Friday is 26th anniversary of Flight 255 crash

Plane en route to Phoenix on Aug. 16, 1987, later crashes into Middlebelt Road

Published: August 16, 2013, 3:52 AM

1987: Northwest Airlines Flight 255, a McDonnell Douglas MD-82, crashes after takeoff in Romulus, Michigan, near Detroit, killing 154 of the 155 on board, plus two people on the ground. At the time, Flight 255 was the second deadliest aviation disaster in U.S. history. Pictured is a monument near the crash site.

ROMULUS, Mich. – Friday marks the 26th anniversary of the Northwest Airlines Flight 255 crash that left all but one of the 155 people onboard plus two people on the ground dead.

The plane took off from Detroit Metro Airport en route to Phoenix on Aug. 16, 1987, but moments later, it crashed into Middlebelt Road.

Only a 4-year-old girl, Cecelia Cichan, survived.

WATCH: Help Cecelia Cichan tell her story of survival

VIEW: 'Soul Survivor' based on Detroit plane crash premieres

Interview: Firefighter talks about rescue, relationship with Cecelia Cichan

Archive video: Support pours in for Cecelia's recovery

Raw video: Flight 255's flight recorder

-Hidi Ja Ratliff died in the crash

WATCH INTERVIEW: Victim's mother speaks out

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