One of my Antique Alley purchases was a Monroe Magazine published in March, 1966. The following page piqued my curiosity.
Twenty six year old Toni Faye Ketchell, a graduate of West Monroe High School, had just graduated from Stewardess training a few months earlier when she boarded American Airlines flight 383 from New York to Cincinnati on November 8, 1965. The flight was carrying 57 passengers and 5 crew members. On approach to the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport in Hebron, KY in bad weather, the 747 plowed into the ground. Only three passengers and one flight attendant, Toni, survived. She had been thrown from the wreckage. No exact cause for the crash has been said, but it was suspected a number of factors lead to the crash.
Miss Ketchell suffered compound fractures of both legs and internal injuries. It took her months in the hospital and rehab before she was able to come home. Due to her extensive injuries, she was unable to return to flying. She became a vocal advocate for airline cabin safety and PTSD awareness. She passed away in Monroe on December 14, 2017.
To read more about the crash, go here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Airlines_Flight_383_(1965) .
Ouachita Parish History Tidbits 