid=79296&GRid=14011586&

 

Findagrave.com. “Harry Lloyd Harper.” 3-28-2012 posting. Accessed 6-27-2014 at: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=87512646

 

Findagrave.com. “Mace, Leo W., Sr.…d. Nov. 5, 1985.” Accessed 6-28-2014 at: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gsr&GSln=Mace&GSiman=1&GScnty=3101&

 

Findagrave.com. “Selena ‘Maxine’ Wolford Harper.” 1-9-2012 posting by Bill Miller. Accessed 6-27-2014 at: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=83171067

 

Fouch, Bill (ed.). “Bill’s 2c worth.” Grant County Press, Petersburg, WV. 11-6-2012, 4. Accessed 6-23-2014 at: http://gtc.stparchive.com/Archive/GTC/GTC11062012p04.php

 

Imbrogno, Douglas. “Recalling the Great 1985 Flood in West Virginia.” WestVirginiaVille, 5-10-2011. Accessed 6-27-2014 at: http://westvirginiaville.com/2010/11/the-1985-flood-recalled/

 

Moorefield Examiner, WV. “Coroner’s Report.” 11-13-1985. Accessed 6-24-2014 at: West Virginia Archives & History, “Flood of 1985.” West Virginia Division of Culture and History: http://www.wvculture.org/history/disasters/flood198504.html

 

National Climatic Data Center. “Hurricane Juan, October 1985.” Billion-Dollar Weather / Climate Disasters. NCDC, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce. Accessed 6-22-2014 at: https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/billions/events

 

National Climatic Data Center, NOAA. Storm Events Database. Search Results for All Counties in Maryland. All Available Event Types. 0 events were reported between 10/31/1985 and 11/08/1985 (9 days). Accessed 6-23-2014 at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/listevents.jsp?eventType=ALL&beginDate_mm=10&beginDate_dd=31&beginDate_yyyy=1985&endDate_mm=11&endDate_dd=08&endDate_yyyy=1985&county=ALL&hailfilter=0.00&tornfilter=0&windfilter=000&sort=DT&submitbutton=Search&statefips=24%2CMARYLAND

 

National Climatic Data Center, NOAA. Storm Events Database. Search Results for All Counties in Pennsylvania. All Available Event Types. 0 events were reported between 10/30/1985 and 11/08/1985 (10 days). Accessed 6-23-2014 at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/listevents.jsp?eventType=ALL&beginDate_mm=10&beginDate_dd=30&beginDate_yyyy=1985&endDate_mm=11&endDate_dd=08&endDate_yyyy=1985&county=ALL&hailfilter=0.00&tornfilter=0&windfilter=000&sort=DT&submitbutton=Search&statefips=42%2CPENNSYLVANIA

 

National Climatic Data Center, NOAA. Storm Events Database. Search Results for All Counties in Virginia. All Available Event Types. 0 events were reported between 10/30/1985 and 11/08/1985 (10 days). Accessed 6-23-2014 at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/listevents.jsp?eventType=ALL&beginDate_mm=10&beginDate_dd=30&beginDate_yyyy=1985&endDate_mm=11&endDate_dd=08&endDate_yyyy=1985&county=ALL&hailfilter=0.00&tornfilter=0&windfilter=000&sort=DT&submitbutton=Search&statefips=51%2CVIRGINIA

 

National Climatic Data Center, NOAA. Storm Events Database. Search Results for All Counties in West Virginia. All Available Event Types. 0 events were reported between 10/31/1985 and 11/08/1985 (9 days). Accessed 6-23-2014 at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/listevents.jsp?eventType=ALL&beginDate_mm=10&beginDate_dd=31&beginDate_yyyy=1985&endDate_mm=11&endDate_dd=08&endDate_yyyy=1985&county=ALL&hailfilter=0.00&tornfilter=0&windfilter=000&sort=DT&submitbutton=Search&statefips=54%2CWEST+VIRGINIA

 

National Weather Service. Flooding in West Virginia. “November 1985 Flood.” NWS, NOAA. Accessed 6-23-2014 at: http://www.floodsafety.noaa.gov/states/wv-flood.shtml

 

Schwartz, Rick, Al Karr, Kevin Myatt. Hurricanes and the Middle Atlantic States. Blue Diamond Books, September 2007.  Partially digitized by Google at:  http://books.google.com/books?id=t5U1CYKwQxcC&dq=September+13,+Hurricane,+USS+Warrington+Sinks&source=gbs_navlinks_s

 

Teets, Bob, and Shelby Young (Compilers and Editors). Killing Waters: The Great West Virginia Flood of 1985. Terra Alta, WV: Cheat River Publishing, 1985.

 

United Press International. “Drive Helps W.Va. Flood Victims’ Pets.” Cumberland Times/News, Md. 12-11-1985, p. 5. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=183871938&sterm

 

United Press International, Charleston, WV. “Flood Regions. Emergency Crews Keep on Working.” Cumberland Times/News, MD. 12-13-1985, p. 17. Accessed 6-26-2014 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=183873044&sterm=flood+drown

 

United Press International, Petersburg, WV. “Flood Victim’s Body Found by Searcher’s.” Cumberland Times/News, MD. 2-12-1986, p. 17. Accessed 6-27-2014 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=183867021&sterm=flood+drown+death

 

United Press International. “Kate Rakes Atlantic Coast.” Cumberland News, MD. 11-23-1985, p. 1. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=183833515&sterm=flood+drown

 

United States General Accounting Office. Disaster Assistance. Response to West Virginia’s November 1985 Flood Shows Need for Improvements (Report to Congressional Requesters. GAO/RCED-88-5).  Washington, DC: GAO, February 1988. Accessed 6-25-2014 at: http://gao.justia.com/federal-emergency-management-agency/1988/2/disaster-assistance-rced-88-5/RCED-88-5-full-report.pdf

 

United States General Accounting Office. Federal Disaster Assistance. Relief to 1985 Virginia Flood Victims – Process and Alternatives (Briefing Report to the Honorable Paul S. Trible, Jr., United States Senate. GAO/RCED-87-21BR). Washington, DC: GAO, Oct 1986. Accessed 6-25-2014 at: http://www.gao.gov/assets/80/76093.pdf

 

United States Geological Survey. “West Virginia Floods and Droughts.” National Water Summary 1988-89–Floods and Droughts (U.S. Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 2375). Accessed 6-23-2014 at: http://md.water.usgs.gov/publications/wsp-2375/wv/

 

Van Gurdy, James J. and William B. White. “Sediment flushing in Mystic Cave, West Virginia, USA, in response to the 1985 Potomac Valley flood.” International Journal of Speleology, Bologna, Italy, Vol. 38, No. 2, July 2009, pp. 103-109. Accessed 6-23-2014 at: http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1145&context=ijs

 

West Virginia Archives & History. Time Trail, West Virginia, November 4, 1985. “Floods devastate West Virginia.” West Virginia Division of Culture and History. 2014. Accessed 6-23-2014 at: http://www.wvculture.org/history/timetrl/ttnov.html#1104

 

White, Davin and Gary A. Harki. “From Parsons to Franklin, flood waters  swamp entire communities.” The Exponent Telegram, Clarksburg, WV. 4-27-2012. Accessed 6-24-2014 at: http://www.theet.com/news/local/from-parsons-to-franklin-flood-waters-swamp-entire-communities/article_6ee71743-2f73-5d97-894e-859b805061f8.html?mode=jqm

 

 

 

[1] This probably includes 11-17 fatalities attributed to Juan as a Hurricane in the Gulf and coastal LA, FL, TX.

[2] Notes dates between Oct 27 and 31 and “Category 1 hurricane—Louisiana and Southeast U.S. – severe flooding.” The figure of 63 deaths, however, may well include 11-17 fatalities in LA, FL, and TX that occurred in early Oct 27-31, which we do not include here. (See separate file on Hurricane Juan in LA.)

[3] “Flash flood watches were posted for parts of the Atlantic Coast, where flooding two weeks ago killed 48 people.”

[4] Notes “about 20 people were still listed as missing in the floods that followed three days of heavy rain.”

[5] Victim identified as David S. Ake, of Cumberland. His body found next day in one of two locomotives which fell into the Savage River following the derailment. The derailment “occurred when a Chessie System 135-car coal train with four diesel units derailed Monday night in mudslide washout at Strecker, Md., off the Savage River Road.” The mudslide was “caused by severe, widespread flooding…” A train fireman in the third unit was reported missing. (Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Floods Blamed in City Man’s Death; Several Missing.” 11-5-1985, 1.)

[6] No details provided.

[7] A November 5 Associated Press report notes that “In western Pennsylvania, volunteers searched Walnut Creek, which drains into Lake Erie, without finding a fisherman swept away today by rising waters as a companion scrambled to safety.” (AP (Scott Williams). “Floods Kill 11, Strand Thousands, Isolate Communities.” 11-5-1985.)

[8] Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Dead, Missing Listed.” 11-15-1985, p. 15; Cumberland Times-News, MD. “Hope Exists on Locating Five Bodies. 3-25-1986, p. 11. We highlight in that we include in Grant Co., WV deaths.

[9] There are differing reports of Botetourt Co., fatalities. One report has two, one has 1 body recovered there, and one has none. Our range includes one Botetourt County fatality for the low range and two for the high range.

[10] Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. “Five Still Missing, Presumed Dead.” 11-8-1985, p. 19. Victim identified as Thomas M. Phillips of Deerfield, who “apparently drowned when his pickup truck was washed off Va. 629 into the overflowing Calfpasture River.” Had last been seen Monday, Nov. 4.

[11] Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. “Five Still Missing, Presumed Dead.” 11-8-1985, p. 19. Notes search for Marvin J. and Douglas Knight. A Familytreemaker.genealogy.com webpage notes the death of Marvin Junior Knight, Jr., 28, on 11-5-1985 in Augusta County, VA. (“Descendants of Michael Jackson” webpage.) Same page notes death of Douglas Edward Knight, in Craigsville, Augusta County, VA, 11-5-1985. Douglas Knight’s body, 22, was found on Nov 8. (Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. “Currents Claim Two More Lives.” 11-9-1985, 17.)

[12] We highlight in that a November 29 AP report in the Daily News Record, Harrisonburg, VA (“Flood-Stricken Town Gives Thanks, p. 19), cites a resident to the “fact there was no loss of life…”

[13] Associated Press. “Flooding isolates Appalachian towns.” Kokomo Tribune, IN. 11-5-1985, p. 8.

[14] Assoc. Press (Scott Williams). “Floods Kill 11, Strand Thousands, Isolate Communities.” 11-5-1985, 2:11 ET.

[15] Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. “Death Toll Still at Eight; Three Missing,” 11-7-1985, p. 16. Victims identified as Willard R. Spencer Sr., and his son, Willard R. Spencer. Spencer’s wife, Mary and her mother were missing at the time of the article. A Nov 8 article notes that the bodies were found in Highland County, but that the family had two weeks earlier moved to nearby Pendleton Co., WV., where it appears they drowned.

[16] Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. “Death Toll Still at Eight; Three Missing,” 11-7-1985, p. 16. Victim identified as Ivan L. Stone of Rt. 7, Franklin. Appears, though, that this was a Pendleton Co., WV drowning.

[17] Assoc. Press (Scott Williams). “Floods Kill 11, Strand Thousands, Isolate Communities.” 11-5-1985, 2:11 ET.

[18] Mark Lynn Ferguson. “Washed Away: The 1985 Flood.” The Revivalist: Word From the Appalachian South. 11-22-2010. The boy was Steven Gusler, and the female was his grandmother.

[19] Article notes three known deaths in Roanoke and three in Roanoke County. We have listed two deaths on Nov 4 already. (AP. “Robb Tours Flood-Stricken Areas.” Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. 11-7-1985, p. 20.)

[20] AP. “Juan’s storms kill at least 4.” The Capital, Annapolis, MD. 11-5-1985, p. 19.

[21] AP (Petterson). “Heavy Rain Spawns Flooding in Virginias, North Carolina.” Aiken Standard, SC, 11-5-1985, 2B. AP. “Juan’s storms kill at least 4.” The Capital, Annapolis, MD. 11-5-1985, p. 19. Notes that “at least four people died yesterday in the Roanoke area, three by drowning and one when a car struck a floodswept tree.”

[22] AP (Petterson). “Heavy Rain Spawns Flooding in Virginias, [NC].” Aiken Standard, SC, 11-5-1985, 2B.

[23] Victim was Charles Marshall of Elkton. Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. “Death Toll…” 11-1985, 16.

[24] Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. “Death Toll Still at Eight; Three Missing,” 11-7-1985, p. 16. Victims identified as Lowell Rogers and Pamela S. Rankin of Elkton.

[25] Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. “Death Toll…” 11-7-85, 16. Victim was Shirley Hamblin of Timberville.

[26] Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. “Death Toll Still at Eight; Three Missing,” 11-7-1985, p. 16. Victim was identified as Oliver Kyger, whose body was found Tuesday, Nov 5.

[27] Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. “Death Toll Still at Eight…” 11-7-1985, 16. The Thursday article notes that on Monday the canoe of Robert Wichser, Jr., 40, who was attempting to move his sheep [one by one] to higher ground, with his wife, tipped over east of Maurertown and he was swept away, though his wife was saved. Body found Nov 8. (Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. “Currents Claim Two More Lives.” 11-9-1985, p. 17.) Age of 42 from: Alton Telegraph, IL (Dennis McMurray). “Former Findley aide dies in flood.” 11-13-1985, A-6.)

[28] In early January 1986 a bill was introduced in the WV Legislature allowing a presumption of death for the 10 people sill missing after the November floods. It was endorsed by the House Judiciary Committee. (AP, Charleston, WV. “W.Va. Lawmakers Study Flood-Related Bills.” Cumberland Times/News, MD. 1-14-1986, p. 2.)

[29] We show six sources citing 47 fatalities and one (UPI, 12-11-1985, noting 48 – probably including missing, some of whom were found dead in early 1986). Our own count of individualized fatalities comes up with 48 (disregarding reports by counties which shows 59).

[30] A problem with county breakouts is the nature of reporting which sometimes reports where a body was found, and at other times where a person was from or where they were when drowned. Thus a person could have lived in one locality, been at another locality when killed, and found at yet a third locality. Thus the 61 figure is not reliable.

[31] Dead and missing.

[32] “In West Virginia, 47 people were killed in the flood of 1985. Pendleton and Grant counties had the most fatalities. Towns such as Parsons, Rowlesburg, Philippi, Marlinton, Glenville, Petersburg, and Moorefield were severely damaged.” Cites as sources for the article: Wayne Bittinger (ed.). The Flood of November 4-5, 1985, in Tucker, Preston, Grant and Hardy Counties West Virginia. Parsons, WV: McClain Printing Co., 1985; Bob Teets and Shelby Young (eds.). Killing Waters: The Great  West Virginia Flood of 1985. Terra Alta: Cheat River Pub., 1985; and Todd L. Newmark. Looking Back Ten Years Later: The Flood of 1985. Goldenseal, (Fall 1995).

[33] “Pendleton and Grant counties had the most fatalities.”

[34] Cites Bob Teets / Shelby Young. Killing Waters: The Great West Virginia Flood of 1985. Parsons, WV: 1985.

[35] Notes “Five West Virginians are still missing.”

[36] Notes “nine persons still missing.”

[37] Notes 10 missing.

[38] Cites WV Office of Emergency Services Director Mannie Griffith, who noted, as well ten still missing.

[39] Notes 12 still missing.

