Anyone remember about little girl who was lone plane crash survivor in the U.S. many years ago?

Question

I'm not sure, but could have been almost twenty years ago, and it could have been in Texas or Louisiana. I think about that sometimes, and now that I've looked it up, the only plane survivor which shows up is the one at Kentucky last year.

I remember there even was a picture of her in the papers back then. If I recall correctly, someone had dubbed her with another name.

Answer 1

Cecelia Marie Cichan (born April 10, 1983, now known as Cecelia Marie Cichan-Lumpkin) is best known as the 4-year-old girl who was the only survivor of the August 16, 1987 crash of a McDonnell-Douglas MD-82 operating as Northwest Airlines Flight 255. The aircraft crashed during takeoff from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport. It was bound for Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Arizona, with an onward flight to Santa Ana, California.[1]

A popular, but untrue, story credited her mother, Paula Cichan, with saving Cecelia's life. Supposedly Paula Cichan wrapped herself around the seat that her daughter occupied, protecting Cecelia from the post-crash fire. However, Cecelia was located by rescue workers in her seat – several feet away from her mother's body. Paula Cichan died in the crash, along with Cecelia's father, Michael Cichan, and her 6-year-old brother, David Cichan.[2]

After the crash Cecelia Cichan lived with relatives in Birmingham, Alabama, who shielded her from public attention. She graduated from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama in the spring of 2006 with a bachelor's degree in psychology.[3]

Answer 2

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Anyone remember about little girl who was lone plane crash survivor in the U.S. many years ago?
I'm not sure, but could have been almost twenty years ago, and it could have been in Texas or Louisiana. I think about that sometimes, and now that I've looked it up, the only plane survivor which shows up is the one at Kentucky last year.

I remember there even was a picture of her in...

Answer 3

There was a crash in Romulus Michigan in August 1987 with Northwest Airlines taking off from Detroit Metro Airport. The plane crashed on takeoff. The lone survivor, Cecelia Cichan, was 4 years old at the time and was traveling with her parents and brother. There is a story online about the crash, just go to www.check-six.com.

Oddly enough, I grew up in that area, and lived just across the street from the airport, and about 5 miles from the crash site. I remember that night vividly. I was visiting with a cousin who was in town visiting us, and our neighbors, when we saw the fireball. I immediately knew something wasn't right, and immediately ran inside to tell my parents. They turned on the news to find the plane had crashed. You could smell the burnign jet fuel in our area for days. There is still a memorial site on top of the hill off of Middlebelt road, where the plane crashed into.

Answer 4

I believe it was flight 255, it happened 20 years ago and with only one survivor, a 4 yr old girl named Cecelia Cichan.
Here's more info on it...

Answer 5

I remember a novel by Dean Koonz, maybe called "Survivor," about a girl who walks away from a huge jet liner crash.

Answer 6

flight 255
Detroit,MI
1987
one survivor 4 y.o Cecelia Cichan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwest_Airlines_Flight_255

I was there waiting for my 9 y.o son's flight to come in

Answer 7

Actually it was Detroit Metro Airport. The Detroit press did some columns on it with in the last couple weeks. Check the archives at
www.detnews.com
www.freep.com