My Search for the Ghost of Flight 401

by Elizabeth Fuller

John G. Fuller could not have written his bestselling book "The Ghost of Flight 401" without the help of an airline insider. And that airline insider turned out to be flight attendant, Elizabeth Fuller. Together they uncovered dozens of pilots and flight attendants who actually had a first-hand encounter with the dead flight engineer of Eastern Airlines Flight 401. But the story goes much deeper as Elizabeth suddenly develops psychic powers and eventually has the breakthrough communication with the deceased flight engineer that led to what is today called the most documented ghost story of all time.

Genres: Nonfiction

216 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1978

Reviews

[Anne Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was not about the crash of Flight 401 and the events that lead up to it. It was about Elizabeth Fuller, along with her future husband John G. Fuller, doing research about the events that happened after the crash. Several crew members on what later was discovered planes that had salvaged parts from the wreckage of Flight 401 saw the ghost of Flight Engineer Don Repo. This ghost was even known to warn crew members of danger, one example being a fire on a plane headed to Mexico City.
Several things that I find strange about this book:
A lot of Eastern employees are mediums!
It was mentioned that Elizabeth was a Catholic, and brought up that she went to Catholic school. In reading this book and doing research myself, I'm surprised that Elizabeth didn't question becoming a medium, calling upon dead people, and using a ouija board. The messages coming from the ouija board were very convincing, but were they from Don or an evil spirit.
This may be a 70's thing, but I was surprised that Elizabeth and John could visit the actual crash sight and debris was still there from three years ago?! And they were able to take objects?!
The L-1011 airplanes sound fascinating. A lower galley that was like a kitchen sounds great...especially now when you are rarely offered any food on a plane!
I found out there were two made for TV movies about Flight 401 that I'm definitely going to watch!!

[Donnamarie Mazzola · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of Elizabeth Fuller’s search for the ghost of flight 401 represents not only a story of paranormal research, but also an inward journey of psychic self discovery, and a love story. Written with warmth, wit and a command of what makes for a suspenseful story arc, the tale is a page turner that leaves one willing to suspend belief and take out a Ouija board, hoping to catch a glimpse of the clever and endearing ghost, or some other message from beyond.

[Nicola Pierce · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intriguing look at the story behind John Fuller's book about the air crash 'Flight 401'. After enlisting the help of an airline hostess to research multiple claims about 401's ghost engineer turning up on other planes, Fuller and his researcher, Elizabeth, his future wife, find themselves being confronted over and over again with evidence that we do not really die. Loved it!

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. An earnest, cheesy companion to John Fuller’s book. Really entertaining to read the husband/wife perspective in two different books. Elizabeth is a good writer, even if the love story component is often eye roll inducing.

[Lynn Schaufelberger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished. Again I saw this episode on Air Disasters and knew a book was written about the flight engineer's death and ghost stories of him appearing on other flights.

So since its ghost and goblins month I used my digital credits and bought one of the books and it was so good.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun read and fascinating.

[Azra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book at a local thrift store for a dime and I couldn't resist the cover and its '70's era earnest cheesiness. the front cover has a painting where a woman's smiling face is weirdly fading into the clouds but her bangs are intact as it floats over the image of a commercial airliner. On both the front and back covers, it says "A Ghost Story. A Love Story. A True Story!"

Apparently, this is a companion to a book called The Ghost of Flight 401. The author was a stewardess on Northwest Orient who began helping investigate a ghost story that had been circulating among the airline employees. The story never changed - it always involved a man named Don Repo. The author initially thought it was a good story but she soon became more involved that she ever expected.

This book follows the journey of the author as she began exploring, not only the ghost story, but her own psychic abilities and the developing relationship with the man who put her on the story in the first place.

This was one of the better late '70's books. Like I mentioned before, it was earnestly cheesy and a fun read for a lazy afternoon.