[40] Notes 13 still missing.

[41] Notes 17 still missing.

[42] Notes 20 still missing.

[43] Notes 29 still missing.

[44] “The number of deaths in nearby West Virginia as a result of last week’s flooding increased over the weekend to 25 as officials located seven more bodies….that brings the missing list down to around 30.”

[45] Notes 44 still missing.

[46] Confirmed deaths, citing WV state officials.

[47] Victim identified as Jesse Pack of Fayetteville. Statement that wet weather was a factor attributed to Sheriff’s deputies. (Cumberland Times/News, MD. “Thousands Evacuated” (continued from page 1). 11-5-1985, p. 22,

[48] There is no doubt there were at least ten drowning deaths. There were, as of Feb 25, 1986 three missing, for 13. If one is to accept Fouch 2012, p. 4, there were 15 deaths. Thus the range 13-15.

[49] Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Young Flood Victim’s Body Discovered.” 2-25-1986, pp. 11 & 16.

[50] Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Cabins Flood Victim Services Set Monday.” 11-11-1985, p. 12.

[51] Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Services Slated for Flood Victim.” 11-19-1985, p. 13.

[52] Findagrave.com. “Harry Lloyd Harper.” 3-28-2012 posting. Listed as missing in: Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Dead, Missing Listed.” 11-15-1985, p. 15. A Harry Floyd Harper of Hendricks County, WV was listed as having died there in 1985 (born in 1914). Wallet of “Harry Harper” was found near body of Maurice Richard Funk, in Grant County on the banks of the North Fork River, Feb 10, 1986.

[53] The location comes from Findagrave.com “Selena ‘Maxine’ Wolford Harper,” who was married to Harry Harper. It is written on this webpage that “Harry died on Nov 4, 1985 after being trapped…by flood water in the Jordan Run area of Grant Co. He and his brother, Stelman Harper were returning from the Petersburg stockyard.”

[54] Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Dead, Missing Listed.” 11-15-1985, p. 15. Date and cause of death from: Cumberland News, MD. “Retired School Official Drowns.” 11-9-1985, p. 20.

[55] “Editor’s Note: Young Elkins residents Bill Painter and his wife, Margaret, were returning home from a Marathon race in Washington, D.C., when they were trapped in the flood near Petersburg on Monday [Nov 4]. Painter’s wife is still missing and his home in Crystal Springs is severely damaged by floodwater. Painter recalled his 13-hour nightmare as he talked to Editor Eldora M. Nuzum: ‘We were about ten miles outside of Petersburg going toward Mouth of Seneca. There was about six inches of water crossing the road. We were able to drive through it, but then we came to a point where we couldn’t cross the road, so we turned around and tried to go back the same way we came, but the water had risen to where we couldn’t cross it. We stopped at a campground at Jordan Run. There were two other trucks with people and two hunters – nine all together. Margaret was the only woman. We had all parked on a knoll at the campground and it was becoming surrounded by water. It was three or four feet deep and 100 feet across at one place and we tried to ford it, but the water was too swift to cross. We all decided it would be safer to stay where we were. The water kept rising and about 5:30 p.m. my wife and I crossed the water to a two-story house at the campground. We waded in the water to get to it. WE broke out windows and climbed inside. We went up to the second floor and at about 7 p.m. the other people who hadn’t come across, tried to make it. The water had risen six to seven feet. They had a small boat and five to six people were clinging to the outside. Two older men were inside the boat. They got within five feet of the house and the current swept them away. One or two of them got back to where they originally were and climbed on top of some mobile homes. That was about 7:30 p.m. Ten or 15 mobile homes and trailers were all washed away. At about 8 p.m. the water came to the second story window. It had risen 15 feet in three or four hours. It knocked the house off the foundation. It broke up. As it was breaking up, the roof split in two and my wife and I climbed out onto the section of the roof which measured about eight feet by eight feet. We floated down stream about three miles on a section of the roof, then it overturned and I lost hold of her….Of all the persons in the other party who were stranded with us the rescuers have only recovered one of the bodies’.” [Mr. Painter was rescued from floating debris many hours later. Margaret Painter, age 29, had a 21-month-old son.] (Eldora M. Nuzum. “Margaret Painter swept away by flood waters at Petersburg…” Inter-Mountain, Elkins, WV, Nov 4; reproduced at page 11 in Teets and Young.)

[56] Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Dead, Missing Listed.” 11-15-1985, p. 15.

[57] Cumberland Times-News, MD. “Hope Exists on Locating Five Bodies. 3-25-1986, p. 11.

[58] UPI, Petersburg, WV. “Flood Victim’s Body Found by Searcher’s.” Cumberland Times/News, MD. 2-12-86, 17.

[59] Drowning victim identified as Ronald Gatto of Fallowfield, PA. (Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Bodies of More Flood Victims Found.” 11-14-1985, p. 41.)

[60] “Kenneth Lee Schell, Sr., 37, of Petersburg, died Monday [Nov 4] in the flood while traveling through Mouth of Seneca. The body was recovered about five miles southwest of Petersburg. The victim and his brother, Richard Schell, also of Petersburg, were returning from their place of work at a sawmill on Spruce Knob when their truck was washed away in the rushing river. Richard Schell still is listed as missing.” (Cumberland News, MD. “Mouth of Seneca Flood Victim Found.” 11-9-1985, p. 20.)

[61] Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA (Eric Niiler). “Bouncing Back. West Virginians…” 11-9-1985, p. 17.

[62] Drowning victim identified as Richard Allen Schell, brother of Kenneth Lee Schell. They were driving “through Mouth of Seneca.” (Cumberland Times/News, MD. “Petersburg Man, 35, Victim of Flooding.” 11-13-1985, p. 30.)

[63] Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Dead, Missing Listed.” 11-15-1985, p. 15; Cumberland Times-News, MD. “Hope Exists on Locating Five Bodies. 3-25-1986, p. 11.

[64] Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Dead, Missing Listed.” 11-15-1985, p. 15. We highlight in that it appears from another source that she was swept away from her home in Seneca Rocks, which is in Pendleton County, WV.

[65] Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Dead, Missing Listed.” 11-15-1985, p. 15. Body was found in Grant county.

[66] “Police reported 18 confirmed deaths: five in Greenbrier County…” Associated Press. “W.Va. Concerned with Public Health Problems After Record Flood…18 Bodies Recovered.” Cumberland Times/News, MD. 11-7-1985, 2.

[67] Charleston Gazette, WV (Patty Vandergrift). “8 counties declared disaster area.” 11-8-1985. WV A&H; Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Dead, Missing Listed.” 11-15-1985, p. 15.

[68] In that a newspaper report clearly puts the location of their car being swept away in Pocahontas County, we speculate that they lived in Renick, Greenbrier County.

[69] Charleston Gazette, WV (Patty Vandergrift). “8 counties declared disaster area.” 11-8-1985. WV A&H.

[70] Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “19 Known Dead From Area Flooding.” 11-8-1985, p. 19. Article notes that there were others in the hunting party who were all in the water at one time but had been rescued.

[71] Victims identified as Charles Leonard Hammon, 49, of Frederick, and Willard McKimmey, 42, of Waterford, VA vicinity (both found on Nov 14), and Paul Robert Oden, 21, of Brunswick (whose body was found on Nov 10). The hunters had been swept away while trying to cross a flooded area. (Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Toll From Floods Climbs to 34.” 11-15-1985, p. 15.)

[72] Notes that there had been four county deaths, three drownings and one heart attack. We know that J. Regester’s body was found on Nov 14, after this article was published on the 13^th.

[73] Notes 1 missing.

[74] Another source notes the location as Smoke Hole Cavern where he and his twin brother were caught on their way home from a logging job on Cheat Mountain. Article writes that “Four others died at the same location.” (The Pocahontas Times, Marlinton, WV. “Deaths,” no date; p. 51 in Teets and Young.)

[75] Victim identified as Jerry Regester. Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Toll From Floods Climbs to 34.” 11-15-1985, p. 15. His twin brother, Larry Regester, was still missing at the time of the article.

[76] Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Joint Funeral Set for Twin Brothers.” 11-20-1985, p. 18.

[77] Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Dead, Missing Listed.” 11-15-1985, p. 15.

[78] “Moorefield, W.Va. – Nobel (Curly) Gunnoe, 58, of Milam [Hardy Co.] died Tuesday [Nov 5] as the result of an accidental drowning in the South Fork of the South Branch of the Potomac River. His cabin near the South Fork was inundated in the flood that raged through here Tuesday, and he was swept away in the current.” (Cumberland News, MD. “Nobel Gunnoe Dies in Flood at Milam.” 11-9-1985, p. 20.)  Noted among Grant County dead at: Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Dead, Missing Listed.” 11-15-1985, 15.

[79] “Moorefield, W.VA. – James O. Flinn Jr., 62, died suddenly Tuesday…” (Cumberland Times/News, MD. “Area Deaths, Funeral Notices.” 11-7-1985, p. 14.)  Noted as flood victim in: Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA (Eric Niler). “Bouncing Back. West Virginians…” 11-9-1985, p. 17. Writing of “This week’s flood” the paper notes “The toll in Grant and Hardy County rose to five dead, 11 presumed dead and approximately 45 missing…Dead are…James O. Flynn Jr., 62, Moorefield…”

[80] Charleston Gazette, WV (Patty Vandergrift). “8 counties declared disaster area.” 11-8-1985. WV A&H. Age was 68, from Fisher, according to: Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Dead, Missing Listed.” 11-15-1985, p. 15.

[81] Charleston Gazette, WV (Patty Vandergrift). “8 counties declared disaster area.” 11-8-1985. WV A&H.

[82] Notes two Pendleton County people were still missing.

[83] Notes four missing.

[84] 14 missing as of Nov 11. (AP. “W.Va. Missing…Sought.” Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg. 11-11-1985, 17.)

[85] Victim identified as William Clinton (Clint) Hartman, whose Kimble Trailer Park mobile home “was washed away in flooding of the South Branch of the Potomac River.” (Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Flood Claims Two From Cabin Home.” 11-11-1985, 12; Cumberland Evening Times. “Dead, Missing Listed.” 11-15-1985, p. 15.

[86] Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Dead, Missing Listed.” 11-15-1985, p. 15. According to 11-11-1985 edition of paper, p. 12 (“Elderly Brother, Sister Die in Flood”), victim was Arson George Hedrick of Onego, who drowned with his sister Eva Hedrick, when the “flood swollen North Fork of the Potomac River” inundated their home.

[87] Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Dead, Missing Listed.” 11-15-1985, p. 15.

[88] Cumberland Times-News, MD. “Hope Exists on Locating Five Bodies. 3-25-1986, p. 11.

[89] Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Upper Tract Man Flooding Victim.” 11-11-1985, p. 12. Full name given as James Welsey Keplinger.

[90] Victim identified as Mervin E. Lamb, who shared a mobile home with William Hartman, who also drowned. Cumberland Evening Times, MD “Flood Claims Two From Cabin Home.” 11-11-1985, 12; Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Dead, Missing Listed.” 11-15-1985, p. 15.

[91] Cumberland Times/News, MD. “Deaths and Funeral Notices of Tri-State Area. Joint Services Set for Flood Victims.” 11-15-1985, p. 14. Sarah Pearl Lewis and John Lee McMillion were drowned when all three were swept away “when flood waters demolished their home.” (Cumberland Times/News, MD. “Deaths and Funeral…Joint Services Set for Flood Victims.” 11-15-1985, p. 14.)

[92] Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. “Five Still Missing, Presumed Dead.” 11-8-1985, p. 19. Mother of Mary Spencer. (Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Dead, Missing Listed.” 11-15-1985, p. 15.)

[93] Drowning victim identified as John McMillan, of the Cabins, WV. (Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Bodies of More Flood Victims Found.” 11-14-1985, p. 41.) Notes he was at a trailer court and that his body traveled abut 15 miles downstream. Cumberland Times/News, MD. “Deaths and Funeral…Joint Services Set for Flood Victims.” 11-15-1985, p. 14. Body found a the Confluence of the North Fork and South Branch of the Potomac River.

[94] Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Dead, Missing Listed.” 11-15-1985, p. 15; Cumberland Times-News, MD. “Hope Exists on Locating Five Bodies. 3-25-1986, p. 11.

[95] Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. “Delmer S. Nelson” (obituary). 11-11-1985, p. 9. Another article writes that “when flooding Potomac River waters rose he stepped out of the truck and into a hole.” (Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Cherry Grove Flooding Claims Delmer Nelson.” 11-11-1985, p. 12.)

[96] Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Dead, Missing Listed.” 11-15-1985, p. 15.

[97] See  Highland Co., VA. Apparently drownings occurred in Pendleton Co., WV, but bodies found in Highland Co., VA. (Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. “Five Still Missing, Presumed Dead.” 11-8-1985, p. 19.) Date of drownings is from: Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. “Three Bodies Still Missing.” 11-11-1985, p. 9.

[98] Charleston Gazette, WV (Patty Vandergrift). “8 counties declared disaster area.” 11-8-1985. WV A&H; Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Dead, Missing Listed.” 11-15-1985, p. 15.

[99] “A front-page article from the Pendleton Times in mid-November…tells the story of Jody [Wayne] Whiteside, a 16-year-old Circleville High football player killed in the flood at Seneca Rocks. He attempted to rescue an elderly woman form her home and was caught in the rising waters.” (White and Harki. “From Parsons to Franklin, flood waters  swamp entire communities.” The Exponent Telegram, 4-27-2012.) Date is from: Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Floods Blamed in City Man’s Death; Several Missing.” 11-5-1985, p. 1. His body was found Feb 24, 1986m about 300 yards from the bridge behind the visitors center at Seneca Rocks. (Cumberland Evening Times. “Young Flood Victim’s Body Discovered.” 2-25-1986, pp. 11 & 16.)

[100] See, also: Teets and Young (Eds.). “Flood counties in profile.” Killing Waters, 1985, p. 57.

[101] “Three people died when the car they were traveling in was washed off of Rt. 39 about 7 p.m. Monday [Nov 4]. Dead were two women, Ruby Skeens and Rose Mick, and a four-year-old boy, Darren Skeens. They were traveling east and the car was washed off the road above Devil’s Backbone just east of Huntersville.” (Pocahontas Times, Marlinton, WV. “Flood leaves destruction – four dead,” 11-7-1985; p. 18 in Teets and Young.)  See also: Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Dead, Missing Listed.” 11-15-1985, p. 15.

[102] Pocahontas Times, Marlinton, WV. “Flood leaves destruction – four dead,” 11-7-1985; p. 18 in Teets/Young.

[103] Pocahontas Times, Marlinton, WV. “Flood leaves destruction – four dead,” 11-7-1985; p. 18 in Teets/Young.

[104] Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Dead, Missing Listed.” 11-15-1985, p. 15.

[105] Date of death is from: Findagrave.com. “Mace, Leo W., Sr.…d. Nov. 5, 1985.” (Buried in Marlinton, WV.)

[106] News report writes that Mr. Mace “died in his Marlinton home when he was unable to escape from the rising flood.” (Pocahontas Times, Marlinton, WV. “Flood leaves destruction – four dead,” 11-7-1985; p. 18 in Teets.)

[107] Charleston Gazette, WV. (Patty Vandergrift). “8 counties declared disaster area.” 11-8-1985. WV A&H; Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Dead, Missing Listed.” 11-15-1985, p. 15.

