WLS Channel 7 - The 3:00 Movie - "Air Florida Flight 90 Bulletins" (1982)

Here's a series of ABC News Special Reports, anchored by Frank Reynolds reporting from Washington, DC (opening and closing voiceover by ??), about the crash of Air Florida Flight 90, a Boeing 737-200, into the Potomac River on the outskirts of DC during a major snowstorm; of the 74 passengers and five crewmembers, only four passengers and one flight attendant survived, and in addition, four motorists on a bridge which the plane hit were killed.

These reports interrupted The 3:00 Movie presentation of the 1968 Elvis Presley film "Live a Little, Love a Little" (see the Chicago EpGuides.com page on The 3:00 Movie).

The timeline of the special reports is as follows:

First Interruption (Approximately 3:22pm CST):

End of WLS-TV Editorial, delivered by Peter Desnoes (with ending voiceover by Al Parker); followed by "Live a Little, Love a Little" slide with Circle 7 logo

The first ABC News Special Report, with the bumper slide with accompanying ABC News logo (set in Plantin Bold in those days), and Frank Reynolds delivering the first reports on the crash, which occurred after taking off from Washington National Airport (now Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport) in Arlington, Virginia, bound for Tampa, Florida. The plane struck the 14th Street Bridge (which runs between Virginia and Washington, DC) and ran into four cars and a truck before going into the river. Reports of the time indicated that there were some survivors, and they were taken to George Washington University Hospital (which, as Frank reminds the viewers, was where President Reagan was hospitalized after being shot on March 30th 1981); he says the crash "may be" weather-related because of snowstorms that affected the Washington, DC area, which also has led to the government shutting down early for the day, and the bridge as a result jammed with traffic from people returning home. (Look for a person who looks like Carl Bernstein of Woodward/Bernstein fame in the background, to Reynolds' left, during this report.) He promises more information as it becomes available, as well as being spotlighted on the evening's edition of World News Tonight.

After this Special Report is over, the "Live a Little, Love a Little" slide returns, with voiceover (by Al Parker?)

Second Interruption (Approximately 3:44pm CST):

Frank interrupts the outdoor party scene from "Live a Little, Love a Little" with more information that came in since the first Special Report. After recapping the basic information of the crash, he adds that according to the FAA, 80 people were on board, while the DC fire department listed 75 on the plane; the 737 had a capacity for 100. At the time of this report, Frank had no information on how many fatalities there were; he then introduces an audio-only report from Ann Compton on the scene, in which she reports she can see the fusilage of the plane sticking out from the Potomac River, and that a rescue helicopter had plucked several victims from the icy waters, and that other rescuers with yellow life jackets in rubber rafts were out looking for other, if any, survivors. She describes the damage to the 14th Street Bridge and the cars that were sheared by the plane. Sounds of helicopters, ambulances and other rescue vehicles are heard in the background during her phoned-in report which is cut short after communications problems (she came in and out all throughout) become too much. Frank then quotes a report that describes the plane as Air Florida Flight 35 bound for White Plains, New York, before trying to resume communication with Ann; from her vantage point, she sees no evidence of survivors from either the plane or those on the bridge that were struck. Frank then recounts what he cites as updated information (incorrect, as it would turn out) of the flight, as well as the FAA's and DC fire department's conflicting reports on those on board, and that some of the struck cars were pushed into the water, before promising to return for more updates as they become available.

"Live a Little, Love a Little" slide (voiceover by Al Parker?)

Third Interruption (Approximately 4:03pm CST):

Frank abruptly cuts into the shower scene with videotaped pictures from around the crash site - one body (not clear if a survivor or victim) loaded into an ambulance, with fire crews watching, panning to a shot of a rescue boat traveling through the icy waters; and a helicopter surveying the scene which includes portions of the wreckage strewn around the river alongside broken ice patches. Frank mentions that there are conflicting reports of the Air Florida Boeing 737's final destination (whether it was Flight 35 bound for White Plains or Flight 90 bound for Tampa - it proved to be the latter, though he cites a destination of Fort Lauderdale). He cites statistics from airport officials which corresponds to the FAA's figure of 80 people on board, and that several cars struck by the plane were removed from the 14th Street Bridge, with those inside having been killed. Frank concludes this report by saying more information will be available by the time of World News Tonight.

This aired on local Chicago TV on Wednesday, January 13th 1982 between 3:22pm and 4:05pm.

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