On this day in 1982, an Air Florida jet crashed into the 14th Street bridge during a snowstorm, killing 78 people.
The snowstorm produced 7.1 inches of snow at National Airport. The National Transportation Safety Board reported that the runway was “contaminated by snow or slush” when the plane took off and that moderate to heavy snow was falling, with low visibility.
“The NTSB found errors in the way the plane was de-iced -- the crew even tried to reduce the build-up on their Boeing 737 by using the exhaust of a jet in front of them,” The Washington Post reported. “That decision may have only worsened potential icing on the wings. Investigators believe that ice also covered critical engine probes, giving the pilots a false reading of the thrust needed for takeoff. Ice or snow on the plane and the lack of thrust likely caused the to crash, the board concluded.”
See more articles on this event:
- Air Florida crash: Washington Post coverage from Jan. 14, 1982
- In a Moment of Horror, Rousing Acts of Courage
And on this day in 2019, a calendar-day record 8.3 inches of snow fell in the District. There hasn’t been a snowier day since. The snow was part of a long-duration storm that produced 10.3 inches over three days. Snow was reported for 35 straight hours at Reagan National Airport between Jan. 12 and 14.
Here are other notables for the day:
- Average high: 45
- Average low: 30
- Record high: 75 (1932)
- Record low: minus-8 (1912)
- Record precipitation: 1.26 inches (1948)
- Record snowfall: 8.3 inches (2019)