[108] “The Town of Marlinton, West Virginia (WV), and the Greenbrier Valley have a long history of flooding, with the largest recorded floods of recent occurrence. The flood of record occurred on November 1985 and inundated almost the entire Town of Marlinton. This flood event had an estimated frequency of 350 years…and resulted in five deaths.” (Battelle Memorial Institute (for US COE). Final Independent External Peer Review Report… 2010, p. 1.)

[109] We are not using this number in that it appears to contain a mistake. The entry notes “4 People Dead” and the next line notes “2 Dead.” For other counties the notation for deaths is followed by the number of missing, where there were missing. We speculate one or the other number may refer to missing, or could just be a mistaken entry.

[110] Cumberland Times/News, MD. “19 Known Dead From Area Flooding” (cont. from p. 17). 11-8-1985, p. 19; Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Dead, Missing Listed.” 11-15-1985, p. 15.

[111] Latter spelling from: Linda Benson. “Preston County hit by flood of ’85.” Preston County Journal, p. 50 in Bittinger.

[112] Cumberland Evening Times, MD (Sliviak). “17 Area Deaths Blamed on Widespread Flooding.” 11-7-1985, 10.

[113] Charleston Gazette, WV (Patty Vandergrift). “8 counties declared disaster area.” 11-8-1985. WV A&H.

[114] Article writes that: “As of Monday Carlos Milam of Beckley was declared officially missing-presumed dead. This search continues on the South Fork for his body.” (Moorefield Examiner, WV. “Coroner’s Report.” 11-13-1985, WV A&H.) Another article has his home as Moorefield, which is in Hardy County. (Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Dead, Missing Listed.” 11-15-1985, p. 15.) It is conceivable he lived in one place and died in the other.

[115] AP (Petterson). “Heavy Rain Spawns Flooding in Virginias, [NC].” Aiken Standard, SC, 11-5-1985, 2B.

[116] We have seen a Chicago Tribune report that two of the flood fatalities were from Parsons. (Chicago Tribune (Michael Hirsley). “Flood Leaves 42 Dead in 4 States.” 11-9-1985.) Teets & Young note 2 dead, 1 missing (p. 57).

[117] Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Dead, Missing Listed.” 11-15-1985, p. 15.

[118] Article notes that her body, the last one found at this date, was found two weeks earlier [early Jan 1986] but was not identified until Monday, Jan 13. (Cumberland Sunday Times, MD (Suter Kegg). “Flood Damages High. South Branch Area Victim of Nature.” 1-19-1986, B1.

[119] Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. “Bouncing Back. West Virginians Start From Scratch…” 11-9-1985, 17.

[120] Also: Teets & Young. “Flood counties in profile.” Killing Waters. 1985, p. 57.

[121] According to: Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Dead, Missing Listed.” 11-15-1985, p. 15; and Findagrave.com. “Elizabeth Jean Lane.”

[122] Date is from: Records.ancestry.com. “Elizabeth Jean Lane.” Also notes she died in Upshur, WV.

[123] Charleston Gazette, WV (Patty Vandergrift). “8 counties declared disaster area.” 11-8-1985. WV A&H.

[124] Charleston Gazette, WV (Patty Vandergrift). “8 counties declared disaster area.” 11-8-1985. WV A&H; Cumberland Evening Times, MD. “Dead, Missing Listed.” 11-15-1985, p. 15.

[125] “Moorefield, W.VA. – James O. Flinn Jr., 62, died suddenly Tuesday…” (Cumberland Times/News, MD. “Area Deaths, Funeral Notices.” 11-7-1985, p. 14.)  Noted as flood victim in: Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA (Eric Niiler). “Bouncing Back. West Virginians…” 11-9-1985, p. 17. Writing of “This week’s flood” the paper notes “The toll in Grant and Hardy County rose to five dead, 11 presumed dead and approximately 45 missing…Dead are… James O. Flynn Jr., 62, Moorefield…”

[126] VA State Climatology Of., 1986, Roundup of recent conditions: Virginia Climate Advisory, v.9, no.4, p. 20-26.

[127] Bailey, J. F., Patterson, J. L., and Paulhus, J. L. H., 1975, Hurricane Agnes rainfall and floods, June-July 1972: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 924, 403 p.

[128] FEMA. Interagency Flood Hazard Mitigation Report, West Virginia (FEMA-753-DR-WV), 1985.

[129] FEMA. Interagency Flood Hazard Mitigation Report, Virginia (FEMA-755-DR-VA), 1985.

[130] FEMA. Interagency Flood Hazard Mitigation Report, Pennsylvania ( FEMA-754-DR-PA). 1985.

 

 — 63  NCDC. “Hurricane Juan, October 1985.” Billion-Dollar Weather/Climate Disasters.[1]

— 17  Blanchard tally based on State breakouts below.[2]

— 12  Case. “Annual Summary. Atlantic Hurricane Season of 1985.” MWR, V14, 7-1986, 1398.

–9 Toppled oil rigs and oil rig boats lost at sea.

— 12  Clark, Gilbert B. Preliminary Report. Hurricane Juan, 26 October-1 November 1985. P.3.

 

Florida            (  1)

— 1 Tampa vicinity, Oct 31. Vehicular accident; male, 32, lost control of car, rain-slick hwy.[3]

 

Louisiana       (15)

— 15  Longshore. Encyclopedia of Hurricanes, Typhoons…Cyclones (New Ed.). 2008, p. 279.[4]

— 11  Clark, Gilbert B. Preliminary Report. Hurricane Juan, 26 October-1 November 1985. P.3.

— 11  NCDC, NOAA. Storm Data. Vol. 27, No. 10, Oct 1985, pp. 23-24.

–6  Night of Oct 27-28. Coastal and offshore waters.

–1  Oct 27, 23:15. Drowning; oil rig rescue pod capsizes; male crewman, 49.

–2  Oct 27, 18:00. Drowning; off Miss Agnes on rescue mission; males.

–1  Oct 27, 13:00. St. Bernard Parish, Violet. Drowning; male, 21, fall from boat.

–1  Oct 27, 22:00. Plaquemine Parish coastal waters. Sybil 1 crewman overboard.

–1  Oct 27. St. Mary Parish, Atchafalaya Bay. Kiwi sinks; male, 45, drowns.

–3  Oct 29, ~01:00. Jack-up rig A. M. Howard capsizes. Drownings; males, 23, 30, 33.

–1  Oct 30, St. Tammany Parish, Slidell. Male, 46, missing, presumed drowned, marsh.

–1  St. Landry Parish, Arnaudville. Electrocution, male, 21, stepped on submerged line.

 

Texas              (  1)

— 1  Drowning; boating accident off coast. Clark. Preliminary Report. Hurricane Juan. P. 3.

 

Causes of Death

 

Drownings                  (>12)

Building failure           (>  1)

Vehicle accidents        (>  2)

Unknown                    (    2)

 

Narrative Information

 

“Lafourche Parish Coastal Waters: Around 2315CST on October 27^th, a PENROD Company rig collapsed 35 miles south of Leeville and was smashed into a nearby rig by hurricane force winds and 20 foot seas. 80 crewmen evacuated into rescue pods. Unfortunately, one rescue capsule overturned and a 49 year old crewman drowned. The remaining crew were rescued by the Coast Guard; two crewmen were hospitalized with injuries.

 

“Terrebonne Parish: An 8 foot storm surge moved through Cocodrie during the evening of October 27^th, tossing a shrimp boat 60 feet onto a highway; parked cars were moved 100 feet by the surge. Later that evening, the surge moved a Dulac home off its foundation and into the middle of a highway. An eyewitness account told of a roaring tidal wave rapidly moving across the marsh before colliding with a local 10 foot high, 3 mile long levee at Montegut. A 100 yard section of the levee failed and homes were flooded with up to 4 feet of water around 0200CST, October 28^th. The surge continued up Bayou Terrebonne, flooding about 80 homes and 6 businesses in eastern Houma with waist deep water around 1430CST, October 29^th. There was extensive flooding of low-lying, unprotected crop land. This caused heavy damage to the sugar and soybean crop. About 200 cattle drowned; thousands were stranded by flood waters. Overall, 800 homes were flooded; 15,000 people were left homeless.

 

“Terrebonne Parish Coastal Waters: The Miss Agnes sank while conducting rescue operation 60 miles south of Morgan City at around 1800CST, October 27^th. Two crewmen are missing and presumed dead….

 

St. Bernard: A 5 to 6 foot storm surge inundated Yscloskey, Alluvial City, Hopedale and Delacroix by 1800CST, October 27^th. 500 people were forced to flee. A 21 year old Violet man drowned at 1300CST, October 27^th when he fell out of his boat into a canal….

 

Plaquemine Parish Coastal Waters: A crewman was washed overboard from the Sybil 1 after it lost power and went aground on the jetty of the southwest pass of the Mississippi River at around 2200CST, October 27^th. Three crewmen were seriously injured during an attempted rescue off an ARCO platform near the mouth of the Mississippi River when 40 MPH wids blew their rescue basket against the rig as a helicopter tried to hoist hem aboard on October 30^th. Two men had broken backs; one had a broken leg….

 

“St. Mary Parish Coastal Waters: A 45 year old fisherman drowned during the night of October 27^th hen the Kiwi sank in Atchafalaya Bay.

 

“St. Landry Parish: A 21 year old Arnauldville man was electrocuted after he stepped on a submerged power line….”  (NCDC, NOAA. Storm Data. Vol. 27, No. 10, Oct 1985, pp. 23-24.)

 

Sources

 

Case, Robert A. (National Hurricane Center, NWS, NOAA, Miami, FL). “Annual Summary. Atlantic Hurricane Season of 1985.” Monthly Weather Review, Vol. 14, July 1986, pp. 1390-1405. Accessed 6-21-2014 at: http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/hurdat/mwr_pdf/1985.pdf

 

Clark, Gilbert B. Preliminary Report. Hurricane Juan, 26 October-1 November 1985. Miami, FL: National Hurricane Center, NWS, NOAA, U.S. Dept. of Commerce, circa 1985. Accessed 6-21-2014 at: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1985-prelim/juan/prelim01.gif and: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1985-prelim/juan/prelim03.gif

 

Longshore, David. Encyclopedia of Hurricanes, Typhoons, and Cyclones (New Edition). New York, NY:  Facts on File, 2008.

 

National Climatic Data Center. “Hurricane Juan, October 1985.” Billion-Dollar Weather / Climate Disasters. NCDC, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce. Accessed 6-22-2014 at: https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/billions/events

 

National Climatic Data Center, NOAA. Storm Data. Vol. 27, No. 10, Oct 1985. Asheville; NC: NCDC, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce. Accessed 6-21-2014 at: http://www.webcitation.org/6P0sbE0Xg

 

United Press International, Huntsville, Ala. “Juan fades over northern Alabama.” Hutchinson News, KS, 11-2-1985, p. 8. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=160813809&sterm

 

Wikipedia. “1985 Atlantic hurricane season.” 4-22-2014. modification. Accessed 6-21-2014 at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1985_Atlantic_hurricane_season

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[1] Notes dates between Oct 27 and 31 and “Category 1 hurricane—Louisiana and Southeast U.S. – severe flooding.” The figure of 63 deaths, however, must include fatalities in WV, VA, MD and PA that occurred in early November (mostly Nov 4-5) due to remnants of Juan mixing with other storm systems. (See separate file on this flood event.)

[2] We know from Clark (NWS) and the NCDC that there were 11 drowning deaths in LA. We also know there was one drowning death in TX, and we know of one traffic fatality in FL. If Longshore is correct that there were 15 deaths in LA from building failures, drownings and vehicle accidents (without providing a numerical breakout), then there would be seventeen fatalities in all.

[3] Victim identified as John C. O’Neil of Attleboro, MA. (UPI, Huntsville, Ala. “Juan fades over northern Alabama.” Hutchinson News, KS, 11-2-1985, p. 8.)

[4] “In Louisiana, where Juan initially came ashore as a moderate Category 1 hurricane on October 26, 15 people were killed in building failures, automobile accidents, and drownings.” We know that eleven were drowning deaths. If Longshore is correct, we must assume that there was at least one building failure fatality and one vehicle accident fatality, which gives us 13 identifiable fatalities. We do not know the cause of death of the other two fatalities.

–15 AP. “15 Die in Marine Helicopter Crash.” The Wilson Daily Times, NC. 10-16-1985, p. 1.
–15 Aviation Safety Network. USMC Sea Knight pilot error crash, Onslow Bay, 15 Oct 1985.

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Network, Database:
“Date: 15-Oct-1985 ….
“Type: Boeing Vertol CH-46E Sea Knight
“Owner/operator: United States Marine Corps (USMC)
“Registration: 153968
“MSN: 2319
“Fatalities: Fatalities: 15 / Occupants: 19
….
“Location: Onslow Bay – United States of America
“Phase: Initial climb
“Nature: Military
“Departure airport: USS Guadalcanal
“Destination airport: USS Guadalcanal
“Narrative:

“After launching from USS Guadalcanal during night operations, a Marine “Sea Knight” helicopter from HMM-263 crashed into Onslow Bay and sank Tuesday 15 October 1985, killing 15 of the 19 men on board, officials said. Causal factor of mishap was determined to be pilot error.”

Newspaper

Oct 16, AP: “Jacksonville – The second worst aircraft accident in Marine corps history killed 15 troops when a helicopter plunged into waters off the North Carolina coast, and as Marine comrades held a shipboard memorial service, officials said they had few details of the predawn crash. ‘They are looking into all the contributing factors that may have caused the crash,’ said Gunnery Sgt. John Simmons of the Camp Lejeune public affairs office. ‘The structure of the helicopter, if anything fell off, the pilot’s condition, the weight…all these things they are looking at.’

“Four others were rescued Tuesday after their twin-rotor, Marine CH-46D ‘Sea Knight’ helicopter, with 19 people aboard, crashed and sank after taking off from the USS Guadalcanal.

“Simmons said the worst crash in Marine history was a loss of a CH-53D in the Sea of Japan last May. All 17 people aboard were killed, he said….

“The helicopter was participating in an exercise with the 26th Marine Amphibious Unit, he said. The CH-46 is the principal assault helicopter of the Marine Corps and also is used extensively by the Navy to carry cargo and passengers between ships and shore facilities….

“Simmons said he had no details of the crash. ‘It left the ship flying over the water and crashed’ about a mile from the shore, he said….

“Four Marines were pulled from the Choppy waters around the Guadalcanal and one body was found. Navy and Marine divers organized a search operation for the 14 missing Marines, whose bodies were found Tuesday afternoon, Simmons said….The dead were identified early today by Sgt. Pamela Vajner at Camp Lejeune as: [We break into separate lines from the paragraph.]

Marine 1st Lt. John R. Blee, Durant, Iowa;
Marine Sgt. John F. Carney, Glendora, Calif.;
Marine Pfc. Craig F. Carnley, Bay Minette, Ala.;
Marine Lance Cpl. Larry L. Day, Peoria, Ill.; and
Marine Cpl. A. L. Jones Jr., Jamestown, R.I.
Marine Staff Sgt. David Jones, Beaumont, Texas;
Marine Pvt. Purnell Jones, Milwaukee, Wis.;
Marine 2nd Lt. John B. Karner, Eagle, Wis.;
Navy Lt. Robert L. Ledbetter, chaplain of the 26th Marine Amphibious Unit, Norfolk, Va.’
Marine Cpl. Cliff Moyer, Cement City, Mo.
Marine Cpl. Greg G. Reber, Alburn, Pa.;
Marine Pfc. Michael J. Stuhlsatz, Millstadt, Ill.;
Marine 1st Lt. John G. Wasko, pilot, San Diego, Calif.;
Marine Sgt. Dirk A. Witcher, Bel Air, Texas; and
Marine Pvt. Johnnie B. Young, Cordele, Okla.”

