Challenger explosion was 38 years ago today; Naples’ readers recall event
On this date, Jan. 28, 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds into its flight, killing all seven crew members aboard.
The spacecraft disintegrated 46,000 feet above the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 11:39 a.m.
On Jan 27, 2011, for the 25th anniversary of that tragic day, the Naples Daily News asked readers to recall what they were doing on that day.
“I was teaching the fifth grade at Poinciana Elementary in a portable,” said Ann R. Dilbone of Naples. “I told my students that if the sky was clear we had a good chance to see it if we went outside. And sure enough we saw it rising in the sky, a beautiful white plume beyond the pine trees over Airport Road. It was thrilling. But suddenly it split apart and my students said, ‘What does that mean?’ And I answered, ‘I think I know, but I’m not sure. We’ll go back in and put our heads on our desks for a few minutes.’ Then I explained what I thought had happened and it turned out to be correct!”
Marian Barford of Naples: "We had attended Super Bowl XX where the Chicago Bears had obliterated the New England Patriots at the Superdome in New Orleans. We had enjoyed a beautiful visit to that wonderful city and had arrived at the airport in a most upbeat mood. The TVs were on in the bars in the airport and as we walked by toward our gate, we decided to stop and watch the launch.
"As Challenger exploded there was an audible gasp followed by total silence throughout the entire airport. As passengers approached the area and were told what was happening, they too fell into silence. We boarded our flight to Newark and rode home, all in total silence or soft whispers. The silence would be broken only occasionally by the pilot breaking in with a news update. It is a truly sad and heartbreaking memory.”
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Naples residents recall Challenger explosion 38 years ago on Jan. 28
