A Brief History Of The ValuJet Flight 592 Memorial In Miami FL

On May 11, 1996, ValuJet Flight 592 left Miami International Airport at 2:05 p.m. with 110 passengers aboard bound for Atlanta, but it never reached its destination. The aircraft slammed nose-first into the swamplands of the Everglades National Park just west of the Miami International Airport minutes into the air. There were no survivors.

Investigators later determined the aircraft had crashed as a result of a fire in the cargo compartment caused by improperly stored oxygen-generating canisters. The canisters, which were not correctly topped with safety caps, were triggered during the flight’s take-off and generated 500-degree heat. The flames quickly spread from the cargo compartment throughout the cabin, and the faulty smoke detection systems in place did not alert the flight crew in time to redirect the flight back to the airport safely. Recordings from the radio transmissions show the pilot tried to steer the plane back towards the airport, but the fire burned the electric channels and he lost control of the engine.

The location of the crash itself was deep-water swamp with limestone flooring in the Everglades, which made it difficult for rescue teams to reach the site. There were few portions of the airplane intact, and no lives to salvage when airboats and helicopters searched the water.

Months into the investigation, authorities laid responsibility for the accident on two parties: SabreTech for improperly packaging hazardous materials and ValuJet for not having surveyed the safety caps of the canisters (caps which at the time only cost $9.16).

Decades afterwards, the accident is still believed to be one of the deadliest in Florida’s history.

A memorial was made to honor the victims a few years into its anniversary.

The memorial, located 11 miles west of Krome Avenue and just north of the Tamiami Trail, consists of 110 concrete pillars in memory to the victims.

The outcomes of the accident, though devastating, subsequently resulted in valuable safety upgrades for air transport. The Federal Aviation Administration retrofitted thousands of airplanes, and formed a national certification team of safety experts to evaluate new carriers before allowing them to fly. Soon after, the world witnessed one of the safest flying periods in decades.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.