(Associated Press. “15 Die in Marine Helicopter Crash.” The Wilson Daily Times, NC. 10-16-1985, pp. 1 and 6.)
Sources

Associated Press. “15 Die in Marine Helicopter Crash.” The Wilson Daily Times, NC. 10-16-1985, pp. 1 and 6. Accessed 7-23-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/wilson-daily-times-oct-16-1985-p-1/

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Network, Database. USMC Sea Knight pilot error crash, Onslow Bay, 15 Oct 1985. Accessed 7-23-2023 at: https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/56062

–130-500  Silva-Tulla. The October 1985 Landslide at Barrio Mameyes, Ponce, Puerto Rico.

— ~500  Schmid. “Puerto Rico Toll May be Highest in U.S. Landslide History.” AP, 10-10-1985.

— <180  Wikipedia. “1985 Atlantic hurricane season…Tropical Storm Isabel.” 5-9-2012 mod.

— ~130  Quinones and Johnson (USGS).  The Floods of…Oct 6-7, 1985 in Puerto Rico. 1987, 14

— >130  Wikipedia.  “1985 Puerto Rico floods.” 5-9-1012 modification.

—   129  Highland/Schuster. Significant Landslide Events in the [U.S.]. USGS, 4-16-2003, 11.

 

Narrative Information

 

Quinones and Johnson/USGS/1987: “Landslides occurred throughout Puerto Rico as a result of saturation of the soils during the intense rains of October 5-8.  The most severe landslide occurred on a hill at Barrio Mameyes, on the northwestern fringe of the city of Ponce…  A slab of calcareous sandstone detached from the crest of the hill, slipping toward the bottom of a populated ravine.  Field estimates showed that about 260,000 cubic yards of material slid from the hill.

 

“The Mameyes landslide destroyed about 90 homes causing the death of about 130 people.  Most of the houses were buried under mud and debris.  The time of occurrence of the incident (around 3:00 a.m. on October 7) and the intensity of the rain at that time, affected the rescue efforts (only about 50 bodies were recovered).  Although many other smaller landslides occurred throughout the island, the incident at Mameyes was the only one that resulted in loss of life.  The Puerto Rico Department of Natural Resources is currently conducting an inventory of the landslides recorded during the floods.”  (Quinones, Ferdinand and Karl G. Johnson.  The Floods of May 17-18, 1985 and October 6-7, 1985 in Puerto Rico (U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 87-123).  San Juan, PR:  USGS, in cooperation with the Puerto Rico Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Quality Board, and Highway Authority, 1987.

 

Wikipedia: “A tropical wave exited Africa on September 29. It entered the Caribbean on October 5 and produced torrential rainfall across Puerto Rico; the floods killed 180 people, mostly from a deadly mudslide near Ponce.” (Wikipedia. “1985 Atlantic hurricane season…Tropical Storm Isabel.” 5-9-2012 mod.)

 

Wikipedia: “The 1985 Puerto Rico floods produced the deadliest single landslide on record in North America, killing at least 130 people in the Mameyes neighborhood of Ponce. The floods were the result of a westward-moving tropical wave that had emerged off the coast of Africa on September 29. The system moved into the Caribbean Sea on October 5 and produced torrential rainfall across Puerto Rico, peaking at 31.67 in (804 mm) in Toro Negro State Forest. Two stations broke their 24 hour rainfall records set in 1899. The rains caused severe flooding in the southern half of Puerto Rico, which isolated towns, washed out roads, and caused rivers to exceed their banks. In addition to the deadly landslide in Mameyes, the floods killed several people due to a washed bridge near Coamo. The storm system caused about $125 million in damage and 180 deaths, which prompted a presidential disaster declaration. The tropical wave later spawned Tropical Storm Isabel.”  (Wikipedia.  “1985 Puerto Rico floods.” 5-9-1012 mod.)

 

Oct 10, AP/Schmid: “Washington (AP) – While rescue workers are far from completing the count of dead and injured in Puerto Rico’s landslides, it appears certain that the toll will be the highest from a slide in U.S. history. Early indications are that as many as 500 people may have perished in the landslides, which followed a deluge of 15 inches of rain on the island this week.”  (Schmid, Randolph E. “Puerto Rico Toll May be Highest in U.S. Landslide History.” Associated Press, 10-10-1985.)

 

Sources

 

Highland, Lynn M. and Robert L. Schuster.  Significant Landslide Events in the United States.  USGS, 4-16-2003. Accessed 1-23-2017 at: http://landslides.usgs.gov/docs/faq/significantls_508.pdf

 

Quinones, Ferdinand and Karl G. Johnson. The Floods of May 17-18, 1985 and October 6-7, 1985 in Puerto Rico (U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 87-123).  San Juan, PR:  USGS, in cooperation with the Puerto Rico Department of Natural Resources, Puerto Rico Environmental Quality Board, and Puerto Rico Highway Authority, 1987. Accessed 5-9-2012 at:  http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/1987/0123/report.pdf

 

Schmid, Randolph E. “Puerto Rico Toll May be Highest in U.S. Landslide History.” Associated Press, 10-10-1985. Accessed 1-23-2017 at: http://www.apnewsarchive.com/1985/Puerto-Rico-Toll-May-By-Highest-in-U-S-Landslide-History/id-7855d61fffd77b93c5c6ed64b8c7ea54

 

Silva-Tulla, Francisco. The October 1985 Landslide at Barrio Mameyes, Ponce, Puerto Rico. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1986 (prepared for Committee on Natural Disasters, Commission on Engineering and Technical Systems, National Research Council), 21 pages. Accessed 1-23-2017 at: https://www.nap.edu/download/18920

 

Wikipedia. “1985 Atlantic hurricane season.” 4-22-2014. modification. Accessed 6-21-2014 at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1985_Atlantic_hurricane_season

 

Wikipedia. “1985 Puerto Rico floods.” 5-9-1012 mod.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1985_Puerto_Rico_floods

 

–10  Altoona Mirror, PA.  “Freeway pileup kills 10, injures 43.” 10-7-1985, p. 3.

–10  Daily Sitka Sentinel, AK. “10 Killed in Calif.” Smoke Causes Pileup.” 10-7-1985, p. 5.

–10  Los Angeles Times.  “Ten Killed in Freeway Pileup in Sacramento.” 10-7-1985.

–10  The Capital, Annapolis, MD. “Smoke triggers fatal crash.” 10-7-1985, p. 12.

—  8  Daily News Record, Harrisonburg, VA. “Trucker Saves Lives at Wreck Site.” 10-8-1985, 3.

 

Narrative Information

 

Oct 7, AP/Annapolis Capital: “Sacramento, Calif. (AP) — Smoke from a brush fire hung ‘like a curtain’ over California’s major north-south freeway, setting off a 33-vehicle chain-reaction smashup that killed 10 people and injured more than 40, the highway patrol said.  ‘We hit the car in front of us and then all hell broke loose,’ one of the victims, Kenneth Shockley, said after the pileup yesterday. Shockley, 2 passengers in a van that ended up in the middle of the pack of mangled cars and trucks, said his vehicle was hit six or seven times and bounced around ‘like a ping pong ball. We were scared to death.’ The smoke socked in the freeway’s northbound lanes ‘like a curtain being drawn,’ said Shockley, who received a cut on his head, a black eye and a bruised shoulder.

 

“The pileup involved 33 vehicles — including two large tractor-trailer rigs — shortly before 4 p.m on northbound Interstate 5 north of downtown Sacramento, said California Highway Patrol spokesman Dick Fridley. The highway, closed until early today, was still littered with damaged vehicles several hours after the crash. One small sedan was smashed beyond recognition, and crumpled automobiles were strewn across all the northbound lanes and onto the shoulder. One of the two large truck cabs was on its side and two cars were blackened by fires.

 

“”One minute the freeway was clear. Then suddenly the wind shifted” and the crash occurred, a local television station quoted one motorist as saying.  “Smoke was blowing across the freeway,” CHP spokesman George Olinares said. “It was very dense at the time”.” (The Capital, Annapolis, MD.  “Smoke triggers fatal crash.” 10-7-1985, p. 12.)

 

Oct 7, AP/Sitka Sentinel: “Sacramento (AP)…. Eight people died at the scene and two of the 43 taken to hospitals died of their injuries, Olinares [George, California Highway Patrol spokesman] said.”  (Daily Sitka Sentinel, AK. “10 Killed in Calif.” Smoke Causes Pileup.” 10-7-1985, p. 5.)

 

Oct 7, LA Times: “Sacramento — Thick smoke from a brush fire cut visibility on a heavily traveled freeway here Sunday, triggering a chain-reaction smashup that killed at least ten people and injured 41 others. California Highway Patrol spokesman…said that at least 33 vehicles–including two heavy tractor-trailer rigs–were involved in the massive tangle that began at 3:52 p.m. in the northbound lanes of Interstate 5 just north of the downtown area. ‘Smoke from a brush fire on the shoulder was blowing across all four lanes of I-5. It was very dense at the time,’ Olinares said. ‘One witness, a truck driver, told us the wind shifted suddenly, cutting visibility in the northbound lanes to zero.’

 

“‘We think one car may have slowed down suddenly after it moved into the smoke, another car smashed into it from behind and then the others just piled in–one by one,’ said CHP Officer Dick Fridley. The situation was further complicated, Fridley said, when the fire on the freeway shoulder was blown into the tangle of automobiles and trucks, setting at least four of them ablaze and causing their fuel tanks to ignite.  “I looked up, and our car was on fire,” one survivor, DeAnna Dilling, said. “I ran and got away. But the car in front of us had people in it–and I don’t think any of them could have escaped. . . .”

 

“Fridley confirmed that at least one of the dead was a passenger who became trapped in a burning vehicle. Other fatalities, he said, included the driver of one of the tractor-trailer rigs and four people who were in one of the first cars involved in the serial collisions.

 

“Olinares said that at least one more person may have died in the huge tangle, but it was difficult to count the dead and injured because of the compressed and burned condition of some of the vehicles. ‘It might be a while before we know exactly how many people died,’ Olinares said. ‘In a few cases, it will be necessary to let the wreckage cool enough to get inside.’

 

“Firefighting and rescue equipment from a 100-mile radius was rushed to the site of the smashup, and the injured were taken by helicopters and ambulances to nine hospitals in the vicinity, where two died and at least 10 were later reported in serious–but not life-threatening–condition.

 

“Traffic in both directions on the freeway, which is the state’s principal north-south artery, remained stalled for more than five hours while wreckage was being cleared.

 

“Sacramento firefighters who had been working to extinguish the brush fire that touched off the tragedy said the accident ‘just kept happening’ for several minutes.” (Los Angeles Times. “Ten Killed in Freeway Pileup in Sacramento.” 10-7-1985.)

 

Sources

 

Altoona Mirror, PA. “Freeway pileup kills 10, injures 43.” 10-7-1985, p. 3. Accessed at:  http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=72975400

 

Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. “Trucker Saves Lives at Wreck Site.” 10-8-1985, 3.  Accessed at:  http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=150523728

 

Daily Sitka Sentinel, AK. “10 Killed in Calif.” Smoke Causes Pileup.” 10-7-1985, p. 5. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=86281712

 

Los Angeles Times. “Ten Killed in Freeway Pileup in Sacramento.” 10-7-1985. Accessed at:  http://articles.latimes.com/1985-10-07/news/mn-16512_1_sacramento-firefighters

 

The Capital, Annapolis, MD. “Smoke triggers fatal crash.” 10-7-1985, p. 12. Accessed at:  http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=10989832

 

 — 17  Daily Herald (Chicago). “Plane Crash Kills 14 Skydivers,” Sep 30, 1985, p. 46.

— 17  NTSB. Aircraft Accident/Incident Summary Reports (NTSB/AAR-87/02/SUM). Jun 1987.

 

Narrative Information

 

NTSB: “About 1230 on September 29, 1985, a Cessna 208, N551CC, crashed during an uncontrolled descent. The pilot and 16 parachutists were fatally injured, and the aircraft was destroyed. The airplane was registered to Air Carriers Express Services, Inc., (ACES) and was being flown for sport parachute operations under 14 CFR Part 105 and visual flight rules (VFR). Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The weather was clear, and the temperature at the parachute center was reported to be 780 F. The owner of the airplane, who also was the President of ACES, was one of the parachutists onboard the airplane.

 

“Shortly before the accident, the airplane departed the sod runway of the West Wind Sport Parachute Center at Jenkinsburg, Georgia, with the parachutists for a mass jump from 12,500 feet. Witnesses familiar with the operation of the airplane stated that the takeoff roll was longer than normal, that the airplane speed was slower than normal, and that the climb angle was shallower than normal. The airplane climbed to an estimated altitude of 300 feet, rolled steeply to the left, and spiraled to the ground in a steep nosedown attitude. One witness reported that the propeller rotation visibly slowed just before the banking maneuvers. The airplane impacted nose-down in a pasture about 8/10 of a mile southeast of the parachute center. There was no fire.

 

“….The pilot’s logbook indicated that the pilot had 4,907 flight hours; with 1,121 hours in single-engine aircraft and 306 hours in turboprop aircraft. No entries were noted after August 28, 1985, and no flights in a Cessna 208 were logged. The pilot was hired about a week before the accident to pilot N551CC during parachute operations and 14 CFR Part 135 operations. His father reported that the pilot had flown about 15 hours in N551CC the week before the accident while engaged in sky diving operations in Illinois…..

 

“The postaccident inspection of the wreckage revealed that there was continuity of the flight control cables from the area of the cockpit to the flight control surfaces. The position of the flap actuating jackscrews indicated that the flaps were extended 200 at the time of impact. The approved takeoff range listed in the aircraft flight manual is 0 [degree] to 200 [degrees].  There was no evidence of a flight control failure before the accident.

 

“No fuel was found in the ruptured left-wing fuel tank. Approximately 23 gallons of jet fuel was removed from the right-wing fuel tank. The fuel contained water and an unknown solid foreign matter. The composition of the solid material was not determined, but it had the appearance of brown algae.  The fuel reservoir did not contain any fuel. The reservoir manifold assembly fuel line, which transports pressurized fuel to the engine, was fractured; fuel in the reservoir would have drained out since the wreckage was on its nose. The reservoir interior was coated with intermittent, dark brown to black spots, which had the appearance of algae.

 

“The airplane fuel filter and the engine fuel pump filter were removed and inspected. The airframe filter element was covered with a dark, stringy foreign material. The composition of this material was not determined, but it also had the appearance of algae.  The engine fuel pump paper filter was covered with a similar dark, stringy, foreign material.  Less than a teaspoonful of what appeared to be Jet A fuel flowed from the engine fuel pump filter canister when it was opened.

 

“The Pratt and Whitney PT6A turboprop engine was sent to the manufacturer for a teardown examination.  Damage to the engine was found to be consistent with no-engine rotation at the time of the impact.  About 22 milliliters of a milky fluid was recovered from the engine fuel control.  Laboratory analysis showed it to be 64 percent Jet A fuel and 36 percent water. Contaminants filtered from the fluid were found to be 95 percent iron.  Data from the manufacturer concerning an earlier water/fuel injection test on a PT6A engine indicated that, at take-off condition with ignition off, the engine flamed out and did not recover when approximately .11 U.S. gallon of water was injected over a 5-second period into the fuel supply close to the engine.

