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In 1982, tragedy struck the Potomac

WTOP Staff

January 13, 2017, 6:06 PM

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Rescue equipment line up on the bank of the Potomac River, site of the Air Florida plane crash on Jan. 13, after overnight temperatures hit record lows slowing recovery efforts, in Washington, Sunday, Jan. 17, 1982. (AP Photo/John Duricka)
Rescue equipment line up on the bank of the Potomac River, site of the Air Florida plane crash on Jan. 13, after overnight temperatures hit record lows slowing recovery efforts, in Washington, Sunday, Jan. 17, 1982. (AP Photo/John Duricka)
AP Photo/John Duricka
The remains of an auto that was hit by an Air Florida jetliner is shown on the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 1982. The jet was taking off from National Airport but hit some autos then crashed into the Potomac River. (AP Photo/Ira Schwarz)
The remains of an auto that was hit by an Air Florida jetliner is shown on the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 1982. The jet was taking off from National Airport but hit some autos then crashed into the Potomac River. (AP Photo/Ira Schwarz)
AP Photo/Ira Schwarz
Wreckage and broken ice floats in the Potomac River in Washington, on January 13, 1982, shortly after an Air Florida jetliner hit the 14th Street bridge and crashed into the river. Rescue workers in rafts are searching for survivors. (AP Photo/Scott Stewart)
Wreckage and broken ice floats in the Potomac River in Washington, on January 13, 1982, shortly after an Air Florida jetliner hit the 14th Street bridge and crashed into the river. Rescue workers in rafts are searching for survivors. (AP Photo/Scott Stewart)
AP Photo/Scott Stewart
Rescue workers drop a line of the 14th Street Bridge following the crash of an Air Florida jetliner in Washington on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 1982. Hitting the bridge and several cars and trucks, the plane landed in the Potomac River. (AP Photo)
Rescue workers drop a line of the 14th Street Bridge following the crash of an Air Florida jetliner in Washington on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 1982. Hitting the bridge and several cars and trucks, the plane landed in the Potomac River. (AP Photo)
AP Photo
A section of a wing of the Air Florida jetliner which crashed into Washington’s Potomac River on Wednesday is raised from the water, Friday, Jan. 15, 1982. Salvage workers labored through the day Friday, trying to find victims of the crash, portions of the plane and the cockpit recorders which were aboard. (AP Photo)
A section of a wing of the Air Florida jetliner which crashed into Washington’s Potomac River on Wednesday is raised from the water, Friday, Jan. 15, 1982. Salvage workers labored through the day Friday, trying to find victims of the crash, portions of the plane and the cockpit recorders which were aboard. (AP Photo)
AP Photo
A U.S. Park Police helicopter pulls two people from the wreckage of the remains of the Air Florida jetliner after it fell into the Potomac River when it hit a bridge while taking-off from National Airport in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 1982. (AP Photo/Charles Pereira, Pool)
A U.S. Park Police helicopter pulls two people from the wreckage of the remains of the Air Florida jetliner after it fell into the Potomac River when it hit a bridge while taking-off from National Airport in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 1982. (AP Photo/Charles Pereira, Pool)
AP Photo/Charles Pereira, Pool
The tail of the Air Florida jet that crashed into the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., is hoisted from the water by a crane, Jan. 18, 1982, during salvage efforts. The 14th Street Bridge that the plane hit while taking off from National Airport is pictured in background. (AP Photo)
The tail of the Air Florida jet that crashed into the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., is hoisted from the water by a crane, Jan. 18, 1982, during salvage efforts. The 14th Street Bridge that the plane hit while taking off from National Airport is pictured in background. (AP Photo)
AP Photo
The tail section of the Air Florida jetliner that crashed in the Potomac River in Washington on Wednesday is hoisted by a crane onto a floating barge after being removed, Monday, Jan. 19, 1982 from the water. A span of the 14th Street bridge which the plane did not hit is shown in background. (AP Photo)
The tail section of the Air Florida jetliner that crashed in the Potomac River in Washington on Wednesday is hoisted by a crane onto a floating barge after being removed, Monday, Jan. 19, 1982 from the water. A span of the 14th Street bridge which the plane did not hit is shown in background. (AP Photo)
AP Photo
