Survivor of 1982 DC plane crash credits pilot school lesson with saving his life

A subsister of a deadly 1982 level clang into the Potomac River successful Washington, D.C., says the Jan. 29 level collision brought backmost memories of his improbable endurance much than 40 years ago.

The caller collision of American Airlines Flight 5342 with an Army Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk implicit the Potomac killed each idiosyncratic aboard some aircraft, a full of 64 people. The collision had immoderate jarring similarities to the Jan. 13, 1982, clang that killed 78 people.

Joseph Stiley, 86, is 1 of 5 radical who survived that disaster, erstwhile Air Florida Flight 90 near what is present Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA) and struck the 14th Street Bridge successful Washington, D.C., astatine which constituent it crashed into the icy Potomac.

"The memories conscionable marque maine recognize however fortunate I am. I did what I had to do, and it worked," Stiley told People. "I besides accidental to myself, 'Joe, you've analyzed, and you made a decision, and past it kept you alive.'"

ARMY SAW SPIKE IN DEADLY AVIATION CRASHES YEAR BEFORE DC PLANE CRASH DISASTER

Air Florida clang unfortunate Joseph Stiley tells reporters of his rescue from the river. (Frank Johnson/The Washington Post)

Siley was a licensed aviator astatine the clip and knew to curl into a shot arsenic passengers braced for interaction portion others sat consecutive up, helium recalled.

"I was a engaged formation instructor, and I specialize successful teaching aeronautics and instruments. ... I went done a endurance schoolhouse for pilots," Stiley told People. "I knew we were successful heavy s--- earlier we were disconnected the runway."

VICTIMS IDENTIFIED IN DC PLANE CRASH INVOLVING AMERICAN AIRLINES JET AND MILITARY HELICOPTER

The fuselage from Air Florida's Flight 90 successful the Potomac River. (Getty Images)

The 86-year-old broke 60 bones successful the clang and remains handicapped to this day.

"I wrapped myself successful a small shot and got down and enactment my backmost against the spot successful beforehand of maine with my hands implicit my head," helium told the outlet. "All the fingers connected my near manus and a mates of them connected my close manus got broken, truthful it was a bully happening I had my fingers wherever they were."

DC PLANE CRASH TIMELINE: MIDAIR COLLISION INVOLVES 67 PASSENGERS, CREW MEMBERS, SOLDIERS

On Jan 13, 1982, the level crashed into the 14th Street Bridge, and past the river, soon aft takeoff, sidesplitting astir of the 74 passengers, each but 1 of the unit and 4 bystanders. (Mark Reinstein)

At the clip of the Flight 90 disaster, Stiley was moving for General Telephone & Electronics, and his assistant, the precocious Patricia Felch, was connected the formation with him. Felch besides miraculously survived.

Stiley said helium mislaid consciousness erstwhile the level made interaction with the Potomac but awoke erstwhile helium felt h2o entering his chemoreceptor and mouth. The level had cracked unfastened adjacent his seat, and helium told Felch to clasp onto his limb arsenic they fled the destroyed aircraft. 

Along the way, helium grabbed different survivor, Priscilla Tirado, who mislaid her lad and babe successful the crash, according to People.

DC PLANE CRASH: AIRPORT EMPLOYEES ARRESTED OVER LEAKED VIDEO OF MIDAIR COLLISION

Crewmen of a landing barge, with the bow lowered, food a woman's footwear from the Potomac River aft the clang of Air Florida's Flight 90 successful Washington, D.C., Jan. 15, 1982.  (Doug Chevalier/The Washington Post)

"She was looking for her baby, who was the past assemblage recovered each the mode down successful the Chesapeake Bay a week later," Stiley said.

When asked his thoughts connected the recent D.C. collision, Stiley told People his "heart goes retired to each the families, and it goes retired to those that died.

"My biggest interest present is for the probable children that person conscionable mislaid a genitor ... and, of course, the spouses," helium told the outlet.

WATCH: VIDEO APPEARS TO SHOW MIDAIR PLANE CRASH AT DCA

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The National Transportation Safety Board continues to analyse the Jan. 29 collision of the American Airlines rider formation and subject Black Hawk. There person been astatine slightest 238 deaths and 227 injuries from non-combat U.S. subject craft crashes since 2012, according to the FAA.

There person besides been aggregate "close call" incidents astatine DCA since 2023.