 

“On September 26, 1986, 500 gallons of Jet A fuel was delivered to the parachute center by a local distributor. The fuel was pumped into nine 55-gallon drums used to store fuel for N551CC; all of the drums were located outside. The driver of the fuel pumper truck stated that he opened all of the drums, tipped two of them on end to allow any residual contents to drain out, and smelled the remaining drums before filling them. According to the driver, three other drums contained water and sludge and were not used.

 

“After the accident, fuel from the airplane wreckage was placed in an empty drum from the parachute center.  At that time, all drums were observed to be in an upright position with water standing on the tops of the drums.  When the drums were disturbed, air bubbles were seen coming from the filler and vent caps, indicating that water was seeping around the caps into the drums.

 

“Further investigation revealed that the airplane had a history of fuel contamination. On the weekend of September 14, 1985, the airplane reportedly was refueled from 55-gallon drums containing contaminated fuel, while in Xenia, Ohio, to conduct sport parachute operations. Witnesses said that the engine quit on a takeoff roll while the airplane was being piloted by the owner, a certificated pilot.  All of the fuel was supposedly drained from the airplane and replaced with uncontaminated fuel.  The airplane was flown back to Dekalb-Peachtree Airport (PDK) in Chamblee, Georgia, where it was based.

 

“On September 18, 1985, the owner flew the airplane to a nearby repair facility. According to the work order for the airplane, the main fuel screen and fuel pump inlet and outlet screens were cleaned, and the EPA can 2[1] and fuel sump were drained. The mechanic who cleaned the fuel sump filters said that the airframe filter had water droplets, muddy-brown discoloration, and trash particles; that syrup-like black/brown material was drained from the fuel reservoir (header tank); and that about 4 gallons of fuel was drained from the fuel reservoir before the fuel cleared in color. The mechanic stated that he informed the owner of the findings and suggested that the fuel system be purged; the owner replied that he had drained the system.

 

“On September 25, 1985, the chief pilot for ACES flew a training flight to prepare a pilot employed by another air-taxi operator, Midnite Express, Inc., for a 14 CFR Part 135 checkride in N551CC.  The training was being accomplished in anticipation of a charter agreement between ACES and Midnite Express, Inc., whereby the latter would rent N551CC during weekdays for cargo runs on its own routes.  Both pilots said that after the training flight, the airframe fuel filter bypass indicator[2] was displayed.  The bypass indicator was reset and the aircraft was ferried from PDK to the Midnite Express Facility at nearby Fulton County Airport (FTY), to position it for the upcoming checkride.

 

“On the morning of September 27, 1985, the Director of Maintenance for Midnite Express, Inc., checked the airplane fuel.  He said that he found the fuel to be “highly contaminated with what looked like micro (sic), water, dirt and possibly a deteriorating bladder due to its black color.” When the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector arrived at the airplane for the checkride, a mechanic informed him that the aircraft could not be flown due to fuel contamination.  The inspector later stated that he examined four samples of fuel taken from the left wing sump and that he noted that each sample contained solid black/brown colored contamination covering the bottom of the sample jar.  The inspector also noted that the airframe fuel filter bypass indicator was displayed.  He reported that he cancelled the checkride and that after learning from Midnite Express, Inc., personnel that the chief pilot for ACES had been told of the fuel contamination, he returned to his office.  An Aircraft Condition Notice (FAA Form 8620.1,) was not issued.

 

“That afternoon, the Director of Maintenance for Midnite Express, Inc., informed the owner of N551CC by telephone that the fuel was contaminated.  Later that day, the Director of Operations for Midnite Express, Inc., advised the owner by phone of the contamination. The owner reportedly responded by explaining the airplane’s past contamination history, and he described the precautions taken, saying they were sufficient.  The owner arrived at the facility later in the afternoon to fly the aircraft away; he was advised that the airplane should not be flown.  The owner commented that he had checked the fuel and that it was still contaminated, but that he did not feel it was sufficient to ground the aircraft.  The owner departed FTY in the aircraft that evening and returned to its base, DeKalb-Peachtree Airport.

 

“FAA Order 8430.1 (Air Carrier Operations Inspector’s Handbook) states that during a ramp inspection, if an aircraft deficiency is noted, an Aircraft Condition Notice will be issued. Although the FAA inspector’s examination of the airplane involved an initial checkride, once the checkride had been cancelled, the aircraft examination became, for all practical purposes, a ramp

inspection.  Normally, an Aircraft Condition Notice is delivered to the appropriate manager of the carrier or, if that cannot be accomplished, the Aircraft Condition Notice is affixed to the aircraft in a conspicuous location.  The purpose of the notice is to make the carrier aware of a deficiency and warn against flying the aircraft until the deficiency is corrected. The chief of the inspector’s assigned operations unit stated that operations inspectors normally do not carry nor issue Aircraft Condition Notices and that airworthiness inspectors are responsible for issuance of the notices.  An airworthiness inspector was not contacted to inspect the aircraft and/or to take appropriate action to assure that it was not operated before corrections were accomplished.  The Safety Board believes that it is possible the accident may have been prevented if the operations inspector had taken all the options available to prevent the aircraft from being flown until the deficiency was removed.

 

“On September 28, the aircraft was flown to the West Wind Sport Parachute Center in Jenkinsburg where parachute operations were conducted without any reported problems.  One parachutist reported that he saw the owner checking fuel from one of the drums. He said that the owner squirted fuel onto the ground, that the fuel had an amber color at first, “like rust from the bottom of the drum,” and that it became clear after about 4 seconds.  A portable battery-powered pump was used to pump the fuel from the drums.

 

“On September 29, 1985, the aircraft returned to the West Wind Sport Parachute Center from PDK. The aircraft reportedly was refueled from one of the 55-gallon drums at the jump center before any parachute operations.  It was estimated to have departed with 60 gallons of fuel onboard.

 

“A pilot who previously had worked for the owner and had conducted sport parachute operations stated that it was normal procedure to disengage the stall warning circuit breaker during flights with skydivers.  The procedure was used since the sounding of the stall warning horn reportedly startled the skydivers.  The position of the stall warning circuit breaker at the time of the accident could not be determined due to impact damage.  An estimated weight and balance at the time of the accident was calculated using the aircraft weight and balance records, individual weight records, and witness statements.  Individual weights were obtained from records at the parachute center, and an average weight of 26 pounds per person for parachute equipment was added. Witnesses familiar with the seating arrangements in the aircraft during parachute operations provided the probable loading distribution; 15 jumpers were seated three abreast in five rows, and 1 jumper was seated next to the pilot.  All jumpers were seated on the floor of the airplane facing aft and were not wearing seatbelts.  Although 17 passenger seatbelts were installed in the aircraft, the seatbelts were found generally attached to the same attachment ring in a cluster. The aircraft was estimated to be 370 pounds over gross weight and 1 inch forward of C.G. limitations.

 

“In prior parachute operations, the aircraft was routinely flown with 14 to 16 parachutists onboard and sometimes with as many as 18.  Parachutists who rode in the airplane during such operations reported that the airplane generally had no problem handling such loads.  The airplane was certificated for nine passenger seats, in addition to the pilot’s seat.

 

“It is not known if any attempt was made by the parachutists to exit the aircraft before the accident.  A parachutist who jumped from the plane the previous day remarked that parachutists in general are trained to stay in the aircraft if the engine quits below 1,000 feet above the ground. Witnesses to the accident generally agreed that the aircraft ascended no more than 300 to 500 feet above the surrounding terrain.

 

“The investigation of this accident revealed that the airplane had been operated for several weeks with known contamination of the fuel system.  Even though the owner/operator was informed by qualified maintenance personnel on at least two occasions of the need to purge and clean the airplane’s fuel system before further flight, he continued to operate the aircraft.  On at least one occasion, the airplane was flown after contaminated fuel samples were repeatedly obtained.  The aircraft flight manual states that all drain valves should be thoroughly drained until there is no evidence of water or sediment contamination before the flight.

 

“The fueling history of N551CC strongly suggests that water entered the fuel via natural means. The 55-gallon drums used to store the airplane fuel at the parachute center were outdoors, which would allow for normal heating and cooling.  Further, the drums were upright and the filler and vent caps were not tight, which would allow rainwater standing on the drum tops to seep into the drums.  A witness noted “rust” colored fuel dispensed from at least one drum.

 

“The extent of the accident pilot’s knowledge of the airplane’s fuel contamination history is not known.  Witnesses reported that he checked fuel samples drained from the airplane’s wing tanks just before the accident flight, though it is not known whether or not he observed any contamination.

 

“Steep turning maneuvers by the airplane were observed shortly after departure; witness observations of these maneuvers were consistent with an attempt to return to the runway. These maneuvers were preceded by an apparent engine failure caused by fuel contamination, and culminated in a departure from controlled flight and subsequent ground impact in an adverse attitude.  The loss of control, or stall, was probably aggravated by the disabling of the stall warning system.

 

“The investigation revealed that ACES was issued an Air Carrier Operating Certificate for passenger and cargo, day/night, air taxi on-demand operations under visual and instrument flight rules.  Although not a causal factor, the certification of ACES as an air carrier was examined.  No evidence was found in the air carrier records maintained by ACES that any employee had completed the company training required for air taxi operations….The director of operations/chief pilot was a full-time employee for AT&T.  When interviewed, he displayed little knowledge of the operator’s manual, contrary to 14 CFR 135.39.

 

“In accordance with 14 CFR 135.63, an air carrier operator is required to maintain records of a pilot’s aeronautical experience “in sufficient detail to determine the pilot’s qualifications to pilot aircraft in operation under this part….”  No record was found of pilot qualifications for persons named as ACES pilots by the director of operations.

 

“The principal operations inspector assigned to ACES stated that he could not recall if ACES had training records required by 14 CFR 135.323 when the initial base inspection of the operator was conducted.  He also stated that the training records, however, normally would be reviewed when the pilots receive a checkride and that the training records would be examined by the inspector conducting checkrides of the operator’s pilots.  No pilot training records were found during the investigation of the accident.

 

“Title 14 CFR 135.37 requires that one of the management personnel of each certificate holder be designated as a director of maintenance. The principal maintenance inspector for ACES stated that a director of maintenance was not required in this instance since the operator had an agreement with a repair facility to assure that required maintenance would be performed. He provided a letter from the operator which named a repair facility’s inspector as the person responsible for the duties of the director of maintenance. The repair facility inspector said that he did not assume any responsibility for ACES other than to conduct requested maintenance on its airplane and that he was not aware the aircraft was to be inspected and maintained under 14 CFR Part 135.  As a result, the operator had no director of maintenance as required by 14 CFR 135.37.

 

“Title 14 CFR 135.71 requires that operators establish a procedure through which a pilot can determine the airworthiness of the aircraft before flight. The manual for ACES stated that a status board would be kept in the operator’s offices for that purpose. A status board was not found during the investigation and the director of operations/chief pilot said he was not aware that a status board existed. Discrepancies discovered during the accident investigation indicated that  the operator did not meet the requirements of 14 CFR Part 135 for issuance of an Air Carrier Operating Certificate….”  (NTSB/AAR-87/02/SUM, 1987, pp. 9-15.)

 

Newspaper

 

Sep 30: “Jenkinsburg, Ga. – A single-engine plane packed with skydivers preparing for a formation jump stalled shortly after takeoff Sunday and nose-dived onto a rural road, killing all 17 people aboard The plane had been grounded Friday for fuel contamination and it was not known if the problem had been fixed a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman said.  The craft also may have been overloaded for the skydiving run, another FAA official said.

 

“The Cessna 208 Caravan owned by Air Carrier Express Services and leased to the Westwind Sports and Parachute Center, stalled three minutes after takeoff from a private airport 45 miles south of Atlanta and crashed at about 12:15 p m , police said.  An FAA inspector grounded the Cessna Friday after discovering its fuel was contaminated and notifying the plane’s owner FAA spokesman Roger Myers said Sunday night. ‘He (the inspector) said, ‘Hey, you’ve got a fuel contamination problem here — this aircraft should not be flown until it is repaired,’’ Myers said. Another FAA official questioned whether the plane had the capacity to carry the 16 jumpers aboard along with the pilot.  But club spokesman Bill Scott said the aircraft was certified by the FAA to fly 17 people.  Barker said the plane, owned by Air Carrier Express Services of Atlanta, climbed to an altitude of 1,000 feet before witnesses saw it stall.  Parachutists aboard the second plane jumped to the crash spot but found no survivors…” (Daily Herald (Chicago). “Plane Crash Kills 14 Skydivers,” Sep 30, 1985, p. 46.)

 

Sources

 

Daily Herald, Chicago, IL. “Plane Crash Kills 14 Skydivers,” Sep 30, 1985, p. 46. Accessed at:  http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=15886995

 

National Transportation Safety Board. Aircraft Accident/Incident Summary Reports (NTSB/AAR-87/02/SUM). Washington, DC: NTSB. 6-30-1987, 48 p. Accessed 1-22-2017 at: http://libraryonline.erau.edu/online-full-text/ntsb/aircraft-accident-summaries/AAR87-02S.pdf

[1] “The EPA can is used to collect fuel rejected by the engine during normal shutdown, and it is used to prevent fuel from draining overboard.”  (NTSB/AAR-87/02/SUM, p. 11)

[2] “The bypass indicator indicates that the fuel filter is blocked with foreign material and that fuel is bypassing the filter.”  (NTSB/AAR-87/02/SUM, p. 11)

—   >16  AP. “Hurricane Gloria: 900,000 are still powerless…” Gettysburg Times, 9-30-1985, 1.

–15-16  Blanchard tally based on State breakouts below.[1]

—     16  USGS. National Water Summary 1985. “Hurricane Gloria,” Washington, 1986, p. 19.

—     15  AP. “Death Toll From Gloria Rises to 15.” Sarasota Herald-Tribune. 9-30-1985, 3A.

—     14  Wikipedia. “Hurricane Gloria.” 6-19-2014 modification.

—     11  Nat. Hurr. Ctr. Preliminary Report. Hurricane Gloria, 16 September – 2 October 1985.

–1 in NC  –6 in CT[2] –2 in RI           –2 in NH [No mention of NJ (1) or NY (6).]

—     11  Wick, Steve. “Life in the Wake of Gloria.” Newsday, 4-15-2008.

—       9  Syracuse Herald American. “Hurricane forecasters defend warnings.” 9-29-1985, A16.

—       8  Case. “Annual Summary. Atlantic Hurricane Season of 1985.” MWR, V14, 7-1986, 1398.

—       8  Grammatico, Michael A. “Hurricane Gloria – September 27, 1985.” Geocities.com.

—       8  NWS, Newport/Morehead City, NC. Event Summaries/Case Studies. “Hurricane Gloria.”

—     >6  Daily Herald, Chicago, IL. “Six feared dead, but Gloria’s a ‘washout’.” 9-28-1985, p. 1.

 

Connecticut                (3)

–6  Nat. Hurr. Ctr. Preliminary Report. Hurricane Gloria, 16 September – 2 October 1985.[3]

–3  Daily Herald, Chicago, IL. “Six feared dead, but Gloria’s a ‘washout’.” 9-28-1985, p. 1.

–3  Wikipedia. “Hurricane Gloria.” 6-19-2014 modification. (2 from fallen trees.)[4]

–2  Bendici, Ray. “The Perfect Storm.” Connecticut Magazine, 8-26-2011.