The tail section of the Boeing 727 that crashed into the Potomac River on Jan. 13 is lifted from the river in Washington on Jan. 18, 1982. (AP Photo/Barry Thumma)
The tail section of the Boeing 727 that crashed into the Potomac River on Jan. 13 is lifted from the river in Washington on Jan. 18, 1982. (AP Photo/Barry Thumma)
AP Photo/Barry Thumma
This photo diagram shows the location of National Airport, from which an Air Florida Boeing 737 jetliner crashed while taking off in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 1982. The aircraft crashed into a bridge crowded with rush hour commuters, then plunged into the icy waters of the Potomac River nearby. Thirty-five years later, the airport is now called Reagan National Airport. (AP Photo)
This photo diagram shows the location of National Airport, from which an Air Florida Boeing 737 jetliner crashed while taking off in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 1982. The aircraft crashed into a bridge crowded with rush hour commuters, then plunged into the icy waters of the Potomac River nearby. Thirty-five years later, the airport is now called Reagan National Airport. (AP Photo)
AP Photo
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Rescue equipment line up on the bank of the Potomac River, site of the Air Florida plane crash on Jan. 13, after overnight temperatures hit record lows slowing recovery efforts, in Washington, Sunday, Jan. 17, 1982. (AP Photo/John Duricka)
The remains of an auto that was hit by an Air Florida jetliner is shown on the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 1982. The jet was taking off from National Airport but hit some autos then crashed into the Potomac River. (AP Photo/Ira Schwarz)
Wreckage and broken ice floats in the Potomac River in Washington, on January 13, 1982, shortly after an Air Florida jetliner hit the 14th Street bridge and crashed into the river. Rescue workers in rafts are searching for survivors. (AP Photo/Scott Stewart)
Rescue workers drop a line of the 14th Street Bridge following the crash of an Air Florida jetliner in Washington on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 1982. Hitting the bridge and several cars and trucks, the plane landed in the Potomac River. (AP Photo)
A section of a wing of the Air Florida jetliner which crashed into Washington’s Potomac River on Wednesday is raised from the water, Friday, Jan. 15, 1982. Salvage workers labored through the day Friday, trying to find victims of the crash, portions of the plane and the cockpit recorders which were aboard. (AP Photo)
A U.S. Park Police helicopter pulls two people from the wreckage of the remains of the Air Florida jetliner after it fell into the Potomac River when it hit a bridge while taking-off from National Airport in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 1982. (AP Photo/Charles Pereira, Pool)
The tail of the Air Florida jet that crashed into the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., is hoisted from the water by a crane, Jan. 18, 1982, during salvage efforts. The 14th Street Bridge that the plane hit while taking off from National Airport is pictured in background. (AP Photo)
The tail section of the Air Florida jetliner that crashed in the Potomac River in Washington on Wednesday is hoisted by a crane onto a floating barge after being removed, Monday, Jan. 19, 1982 from the water. A span of the 14th Street bridge which the plane did not hit is shown in background. (AP Photo)
The tail section of the Boeing 727 that crashed into the Potomac River on Jan. 13 is lifted from the river in Washington on Jan. 18, 1982. (AP Photo/Barry Thumma)
This photo diagram shows the location of National Airport, from which an Air Florida Boeing 737 jetliner crashed while taking off in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 1982. The aircraft crashed into a bridge crowded with rush hour commuters, then plunged into the icy waters of the Potomac River nearby. Thirty-five years later, the airport is now called Reagan National Airport. (AP Photo)

On Jan. 13, 1982, an Air Florida 737 crashed into the 14th Street Bridge and fell into the Potomac River while trying to take off during a snowstorm, killing a total of 78 people; four passengers and a flight attendant survived.

The plane departed from what was then known as simply National Airport.

The Air Florida crash overshadowed another deadly accident on the same day.

Three people died after a Metro train derailed on the Orange Line between the Federal Triangle and Smithsonian stations. It was the worst accident in Metro history, until the 2009 Red Line crash near the Takoma station that left nine dead. Smoke filled a Yellow Tunnel killing one passenger in 2015.

See photos of the deadly plane crash.

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