Learning from Tragedy: 1982 Plane Crash

First the anecdote: One afternoon in, I suppose, 2002 or 2003, as we were leaving the Anacostia Waterfront Park, my husband and I noticed a plane flying awfully low over the river. He pulled off the road at once, and both of us sat frozen in panic while the low-flying plane moved on.

Continuing home, we found that we had different semi-traumatic memories. "September 11," he said.

"No," I said. "In 1982, when that plane crashed into the bridge, and people died in the frozen river..."

I was in Florida at the time. I've managed to avoid TV for most of my life, but this was one news item I happened to see on TV, at a relative's house. Somehow the whole event had been filmed.

Twenty-five years after the crash, the Washington Post featured an article about what had been learned from the tragedy, what had been accomplished by it. The article is still online today. In case it offers comfort to anyone out there, here's the link:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/11/AR2007011102220_pf.html