ValueJet Memorial Cleanup

I have been asked by several people how the cleanup of the memorial to ValuJet 592 came to be and what drove me to see it completed.

- Article and photos by Mark Smith

Growing up, I was always interested in anything transportation related, as most boys are and I was always fascinated by everything about and within the airline industry. Over the years, I have come to realize that when tragedy occurs the investigation determines what exactly happened can take many years. However, once completed, nearly all the time, hard lessons are learned, and measures are put in place to ensure it never happens again.

ValuJet 592 was a flight that departed from Miami, bound for Atlanta on May 11, 1996...but it never made it. Before takeoff in Miami, several boxes of oxygen canisters were loaded with the firing pins removed and during the taxi out to the runway, the box of jostled canisters ignited, and the fire had already started. The plane was doomed before it even took off. Efforts were valiant, but while attempting to land back in Miami, the plane fell about 20 miles short of the airport and impacted the terrain well within the Florida Everglades, several miles from any firm ground. 110 people lost their life that day, most of them seemingly travelling home for Mother's Day.