–2  Longshore. Encyclopedia of Hurricanes, Typhoons, and Cyclones (New Ed.). 2008, p. 319.

–0  NCDC. Storm Events Database. Search Results for All Counties in Connecticut.

Cause of Death:

–2  Traffic accidents. AP. “One million without power, 6 dead.” Gettysburg Times, 9-28-1985, 1

–2  Traffic accidents. Bendici, Ray. “The Perfect Storm.” Connecticut Magazine, 8-26-2011.

–1  Fallen tree “being cut apart by her father;” girl, 6.[5]

 

Massachusetts            (1)

— 1  Sep 28. Off-duty firefighter; “tree destroyed in…storm fell on him as he was cutting it.”[6]

 

New Hampshire         (2)

— 2  Nat. Hurr. Ctr. Preliminary Report. Hurricane Gloria, 16 September – 2 October 1985.

— 1  Longshore. Encyclopedia of Hurricanes, Typhoons, and Cyclones (New Ed.). 2008, p. 319.

Cause of Death:

— 1  Elderly woman knocked over by strong wind; died two weeks later.[7]

— 1  Sep 27. Heart attack clearing fallen limbs in yard; male, 66.[8]

 

New Jersey                 (1)

— 1  Monmouth Co., Long Branch. Electrocution upon touching a downed power line, male.[9]

 

New York                   (5-6)

–5-6  Blanchard tally based on breakouts below.

—   2  NY City. Brodsky. Preliminary Report on New York City Emergency… 2005, 15.[10]

—   4  Long Island. Wikipedia. “Hurricane Gloria.” 6-19-2014 mod.

–2 heart attacks          –2 fallen trees

—   1  Long Island. Wick, Steve. “Life in the Wake of Gloria.” Newsday, 4-15-2008.

—   0  NCDC. Storm Events Database. “Search Results for All Counties in New York…”

Cause of Death:

–1? Airplane crash. “Unsettled weather contributed to…an airplane crash…[NY] mainland.”[11]

–1  Sep 27. Falling tree. Rockland Co., Ramapo. Utility worker repairing gas main; male, 60.[12]

–2  Sep 27. “In [NY], authorities said…two men were killed Friday by falling tree limbs.”[13]

–1  Sep 29. Heart attack; utility repairman restoring power to a home; male.[14]

–1  Sep 28. Traffic accident “partly caused by a traffic-light failure brought on by Gloria…”[15]

 

North Carolina          (1)

— 1  Nat. Hurr. Ctr. Preliminary Report. Hurricane Gloria, 16 September – 2 October 1985.

— 1  Struck by a fallen tree; male. Wikipedia. “Hurricane Gloria.” 6-19-2014 modification.[16]

— 0  NCDC. Storm Events Database. “Search Results for All Counties in North Carolina…”

 

Rhode Island             (2)

— 2  Nat. Hurr. Ctr. Preliminary Report. Hurricane Gloria, 16 September – 2 October 1985.

— 2  Wikipedia. “Hurricane Gloria.” 6-19-2014 modification. (1, fallen tree; 1, securing boat.)[17]

— 1  Falling tree; male.[18]

— 1  Blunt force trauma; hit in face by docked sailboat boom; male.[19]

 

Causes of Death (identifiable) – Direct (7)

 

Blunt Force Trauma (1)

–1  RI. Blunt force trauma; hit in face by docked sailboat boom; male.

 

Fall                              (1)

–1  NH. Elderly woman knocked over by strong wind; died two weeks later.

 

Tree Fall                     (4)

–1  CT.

–1  NY. Sep 27. Tree fall tree. Rockland Co., Ramapo. Utility worker repairing gas main; male, 60.

–1  NY. Sep 27. Tree fall. Location not noted; male.

–1  NC. Struck by a fallen tree; location not noted; male.

–1  RI. Falling tree; male.

 

Causes of Death (identifiable) – Indirect (8-9)

 

Airplane Crash                     (1?)

–1  NY. Airplane crash. “Unsettled weather contributed to…an airplane crash…[NY]…”[20]

 

Electrocution                         (1)

–1  NY. Monmouth Co., Long Branch. Electrocution upon touching a downed power line, male

Heart Attack                          (2)

–1  NH. Sep 27. Heart attack clearing fallen limbs in yard; male, 66

–1  NY. Sep 29. Heart attack; utility repairman restoring power to a home; male.

 

Tree Fall during Cleanup    (2)

–1  CT. Fallen tree “being cut apart by her father;” girl, 6.

–1  MA. Sep 28. Off-duty firefighter; tree destroyed in storm fell on him as he was cutting it.

 

Traffic Accidents                   (3)

–2  CT. AP. “One million without power, 6 dead.” Gettysburg Times, 9-28-1985, 1.

–1  NY. Sep 28. Traffic accident “partly caused by a traffic-light failure brought on by Gloria.

 

Sources

 

Associated Press. “Death Toll From Gloria Rises to 15.” Sarasota Herald-Tribune, FL. 9-30-1985, p. 3A. Accessed 6-20-2014 at: http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1755&dat=19850930&id=JggeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dmkEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6701,7479536

 

Associated Press (Scott Williams). “Hurricane Gloria: 900,000 are still powerless; damage may total $47 million.” Gettysburg Times, PA, 9-30-1985, p. 1. Accessed 6-20-2014 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=460073&sterm=hurricane+gloria+death

 

Associated Press. “One million without power, 6 dead.” Gettysburg Times, PA. 9-28-1985, p. 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=459974&sterm=hurricane

 

Associated Press. “Student pilot lands troubled plane in field.” Syracuse Herald-Journal, NY. 9-30-1985, A9. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=22608410&sterm=plane

 

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation. Database. “1985.” Accessed 6-21-2014 at: http://aviation-safety.net/database/dblist.php?Year=1985&lang=&page=2

 

Bendici, Ray. “The Perfect Storm.” Connecticut Magazine, 8-26-2011. Accessed 6-20-2014 at: http://www.connecticutmag.com/Blogs/On-Connecticut/August-2011/The-Perfect-Storm/

 

Brodsky, Richard L., Chairman, Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions. Preliminary Report on New York City Emergency Response and Evacuation Plans in the Event of a Weather-Related Emergency. 9-15-2005. Accessed 6-20-2014 at: http://www.monticellonys.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/NYC-OEM-Brodsky-Hurricane-Evacuation-Report-2006-.pdf

 

Case, Robert A. (National Hurricane Center, NWS, NOAA, Miami, FL). “Annual Summary. Atlantic Hurricane Season of 1985.” Monthly Weather Review, Vol. 14, July 1986, pp. 1390-1405. Accessed 6-21-2014 at: http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/hurdat/mwr_pdf/1985.pdf

 

Daily Herald, Chicago, IL. “Six feared dead, but Gloria’s a ‘washout’.” 9-28-1985, p. 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=15886594&sterm=hurricane

 

Grammatico, Michael A. “Hurricane Gloria – September 27, 1985.” Geocities.com. Accessed 6-20-2014 at: http://web.archive.org/web/20080129225712/http://www.geocities.com/hurricanene/hurricanegloria.htm

 

Longshore, David. Encyclopedia of Hurricanes, Typhoons, and Cyclones (New Edition). New York, NY:  Facts on File, 2008. 468 pages. Google preview accessible at: http://books.google.com/books?id=8kXwskQHBLoC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

National Climatic Data Center. Storm Events Database. “Search Results for All Counties in Connecticut. All Available Event Types. 0 events were reported between 09/26/1985 and 09/29/1985 (4 days).” NCDC, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce. Accessed 6-20-2014 at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/listevents.jsp?eventType=ALL&beginDate_mm=09&beginDate_dd=26&beginDate_yyyy=1985&endDate_mm=09&endDate_dd=29&endDate_yyyy=1985&county=ALL&hailfilter=0.00&tornfilter=0&windfilter=000&sort=DT&submitbutton=Search&statefips=9%2CCONNECTICUT

 

National Climatic Data Center. Storm Events Database. “Search Results for All Counties in New York. All Available Event Types. 0 events were reported between 09/26/1985 and 09/29/1985 (4 days).” NCDC, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce. Accessed 6-20-2014 at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/listevents.jsp?eventType=ALL&beginDate_mm=09&beginDate_dd=26&beginDate_yyyy=1985&endDate_mm=09&endDate_dd=29&endDate_yyyy=1985&county=ALL&hailfilter=0.00&tornfilter=0&windfilter=000&sort=DT&submitbutton=Search&statefips=36%2CNEW+YORK

 

National Climatic Data Center. Storm Events Database. “Search Results for All Counties in North Carolina. All Available Event Types. 0 events were reported between 09/26/1985 and 09/29/1985 (4 days).” NCDC, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce. Accessed 6-20-2014 at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/listevents.jsp?eventType=ALL&beginDate_mm=09&beginDate_dd=26&beginDate_yyyy=1985&endDate_mm=09&endDate_dd=29&endDate_yyyy=1985&county=ALL&hailfilter=0.00&tornfilter=0&windfilter=000&sort=DT&submitbutton=Search&statefips=37%2CNORTH+CAROLINA

 

National Hurricane Center. Preliminary Report. Hurricane Gloria, 16 September – 2 October 1985. NHC, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce. Circa 1985. Accessed 6-20-2014 at: http://hurricanecentral.freeservers.com/Prelim_Reports/1985_Gloria.htm

 

National Weather Service, Newport/Morehead City, NC. Event Summaries/Case Studies. “Hurricane Gloria – September 27, 1985.” NWS, NOAA, U.S. Dept. of Commerce. Accessed 6-20-2014 at: http://www.erh.noaa.gov/mhx/EventReviews/19850927/19850927.php

 

Post-Standard, Syracuse, NY. “Gloria’s Winds, Rain Give Area a Soaking,” 9-28-1985, A-7. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=19835180&sterm=plane+hurricane+gloria

 

Syracuse Herald American, NY. “Hurricane forecasters defend warnings.” 9-29-1985, A16. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=44292130&sterm=hurricane+gloria

 

United States Geological Survey. National Water Summary 1985. “Hurricane Gloria,” Washington: GPO, 1986, p. 19. Accessed 6-20-2014 at: http://books.google.com/books?id=9-ZCGdqvy-4C&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

Wick, Steve. “Life in the Wake of Gloria.” Newsday, 4-15-2008. Accessed 6-20-2014 at: https://archive.today/oqHvU

 

Wikipedia. “Hurricane Gloria.” 6-19-2014 modification. Accessed 6-20-2014 at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Gloria#cite_note-sd-12

 

[1] We suspect the accuracy of the report of a plane crash fatality in NY related to the hurricane.

[2] As we footnote in the Connecticut breakout we believe this figure to be in error. We can individualize 3 deaths.

[3] Have not been able to substantiate more than three. Believe reporting to be in error and thus do not use.

[4] Cites: National Climatic Data Center. Storm Data, “September 1985,” Vol. 27, No. 9.

[5] Associated Press. “One million without power, 6 dead.” Gettysburg Times, PA. 9-28-1985, p. 1.

[6] Associated Press. “Death Toll From Gloria Rises to 15.” Sarasota Herald-Tribune, FL. 9-30-1985, p. 3A.

[7] Wikipedia. “Hurricane Gloria.” 6-19-2014 mod. Cites: NCDC. Storm Data, “Sept. 1985,” Vol. 27, No. 9.

[8] Associated Press. “Death Toll From Gloria Rises to 15.” Sarasota Herald-Tribune, FL. 9-30-1985, p. 3A.

[9] Wikipedia. “Hurricane Gloria.” 6-19-2014 mod. Cites: NCDC. Storm Data, “Sept. 1985,” Vol. 27, No. 9.

[10] Cites David Longshore, p. 243. However, our copy of Longshore shows 3 deaths (p. 210). Page 319, on New England hurricanes, notes two in CT and one in NH.) Thus this appears to be in error.

[11] Wikipedia. “Hurricane Gloria.” 6-19-2014 mod. Cites: NCDC. Storm Data, “September 1985,” Vol. 27, No. 9. Perhaps, but we have checked the Aviation Safety Network Database and can find no New England or northeast aircraft fatal incident before, during, or for weeks after the hurricane. The closest was on Oct 11 in Homer City, PA when a Mountain Cir Cargo DHC-6 Twin Otter 200 plane crashed due to pilot error. It is the case that a private twin-engine plane from Miami, FL was forced to make an unscheduled landing and crashed in Herkimer County (nose wheel broke off and both propellers were damaged, but the two men were reportedly uninjured. (Post-Standard, Syracuse, NY. “Gloria’s Winds, Rain Give Area a Soaking,” 9-28-1985, A-7.) Additionally, on Sep 29, a one engine plane with engine trouble was successfully landed in Galway (Saratoga County) NY by a student pilot, but a bruised chin was the extent of the pilot’s injuries and there was no hospitalization. (AP. “Student pilot lands troubled plane in field.” Syracuse Herald-Journal, NY. 9-30-1985, A9.)

[12] Associated Press. “One million without power, 6 dead.” Gettysburg Times, PA. 9-28-1985, p. 1. The date is from: Associated Press. “Death Toll From Gloria Rises to 15.” Sarasota Herald-Tribune, FL. 9-30-1985, p. 3A, which we assume refers to this death, though the report simply notes that a tree limb hit a man in the head.

[13] AP. “Hurricane Gloria: 900,000 are still powerless; damage…$47 million.” Gettysburg Times, PA, 9-30-1985, 1.

[14] Associated Press. “Death Toll From Gloria Rises to 15.” Sarasota Herald-Tribune, FL. 9-30-1985, p. 3A.

[15] Associated Press. “Death Toll From Gloria Rises to 15.” Sarasota Herald-Tribune, FL. 9-30-1985, p. 3A.

[16] Cites: National Climatic Data Center. Storm Data, “September 1985,” Vol. 27, No. 9.

[17] Cites: National Climatic Data Center. Storm Data, “September 1985,” Vol. 27, No. 9.

[18] Associated Press. “One million without power, 6 dead.” Gettysburg Times, PA. 9-28-1985, p. 1.

[19] Associated Press. “Death Toll From Gloria Rises to 15.” Sarasota Herald-Tribune, FL. 9-30-1985, p. 3A.

[20] As noted above we doubt the accuracy of this report.

— 14  NTSB. AAR. Henson Airlines Flight 1517…Grottoes, Virginia, Sept 23, 1985. 1986, p. i.

— 14  Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. “14 Die in Henson Crash.” 9-24-1985, p. 13.

 

Narrative Information

 

NTSB Synopsis: “Henson Airlines Flight 1517, a Beech B99, was cleared for an instrument approach to the Shenandoah Valley Airport, Weyers Cave, Virginia,[1] at 0959 on September 23, 1985, after a routine flight from Baltimore-Washington International Airport, Baltimore, Maryland. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at Shenandoah Valley Airport. There were 12 passengers and 2 crewmembers aboard the scheduled domestic passenger flight operating under 14 CFR 135. Radar service was terminated at 1003. The crew of 1517 subsequently contacted the Henson station agent and Shenandoah UNICOM. The last recorded radar return was at 1011, at which time the airplane was east of the localizer course at 2,700 feet mean sea level… At 1014 the pilot said, ‘…we’re showing a little west of course…,’ and at 1015 he asked if he was east of course. At 1017, the controller suggested a missed approach if the airplane was not established on the localizer course. There was no response from the crew of flight 1517 whole last transmission was at 1016.

 

“The wreckage of flight 1517 was located about 1842 approximately 6 miles east of the airport.[2] Both crewmembers and all 12 passengers were fatally injured.

