Comments on: Memorial for Northwest Flight 710

By: Kevin K.

Kevin K. — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 12:07:20 +0000

Just to clarify, are you suggesting the plane could have been pulled out of the dive if First Officer Feller had had control?

By: Orville H. Larson

Orville H. Larson — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 03:48:57 +0000

Northwest Orient Flight 705 crashed because of Captain Almquist’s desperate attempt to recover from a near-vertical, high-speed dive. The aerodynamic forces were such that the plane couldn’t take it. (Almquist had only 150 hours logged on the Boeing 720B. First Officer Feller had some 1,090 hours logged on that aircraft. And, of course, the chaotic conditions that must have existed in the cockpit–Mach warning bell, negative G forces, loose objects floating around–must have been terrifying.) This crash focused attention on how to handle swept-wing aircraft in turbulence, and sound techniques and better training resulted.

Mary Sandell, 20, was the youngest and most junior of the five stewardesses (Northwest hired her on December 21, 1962). My parents were friends of her parents.

Some newspaper reports on the crash of Flight 705:

http://www3.gendisasters.com/florida/12152/everglades-fl-air-liner-crashes-feb-1963

By: Theresa

Theresa — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 17:47:57 +0000

Here’s the website for Northwest Orient Flight 705 [Date of crash: February 12, 1963, Florida Everglades]
http://northwestorient705.wordpress.com/

By: Theresa

Theresa — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 17:42:10 +0000

For those who lost loved ones on Northwest Orient Flight 705, just three years after the crash of Northwest Flight 710, please visit my newly created blog. It was created to honor the memory of the 43 people on board that flight, and to provide a forum for those who wish to learn more. It is my hope that a permanent memorial can be erected in Everglades National Park where 705 went down.

Thank you, Theresa

By: Orville H. Larson

Orville H. Larson — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 01:01:41 +0000

A personal word about Mary Sandell: My parents were friends of her parents. When Flight 705 crashed in February 1963, I was eight years old and in the third grade.

Mr. & Mrs. Sandell and Mary came to our house for dinner during the Thanksgiving or Christmas holiday (I can’t remember which) in 1962. Mary must have made quite an impression on this eight-year-old boy, because I asked my mother, “Mommy, who’s that pretty lady?”

Mary’s body was returned to Minneapolis for burial. The day of her funeral was a Saturday, I believe (we were off from school). My parents arranged for a relative to look after me and my three younger sisters, and they attended the funeral.

At the Department of Transportation’s online archives, I read the Civil Aeronautics Board’s “probable cause” report on Northwest Flight 705 (released in June 1965). At the end of the report, the crew members are listed, including the five flight attendants. About Mary Sandell:
“Stewardess Mary S. Sandell, age 20, was hired December 22, 1962,
and qualified for the Boeing 720B on December 19, 1962.”

By: Veronica J Fulsom

Veronica J Fulsom — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 06:51:28 +0000

Hello

I am woundering if anyone had any news articles about a passenger on flight 710 that crashed on March 17 1960. Her name was Betty Jane Gentle
She was my Auntie, my mothers older sister. I never got to know her because I was not born until December 1960. My mom gave me part of her real name and her professional name, which was Ronnie Lane a well know night club singer. I was named Ronnie Jane but changed my name in Oct of 1997 because of two many difficulties with a boys name. I changed it to Veronica Jane. My aunts maiden name was Stoltz. If you know of any news paper articles about her in the crush am trying to find them. My mom had one years ago not sure if it was from the Milwaukee Journel were she was raised and I reside now. Or if the news paper article was from the news paper in indiana were the plane went down. Any way my mom died in 1976 and I was only 15 years old at the time so when my realatives came to clean out our apartment, someone took the news paper arcticle and I did not rememeber that my mom had it hidden behind a picture of my aunt Betty until recently when I visit another one of my mothers younger sisters and we talked about it. She told me she was invited to the 50 year memorial last year in March but was not able to make it. If anyone has any info on this could you please email me with the info It would be very well appreciated. Betty Jane Gentle lived in Balitmore MD at the time she died but was coming home from a show she did in Chicago.

Thanks,
Ronnie Jane :)

By: Joe Carter

Joe Carter — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 05:54:59 +0000

Mr. Larson, I came across a FindaGrave entry of yours for Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis, MN. It’s for the grave of Mary Susan Sandell, a flight attendant who was killed in the crash of Northwest Flight 705 (she was only 20):

http://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSsr=41&GSmid=46598170&GRid=38873959&

By: David Clendenen

David Clendenen — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 01:24:28 +0000

As this year ends I would like to wish all here a happy New Year. I have enjoyed reading all the posts and stories. If not for this site I might not have known about the memorial services. For me, that March weekend in Perry County will always be one of my fondest memories of this year.
Best wishes to all.

By: TWR

TWR — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 21:25:26 +0000

Yes I second that comment on Micheal K’s site. Very nicely done. As someone who was there as a youngster when it was not yet excavated, this terrible event will be forever in my mind. I stop by the memorial several times a year when I am in the area visiting my family. The victims are remembered and prayed for by many more than just the people who knew them personally.

Tom

By: Rita Herseth

Rita Herseth — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 19:10:09 +0000

Michael, this is the most comprehensive, understandable piece of journalism that I have ever seen. My parents were killed that day in Millstone, and I did attend the beautiful memorial services in March, 2010. Thank you for submitting such an outstanding informational site. The people of Cannelton and Tell City opened their hearts to us during this memorial celebration, and you have completed this year by submitting a priceless account of this tragic event. Thank you so much.