RRR Members Bill Rowland and Gary Scarano were running on the Long Path last year in an effort to find the site of the 1974 Baltimore Colts 727 chartered air plane that crashed in Harriman State Park killing all aboard. They were on their way to pickup the football team.

Bill mentioned that there should be a memorial there and that started a long journey to get one approved and installed. With outstanding help from first responder of the crash, Gordon Wren, who is presently the Director of the Rockland Fireman’s Training Center, and Scott Solatto, Rockland County Media Director, Walter Luther of the Historical Society of Palisades Interstate Parkway Region, and Suzy Altman of www.MyHarriman.com, and others, they have brought this idea into being. They have contacted the associated family members of those who lost their lives and Scott has commitments from ABC, CBS, and NBC that film crews will be there for this event. About 120 people are expected.

The Long Path is a very popular path for trial runners and hikers in the area and the Bear Mountain trail races are run over various section of this path, although not the crash site.

Would you please consider supporting our effort to place a memorial at the site and attend the ceremony. It was two trail runners who put their time into this effort and it it was not for these runners, this would not have been possible. Press Release follows:

On December 1, 1974, a Northwest Orient Airlines Boeing 727 flying between Kennedy International Airport and Buffalo Niagara International Airport encountered atmospheric icing and crashed in Harriman State Park, Stony Point, New York. Flight 6231 was operating a ferry flight, having been chartered to pick up the Baltimore Colts football team in Buffalo. There were no survivors.

More than 40 years later, family members, friends and former colleagues from across the nation will gather at the crash site to dedicate a memorial marker and garden in honor of those killed in the accident.  The deep woods location, while hallowed ground, has never been defined.

  • Memorial Ceremony:  Saturday, November 7, 2015
  • Time:  11 a.m.
  • Location:  119 St. John’s Road, Stony Point, New York 10980

The ceremony will include remarks from relatives, retired Northwest personnel who flew aboard the aircraft that day, active Delta Air Lines employees and local first responders who participated in the search, rescue and recovery efforts.

The 1974 accident and subsequent federal investigation prompted changes in cockpit design and advancements in commercial pilot training still practiced by airlines today.

Organizations participating in the event include the Historical Society of the Palisades Interstate Park Region, the Historical Society of Rockland County, the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, Rockland Road Runners and Rockland County.

*Note:  Media will be directed to a designated parking area near the memorial site from St. John’s Church starting at 9:30 a.m.  The only access is via a paved, but narrow camp road.

*Technical Note: There will be a 300′ to 350′ cable run from the live truck parking area to the memorial site.

*Media outlets wishing to cover the ceremony, please register via email to salottos@co.rockland.ny.us by 3 p.m. on Friday, November 6, as parking is limited.

Fundraising efforts for the memorial continue:

The Historical Society of the Palisades Interstate Park Region
P.O. Box 243
Tomkins Cove, New York 10986
Email:  NW6231Memorial@gmail.com

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