 

“The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was a navigational error by the flightcrew resulting from their use of the incorrect navigational facility and their failure to adequately monitor the flight instruments. Factors which contributed to the flightcrew’s errors were: the non-standardized navigational radio systems installed in the airline’s Beech 99 fleet; intra-cockpit communications difficulties associated with high ambient noise levels in the airplane; inadequate training of the pilots by the airline; the first officer’s limited multi-engine and instrument flying experience; the pilots’ limited experience in their positions in the Beech 99; and stress-inducing events in the lives of the pilots. Also contributing to the accident was the inadequate surveillance of the airline by the Federal Aviation Administration which failed to detect deficiencies which led to the accident.” [p. 1.] ….

 

“The crew had reported for duty about 0515 and had flown from the Washington County Regional Airport, Hagerstown, Maryland (HGR) to BWI, from BWI to HGR, and from HGR to BWI….” [p. 2.]

 

“Analysis…. The Safety Board concludes that the first officer was flying, since the captain made all of the radio communications throughout the flight from Baltimore-Washington International Airport, and since it was company policy for the nonflying pilot to operate the radios…..

 

“It was determined that the airplane had impacted…in controlled flight with landing lights on and with gear and flaps retracted….The trees were broken in a relatively level straight line, indicating that the airplane was in a wings level, fuselage level flight at initial impact. There were propeller slash marks on both sides of the centerline, indicating that both engines were running and under power.

 

“…the Safety Board concludes that there was no in-flight failure or malfunction of the airplane structure in this accident and that there was no on-flight fire…. [p. 25.]

 

“The apparent controlled flight into the trees at 2,400 feet suggests that the pilots were in control of the airplane and may have been slowly descending intentionally without great concern…. [28]

 

“Given that there were no known problems with the airplane, its flight systems, the weather, or the airborne or ground based navigation equipment, and there was no evidence of flightcrew incapacitation, it is clear that operational and human performance issues played a significant role in this accident. If all of Henson’s procedures had been followed, and if the correct navigational frequencies had been selected, the approach should have been flown successfully by this flightcrew. Therefore, the Safety Board believes that the most plausible reasons for the navigational error that placed the airplane almost 6 miles east of the ILS localizer course included the flightcrew’s failure to follow recommended instrument flight procedures, such as properly tuning and identifying navigation facilities, maintaining prescribed altitudes, making prescribed altitude callouts, observing TO/FROM indications, observing ‘flags,’ cross-checking the navigational displays, and comparing VHF navigation indications with the ADF indications.[3] …. [p. 31.]

 

“The Safety Board believes that there are several human performance, as well as operational factors which could help to explain how…errors many have been compounded and not detected by the pilots in sufficient time to execute a missed approach. These factors include training to ‘proficiency’ in minimum time, the assignment of a new captain to fly with a new first officer, the limited experience of the first officer in multiengine airplanes and in instrument flying, the effects of a ‘noisy’ cockpit…documented dissatisfaction on the part of the first officer in communicating, the lack of an interphone system, the effect the proximity of the passengers to the cockpit to the cockpit had on crew communication, Henson’s policy of providing en route and approach charts to the captain only, and several significant stress producing events in the lives of both pilots. [p. 35.]

 

“The facts illustrate that this flightcrew were not sufficiently prepared to conduct safe instrument flight operations and that the management and oversight of this commuter airline was inadequate. The Safety Board believes that the shortcomings on the parts of Henson management and the FAA are among the underlying reasons for this accident…. [p. 36.]

 

“Flightcrew Training. Although Henson’s classroom facilities were found to be adequate, the only training aids for the Beech 99 were slides and overhead transparencies. In ground school, the Beech 99 cockpit, instrument panel, and circuit breaker panels were presented in 35 millimeter slides and, before flight training, pilot candidates received briefings on the cockpit layout and instrumentation. No specific training was provided to address the differences in cockpit configurations of the various Beech 99 airplanes in the Henson fleet. The availability of a basic cockpit mockup or a ground procedures trainer, either of which could have easily been fabricated by Henson, would have greatly increased the student’s familiarity with the airplane’s controls and systems before beginning flight training, especially considering that the pilots currently being hired tend to have less experience than previous new hires.[4] [p. 37.] ….

 

“Ground Proximity Warning System. As a result of this and two other approach phase accidents involving scheduled domestic passenger commuter flights operating under 14 DFR 135, which occurred between August 1985 and March 1986, and in which 25 persons were fatally injured, the Safety Board believes that the time has come for the FAA and the commuter airline industry to address the installation of ground proximity warning systems (GPWS) aboard those aircraft commonly used by the commuter airlines for the commercial transport of 30 or fewer passengers. While Henson flight 1517 was flying toward rapidly rising terrain, it failed to clear a Hall Mountain ridge by only about 200 feet. A ground proximity warning devise to monitor height above the ground may have been sufficient to direct the flightcrews’ attention to the possibility of ground contact in time to avoid an accident….” (pp. 49-59.) (NTSB. AAR. Henson Airlines Flight 1517, Beech B99, N339HA, Grottoes, Virginia, September 23, 1985. 1986.)

 

Sep 24: Daily News-Record: “Weyers Cave — A Henson Airlines commuter plane crashed into the west slope of the cloud-covered Blue Ridge Mountains east of Grottoes Monday killing all 14 people aboard. The plane was spotted by a Civil Air Patrol plane about 8½ hours after the airliner vanished from radar screens at the Federal Aviation Administration’s Washington Center flight control at Leesburg, state police reported. Later, two doctors lowered to the sight from Marine helicopters that joined the search reported that everyone aboard apparently died….

 

“The Beech 99 was flying to Shenandoah Valley airport…when it crashed on 3,250-foot Hall Mountain in Shenandoah National Park. The crash site was near the Rockingham-Augusta County line about six miles due east of the airport….CAP officials said they had information that the plane, which had to make an instrument landing because of the cloud cover, many have had trouble with its localizer. A localizer picks up signals transmitted from the airport to give a pilot his direction and altitude from the runway.

 

“Flight 1517, a daily flight from BWI to Shenandoah Valley, was scheduled to arrive at 10:15 a.m. Monday…The air search was hampered until about 4:30 p.m. by fog still shrouding the mountains and heavy vegetation.” (Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. “14 Die in Henson Crash.” 9-24-1985, p. 13.)

Sources

 

Daily News-Record (Randy Murphy and Jim Denery), Harrisonburg, VA. “14 Die in Henson Crash.” 9-24-1985, p. 13. Accessed 1-28-2017 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/virginia/harrisonburg/harrisonburg-daily-news-record/1985/09-24/page-13?tag

 

National Transportation Safety Board. Aircraft Accident Report. Henson Airlines Flight 1517, Beech B99, N339HA, Grottoes, Virginia, September 23, 1985 (NTSB/AAR-86/07). Washington, DC: NTSB, 9-30-1986, 87 pages. Accessed 1-27-2017 at: http://libraryonline.erau.edu/online-full-text/ntsb/aircraft-accident-reports/AAR86-07.pdf

[1] Near Grottoes, which is to the east, and several miles northeast of Staunton, VA

[2] West side of Shenandoah National Park.

[3] Automatic Direction Finder

[4] Noting earlier that Henson had a high and increasing pilot turnover rate.

— 31  NTSB. AAR. Midwest Express Airlines…Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Sept 6, 1985. 1987, ii.

— 31  Belcastro and Foster (NASA). Aircraft Loss-of-Control Accident Analysis. 2010, p. 37.

 

Narrative Information

 

NTSB Executive Summary: “At 1521 c.d.t. on September 6, 1985, Midwest Express Airlines, Inc., Flight 105, a McDonnell-Douglas DC-9-14 airplane, crashed into an open field at the edge of a wooded area about 1,680 feet southwest of the departure end of runway 19R shortly after taking off from General Billy Mitchell Field, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The weather was clear with visibility 10 miles. During the initial climb, about 450 feet above ground level (a.g.l.), there was a loud noise and a loss of power associated with an uncontained failure of the 9^th to 10^th stage high pressure compressor spacer of the right engine. Flight 105 continued to climb to about 700 feet a.g.l, and then rolled to the right until the wings were observed in a near vertical, approximately right 90° banked turn. During the roll, the airplane entered an accelerated stall, control was lost, and the airplane crashed. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and postcrash fire. The pilot, the first officer, both flight attendants, and all 27 passengers were fatally injured.

 

“The Safety Board evaluated the performance characteristics of the DC-9-14 airplane following an abrupt loss of power from the right engine in the takeoff phase of flight and found the airplane to be docile, easily controllable, and requiring no unusual pilot skills or strength. Therefore, the Safety Board examined those factors which might have caused the pilots to lose control, including the possibility that fragments of the right engine separated with sufficient energy and trajectory to cause critical damage to the airplane’s flight control system; the possibility of control system malfunction(s), which could have rendered the airplane uncontrollable; and the possibility of inappropriate flightcrew response to the emergency.

 

“It was determined that the loss of control was precipitated by improper operation of flight controls, specifically the introduction of incorrect rudder pedal forces about 4 to 5 seconds after the right engine failure, followed by aft control column forces, which allowed the airplane to stall at a high airspeed (accelerated stall). Thus, the Safety Board evaluated flightcrew training of Midwest Express pilots at Republic Airlines, the use and limitations of visual flight simulators used in training, and emergency procedures used by, Midwest Express.

 

“Additionally, the Safety Board evaluated factors which might have contributed to the right engine failure, including overhaul and inspection practices at AeroThrust Corporation, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) surveillance at AeroThrust, and FAA and Pratt & Whitney responses to previous removable sleeve spacer failures in JT8D engines.

 

“The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the accident was the flightcrew’s improper use of flight control in response to the catastrophic failure of the right engine during a critical phase of flight, which led to an accelerated stall and loss of control of the airplane. Contributing to the loss of control was a lack of crew coordination in response to the emergency. The right engine failed from the rupture of the 9^th to 10^th stage removable sleeve spacer in the high pressure compressor because of the spacer’s vulnerability to cracks.

 

“During the investigation, the Safety Board issued three recommendations to the FAA related to JT8D removable sleeve compressor spacers. As a result of its investigation, the Safety Board also issued two recommendations on flightcrew training in response to emergencies during the initial climb phase and one recommendation on qualifications for Principal Operations Inspectors. All three recommendations were issued to the FAA.” [p. v.] ….

 

“The wreckage revealed no evidence of in-flight fire. Evidence indicated that any fire associated with the right engine was contained within the engine. N100ME exploded following impact and was largely consumed by the effects of a postcrash fire.” [p. 21.] ….

 

“Analysis….General…. Witnesses were consistent in reporting that their attention was attracted to the airplane because of one or more loud noises, described as “bangs,” and similar to “shotgun reports,” which occurred about the same time they saw flames and/or smoke from the right engine. The audible “bang,” associated with an engine failure was confirmed by the CVR. Witnesses did not describe flame emitting from any part of the aircraft other than the right engine. Examination of the airplane confirmed that there was no in-flight fire other than that contained within the right engine. The witnesses estimated that these events occurred about 300 feet a.g.l. It was determined that the right engine actually failed about 450 feet a.g.l.” [p. 44.] ….

 

“Evaluation of Flightcrew Response….The Safety Board believes that more effective scanning of the flight and engine instruments by the pilots of flight 105 would have enabled them to maintain control of the airplane and to properly evaluate the powerplant anomalies. The failure of the first officer to respond to the captain’s questions and the failure of the captain to maintain control of the airplane suggests that there was a breakdown in instrument scan by both pilots in the critical seconds which followed the right engine failure….” [p. 52.]

 

“Flight Simulator Training Effectiveness….the Safety Board concludes that infrequent training for an engine failure at low altitude in the initial climb phase of flight could have left the flightcrew ill-prepared to cope with the emergency. Although analyzing abnormal or emergency situations and maintaining control of the airplane by reference to flight instruments are basic elements of airmanship, the Safety Board believes that the FAA and the airline industry should consider the circumstances of this accident with a view toward including scenarios of engine failures after establishment of the takeoff climb in training programs to better prepare pilots for such emergencies. Consideration also should be given to reducing pilot reliance on external visual cures during ‘V1 cut’ training by making greater use of simulated low visibility situations during such training.” [p. 58.] ….

 

(NTSB. Aircraft Accident Report.. Midwest Express Airlines, Inc., DC-9-14, N100ME, General Billy Mitchell Field, Milwaukee,  Wisconsin, September 6, 1985.)D

 

Belcastro and Foster: “Vehicle stall resulting from engine failure and inappropriate crew response (Pilot Input Incorrect Rudder Command).” (Belcastro, Christine M. and John V. Foster. Aircraft Loss-of-Control Accident Analysis. Hampton, VA: NASA Langley Research Center, 7-14-2010, p. 37.)

 

Sources

 

Belcastro, Christine M. and John V. Foster. Aircraft Loss-of-Control Accident Analysis. Hampton, VA: NASA Langley Research Center, 7-14-2010. Accessed 1-27-2017 at: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20100030600.pdf

 

National Transportation Safety Board. Aircraft Accident Report: Midwest Express Airlines, Inc., DC-9-14, N100ME, General Billy Mitchell Field, Milwaukee,  Wisconsin, September 6, 1985 (NTSB/AAR-87/01). Washington, DC: NTSB, 2-3-1987, 106 pages. Accessed 1-27-2017 at: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/AAR8701.pdf

 

 

–137  Associated Press. “Air Crashes In the U.S. Since 1979, July 20, 1989.

–137  Darby. “Cracking the Microburst Code.” AeroSafety World, March 2011, p. 54.

–137  Smith, Mike. “Defeating the downburst: 20 years since last…” Washington Post, 7-2-2014

–137  Torbenson, Eric. “1985 Delta 191 disaster at D/FW…” Dallas Morning News Aug 2010.

–137  United Press International. “Delta Crash Toll Hits 137.” Sun-Sentinel, 10-4-1985.[1]

–135  History.com. This Day in History, Disaster, August 2, 1985. Sudden Thunderstorm…

–135  NTSB. Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB/AAR-86/05). Delta Air Lines, Inc…, 1986.[2]

–135  Sanders. The Management of Losses Arising from Extreme Events. 2002, 178.

 

Narrative Information

 

Darby: “The issue of downbursts and microbursts received renewed attention 10 years later[3] with the fatal accident involving Delta Air Lines Flight 191 at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport in August 1985.  Flight 191, a Lockheed l-1011, was on final approach.  The cockpit voice recorder recorded the first officer, the pilot flying, saying, ‘Stuff is moving in.’ The captain, the monitoring pilot, radioed to the tower, ‘Delta One-Ninety-One heavy, out here in the rain.  Feels good.’

 

“Smith says[4] ‘Now under the cloud base, the crew could see what appeared to be a light rain shower between them and the runway.  Other planes were flying through the shower and landing normally.  But once Delta 191 entered the rain shower, all hell broke loose.’  Soon the ground-proximity warning system was generating its ‘whoop whoop pull up’ automated voice message.  The captain called for a go-around, but it was too late to avert the accident.  The aircraft touched down a mile short of the runway, bounced, touched down three more times, skidded, and struck a large water storage tank.  The jet fuel ignited.  ‘The microburst, a phenomenon that many meteorologists said did not exist, had claimed another commercial jetliner and 137 lives,’ says Smith.  He notes that airport weather instruments measured winds gusting to 100 mph (161 kph) at the eastern runways while the west side runways were dry, with partial sunshine.

