39 Years Ago, Michigan’s Deadliest Plane Crash Killed 156 — One Child Survived

I still remember seeing this on the news when I was a kid.

I was only 13 years old when Northwest Airlines Flight 255 crashed just after taking off from Detroit Metro Airport, but for whatever reason, it’s one of those stories that has always stuck with me.

It happened 39 years ago, on August 16, 1987.

Northwest Flight 255 Crashed Seconds After Takeoff

According to WDIV, Flight 255 was headed from Detroit to Phoenix when it took off from Detroit Metro around 8:46 that night.

Almost immediately, something went wrong.

The plane began tilting, clipped a light pole, and struck the roof of a rental car building before crashing onto Middlebelt Road and bursting into flames.

Two people on the ground were killed, along with 154 people aboard the plane.

A 4-Year-Old Girl Survived Northwest Flight 255

There were 155 people on board, and somehow, 4-year-old Cecelia Cichan was the only survivor.

She was traveling with her parents and brother, who were all killed in the crash.

Cecelia suffered severe burns, broken bones, and a skull fracture but survived and eventually went to live with family.

What Caused Northwest Flight 255 to Crash?

The NTSB later determined the crew didn’t properly set the wing flaps before takeoff. On top of that, an electrical issue kept the warning system from alerting them that something was wrong.

Even 39 years later, it’s still one of those stories that’s hard to forget. And the fact that a 4-year-old girl was the only person on that plane to survive makes it even more unbelievable.