 

“Once again, [meteorologist Ted] Fujita was invited to investigate the accident.  Smith says, ‘Fujita himself flew over the airport, surveyed the on-site instrumentation from a cherry picker {boom lift}, photographed the exact location of the anemometer {wind speed sensor} and wind vane, and collected every scrap of data he could.  With Fujita, one never knew which type of data might turn out to be crucial. ‘In addition to the data collected by the instrumentation at the airport, Fujita collected weather satellite imagery, radar data, eyewitness reports, and data from the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder.  Once he had all of the date, he began to weave it into a coherent picture.’

 

“As Smith describes it, the picture looked like this:

 

As the L-1011 neared the north end of the runway, it gradually slowed and descended along the glideslope.  When the plane initially encountered the microburst, the leading edge of the wind struck the aircraft…Delta 191 encountered high winds and rising air.  This increased the speed of the aircraft and lifted it above the descending trajectory it was supposed to follow.

 

This is where the insidious nature of the microburst presents itself.  Almost instantly, the place went from being too high to nose-diving toward the ground.  As it reached the south half of the microburst, the wind direction shifted from out of the south (a headwind) to the north (a tailwind), causing an instant drop in airspeed and even more sink.

 

“The book devotes a chapter about the controversy – including a lawsuit brought by the captain’s widow against the FAA and the National Weather Service (NWS) – to why Flight 191 was flying an approach in a thunder-storm at all when ‘just about everyone on the east side of the airport – traffic controllers, pilots preparing to take off, the crew of Delta 191 and the airport weather observer – had all seen the storm.’

 

“The NWS was legally charged with the responsibility for providing weather information to the FAA, which in turn passed it on to controllers and pilots.  Smith says that the hand-off worked better in theory than in practice at the time.

 

“National weather radar charts were sent from Kansas City, Missouri, but were not received by airports or air traffic controllers until nearly an hour after the radar observations had been made, a delay that can be like a century for aviation purposes.  Local NWS radar facilities were often located not only outside airports, but outside the cities they served, to provide better advance warning of approaching storms and reduce clutter on the radar screens.  The NWS radar for the Dallas-Fort Worth area was in Stephenville, about 50 mi (80 km) from the airport.  ‘The data from that radar {were] fed to two NWS facilities in Fort Worth:  the Fort Worth forecast office, located in the federal building downtown, and the NWS Center Weather Service Unit (CWSU) inside the FAA’s air route traffic control enter near the Dallas/Fort Worth airport,’ Smith says.

 

“Among other problems, ‘the NWS radar technician in Stephenville was at dinner, away from the radar console, when the microburst-producing thunderstorm developed just north of Dallas/Fort Worth International {Airport}.  Right after he finished eating, he helped launch the evening weather balloon, leaving the radar still unmanned.  He did not return to the radar until 6:00 p.m.  At 6:04, two minutes before the crash, he telephoned the Fort Worth downtown office to inform it of the storm near the airport.  The 6:04 p.m. call came too late to allow a warning to have been issued because…it took the NWS office six to 10 minutes to prepare an aviation weather warning for the Dallas/Fort Worth control tower.’

 

“In short, ‘there was…no real mechanism to instantly convey a threat directly to aircraft,’ Smith says.  ‘This faulty system is one that continues, to some extent, even today’.” (Darby. “Cracking the Microburst Code.” AeroSafety World, March 2011, pp. 53-55.)

 

History.com: “On this day in 1985, strong and sudden wind gusts cause a plane crash at the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport in Texas that kills 135 people. The rapid and unexpected formation of a supercell, an extremely violent form of thunderstorm, led to the tragedy.

 

“Delta Flight 191 left Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in the afternoon, headed for Dallas, Texas. The passengers aboard the Lockheed L-1011 enjoyed a completely normal flight until they approached the Dallas area. Summer afternoons in central Texas often include thunderstorms and August 2 proved to be a typical day in this respect. Flight 191 moved around a large storm on its original flight path and ended up coming in due south toward runway 17.

 

“The crew of 191 saw lightning north of the airport, but did not abort the landing. As the plane flew into strong headwinds, the pilot slowed the thrust, expecting an updraft to hold the plane’s altitude. Instead, there was a sudden downward wind shear, with a blast of wind from the tail. The Lockheed plane is relatively heavy and was not able to thrust quickly in response. The pilot lost control of the plane and it hit the ground 6,000 feet short of the runway.

 

“The plane hit a car, killing the driver, and then skidded into two water tanks. One hundred thirty-five people lost their lives and another 15 suffered serious injury in the crash. The subsequent investigation revealed that the weather had changed drastically in the eight minutes prior to the crash. A fast-growing supercell formation had caused unpredictable winds. The pilots also should have been more prudent, given what they could see of the developing storm as they approached the airport.

 

“Today, improvements in technology help to monitor the progression and location of storms like the one that downed Flight 191.”  (History.com. This Day in History…, Aug 2, 1985. “Sudden Thunderstorm Causes Plane Crash.”)

 

Magnuson: “As Delta Air Lines Flight 191, a wide-bodied Lockheed L-1011 with 160 aboard, approached Dallas/Fort Worth Airport last Friday, the north Texas sky abruptly turned dark gray. Clouds welled up and burst into showers, and lightning bolts zigzagged menacingly. A meteorologist later estimated that a downdraft was rushing through the thunderstorm cell at 80 m.p.h. The huge plane descended, but suddenly plunged belly first to the ground a mile north of Runway 17 at the nation’s largest airport (roughly the size of Manhattan). The L-1011 bounced off the turf and came down again a quarter-mile away, grazing one car on busy State Highway 114 and demolishing a second car, whose driver was decapitated.  The plane skipped across a grassy field, ricocheted off a water tower, then burst into flames as it slid across the tarmac.  “It was like a wall of napalm,” said Airline Mechanic Jerry Maximoff. The tail section, with one of the plane’s three engines and the last ten rows of seats, was the only recognizable part of the wreckage.

 

“Somehow 31 people, including three flight attendants, initially survived the impact and subsequent inferno. “It was all sunshine until we actually started coming down,” said Jay Slusher, 33, a computer programmer who was going to catch another plane for his home in Phoenix.

 

“Then the rain started, very heavy. It became so dark you couldn’t even see out the windows. The ride got rougher and rougher. It seemed like there was something on top of the plane, pushing it to the ground. The pilot tried to pull out of it. The speed of the engines increased. We started rocking back and forth. Then we were tossed all around. I saw an orange streak coming toward me on the left side of the floor. I thought we were going to explode. At that point, I said, ‘Well, it’s all over.’ The next thing that happened is that I ended up sitting in my seat on my side. I looked up and I could see the grass. I said, ‘Thank you, Lord,’ unbuckled my seat belt and jumped out.”

 

“….Rescue workers toiled at first in a nearly horizontal driving rain. They placed yellow sheets over the dead, quickly assessed the severity of survivors’ injuries and warned area hospitals by radio about what type of cases to expect. The Rev. Richard Brown, who was giving last rites to the victims, was startled when he saw the stomach of one, a baby, “going up and down.” He baptized the infant instead and alerted medics, but the child later died. Most of the injured were taken by helicopter or ambulance to Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, where doctors had tried to save John F. Kennedy in 1963. Officials were heartened by the local response to appeals for blood donations. Some 1,500 people lined up to give.

 

“As night fell, a large crane lifted pieces of wreckage in the search for bodies. Four were found under the landing gear.  Floodlights illuminated the scene, which included the grotesque sight of corpses being loaded into refrigerator trucks labeled LIVE MAINE LOBSTERS.  All three members of the cockpit crew were killed.  The pilot, Captain Ted Connors, 57, had flown for Delta for 31 years.  One passenger survived because she made a lucky decision.  Assigned a front seat before takeoff from Fort Lauderdale, Annie Edwards, of Pompano Beach, Fla., shifted to a rear seat beside a friend, Juanita Williams. Both survived. They were among a group of women going to Dallas to attend a convention of Delta Sigma Theta, a sorority.  Other passengers were heading for Los Angeles, the flight’s last stop. Friends checking the arrivals list there found a curt message: “Flight 191. See agent.”

 

“The weather is expected to be the main focus of National Transportation Safety Board investigators, who rushed to Dallas to seek the cause of the accident. While some witnesses reported that lightning had struck Flight 191, a board spokesman doubted that this would have caused the crash. “Lightning doesn’t normally take an airplane down,” he said. “It hasn’t happened in many, many years.”

 

“The more likely suspect is wind shear, a collision or crossing of high-velocity winds, often during thunderstorms. Since the winds can shift from head to tail almost instantaneously, the condition is nearly impossible for a pilot to handle at relatively slow takeoff and landing speeds. Recent studies have cited wind shear as a factor in at least 27 commercial aircraft accidents since 1964.  The most notable: an Eastern Airlines 727 crash on landing at New York’s JFK Airport in 1975 that killed 113, and a Pan American 727 accident after takeoff from New Orleans in 1982 that left 153 dead.  President Reagan was in Air Force One in August 1983 when it landed at Maryland’s Andrews Air Force Base moments before wind shear flattened trees at the airfield.

 

“Dallas/Fort Worth is one of about 100 U.S. airports with a special array of anemometers to detect dangerous swirling winds near ground level.  Investigators will be trying to determine what the sensors recorded just before Flight 191 made its approach, and if the readings were ominous, why the pilot was not warned. –By Ed Magnuson. Reported by Jerome Chandler and David S. Jackson/Dallas.” (Magnuson, Ed.  “Like a Wall of Napalm.” Time, April 18, 2005.)

 

National Transportation Safety Board: “Synopsis

 

“On August 2, 1985, at 1805:52 central daylight time, Delta Air Lines flight 191, a Lockheed L-1011-385-1, N726DA, crashed while approaching to land on runway 17L at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, Texas. While passing through the rain shaft beneath a thunderstorm, flight 191 entered a microburst which the pilot was unable to traverse successfully. The airplane struck the ground about 6,300 feet north of the approach end of runway 17L, hit a car on a highway north of the runway killing the driver, struck two water tanks on the airport, and broke apart. Except for a section of the airplane containing the aft fuselage and empennage, the remainder of the airplane disintegrated during the impact sequence, and a severe fire erupted during the impact sequence. Of the 163 persons aboard, 134 passengers and crewmembers were killed; 26 passengers and 3 cabin attendants survived.

 

“The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable causes of the accident were the flightcrew’s decision to initiate and continue the approach into a cumulonimbus cloud which they observed to contain visible lightning; the lack of specific guidelines, procedures, and training for avoiding and escaping from low-altitude windshear; and the lack of definitive, real-time windshear hazard information. This resulted in the aircraft’s encounter at low altitude with a microburst-induced, severe windshear from a rapidly developing thunderstorm located on the final approach course.”  (NTSB 1986, p. 1.)

 

Smith: “….On August 2, 1985, a Delta Airlines jumbo jet was on approach to Dallas Ft. Worth International Airport while the three pilots in the cockpit discussed the lightning “right ahead of us.” The Lockheed L-1011 aircraft penetrated the thunderstorm and was violently tossed by the wind. The plane slammed into a water tank at the airport. The crash of Delta Flight 191 caused the deaths of 137 people and injuries to 28.” (Smith, Mike. “Defeating the downburst: 20 years since last U.S. commercial jet accident from wind shear.” Washington Post, 7-2-2014.)

 

Torbenson: “Twenty-five years after Delta Flight 191 tumbled out of the sky at the northern edge of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, the tragedy’s enduring legacy is one of improved safety for airline passengers. The crash and its 137 deaths forged new technologies in aircraft and on the ground that have combined to prevent a similar accident of 191’s scale. “This was the watershed accident that helped really galvanize the aviation industry to get a broad range of improvements in weather prediction,” said Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Lynn Lunsford, who covered the accident as a reporter.

 

“Delta 191’s aftermath changed how regulators approached weather threats, how pilots talked to each other in the cockpit and even how fire rescue crews at airports save lives at crashes….

 

“On the afternoon of Aug, 2, 1985, Delta 191 ran into a developing thunderstorm and wind shear conditions as it made its final approach to D/FW. The winds – a weather phenomenon known as a microburst – initially sped the plane up, then slowed it down dramatically and caused it to hit the ground before the runway.

 

“One of the plane’s wing engines struck a car on State Highway 114, killing its driver, and the plane bounced into a water tank and exploded. Of the 163 passengers and crew, all but 29 were killed; two more died later from injuries….” (Torbenson, Eric. “1985 Delta 191 disaster at D/FW Airport gave rise to broad safety overhaul.” Dallas Morning News, TX, Aug 2010.)

 

Sources

 

Associated Press. “Air Crashes In the U.S. Since 1979.” 7-20-1989. Accessed at:  http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE5DD1E39F933A15754C0A96F948260&sec=&spon

 

Darby, Rick. “Cracking the Microburst Code – Meteorology Confronts a Mysterious Threat to Flight Safety.” AeroSafety World, March 2011, pp. 52-54.

 

History.com. This Day in History, Disaster, August 2, 1985. “Sudden Thunderstorm Causes Plane Crash.” Accessed 12-07-2008 at: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&displayDate=08/02&categoryId=disaster

 

Magnuson, Ed. “Like a Wall of Napalm. A Delta jet with 160 aboard crashes in a Texas thunderstorm.” Time, April 18, 2005. Accessed 1-26-2017 at:  http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1050423-1,00.html

 

National Transportation Safety Board. Aircraft Accident Report. Delta Air Lines, Inc., Lockheed L-1011-385-1, N726DA, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, Texas, August 2, 1985. (NTSB/AAR-86/05). Washington, DC: NTSB, August 15, 1986. Accessed  1-26-2017 at:  http://libraryonline.erau.edu/online-full-text/ntsb/aircraft-accident-reports/AAR86-05.pdf

 

Sanders, D.E.A. (Chair), et al. The Management of Losses Arising from Extreme Events. GIRO, 2002, 261 pgs. At: http://www.actuaries.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/18729/Sanders.pdf

 

Smith, Mike. “Defeating the downburst: 20 years since last U.S. commercial jet accident from wind shear.” Washington Post, 7-2-2014. Accessed 1-26-2017 at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2014/07/02/defeating-the-downburst-20-years-since-last-u-s-commercial-jet-accident-from-wind-shear/?utm_term=.5c70c54ef03e

 

Torbenson, Eric. “1985 Delta 191 disaster at D/FW Airport gave rise to broad safety overhaul.” Dallas Morning News, TX, Aug 2010. Accessed 1-26-2017 at: http://www.dallasnews.com/news/transportation/2010/08/02/20100801-1985-Delta-191-disaster-at-D-7484

 

United Press International. “Delta Crash Toll Hits 137.” Sun-Sentinel, FL, 10-4-1985. Accessed 1-26-2017 at: http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1985-10-04/news/8502130006_1_parkland-memorial-hospital-crash-injuries

 

 

[1] Notes that “A passenger [Mark Vicich, 29, of Dallas]who suffered burns over 85 percent of his body and had both legs amputated because of injuries suffered in the Aug. 2 crash of Delta Flight 191 died Thursday, raising the death count to 137.”

[2] Two survivors later died of injuries. See Torbenson and UPI/Sun-Sentinel.

[3] Landing crash of Eastern Air Lines Flight 66 at John F. Kennedy International Airport, NY, June 24, 1975, killing 113 passengers and crew.

[4] Mike Smith.  Warnings:  The True Story of How Science Tamed the Weather.  Greenleaf, 2010.