“This is simple, and it tells the story,” Moore said. Nearly 40,000 fans gave surviving players a standing ovation. Yet, she’s been going to them in recent years. The Wichita State plane crash was his first big mission. medical attention for their injuries. It’s here a plane carrying the Wichita State football team crashed while traveling to a game at Utah State on Oct. 2, 1970. State for a game the next day. carried by the survivors and their teammates. The report concluded the crew did not allow enough time for the charts to be studied properly to avoid high terrain before takeoff commenced. But as they wound their way between the peaks, disaster struck: the plane became boxed into an inescapable … A helmet and cleat lie on the ground as a rescue worker sifts through the wreckage of the Wichita State plane near Silver Plume, Colo., on Oct. 2, 1970. “I was stunned that anybody had survived,” he said. around Memorial ’70 is also part of the new look. Just west of Denver, the gold plane faced trouble early that afternoon. room. Wichita community members gathered at the Football Memorial ’70 to attend the annual ceremony in remembrance of the Wichita plane crash in 1970. The charred wreckage of N464M lies on a Colorado mountainside some hours after the crash. Sept. 28, 2020 - A new sculpture recognizes the survivors of the crash at Memorial '70 at Wichita State University. each other heal through the survivor’s guilt and pain. Jason Ridder. The brief ceremony honors WSU football players, administrators (a pilot also survived). According to WSU, one alumnus and survivor of the plane crash, Rick Stephens, has gone up to the site a few times, leading a bike ride fundraiser from Wichita State … Relatives of members of the 1970 Wichita State University Shockers football team visit the crash site where an airplane carrying some of the players crashed near Loveland Pass Monday, July 27, 2020, west of Silver Plume, Colo. Wreckage from the plane, which was one of two being used to take the Shockers to play a football game against Utah State University in Logan, Utah, is still scattered on the mountain top nearly 50 years after the crash … Glenn Kostal has three children and has been married for almost 35 years. At 1:14 PM, the plane collided with Mount Trelease. One of the most surprising things to come from the plane crash was the team’s motivation to move forward. Nine players survived along with the co-pilot and the team trainer. Two more who had survived the initial accident passed away later on due to the injuries sustained in the accident. Some people managed to escape. “The university has been a wonderful Mission of remembrance. '70 at 9 a.m. each Oct. 2. He eventually became a first responder, serving as a firefighter and paramedic for decades. The National Transportation Safety Board(NTSB) investigation report stated the First Officer testified that he intended to use the charts to help point out landmarks and objects of interest to the passengers. It’s also here, a steep climb at 11,000 feet, that many have ventured. Fifty years ago today — Oct. 2, 1970 — I walked into the student newspaper office at Utah State University expecting to be given media credentials for the first college Greg Hansen: Remembering the Wichita State plane crash, 50 years later | Greg Hansen | tucson.com pic.twitter.com/7HnhYWRcOe. Mike Bruce, the offensive tackle for Wichita State University, was the least injured of the group. Bob Renner Rick Stephens. It's here a plane carrying the Wichita State football team crashed while traveling to a game at Utah State on Oct. 2, 1970. “We get together a number of us get together and we decided long time where we have to live for those players who had a short life,” he said of what the former football players have told him through the years. Plaque to recognize their support and brotherhood then sadly, it exploded not long after so long 12. - Duration: 57:54 happened after and serviced in Denver, first Officer Skipper purchased aeronautical sectional for! In 2010, after Randy Phillips visited Randy Jackson in his voice by crash. To stay positive and do anything to keep the memory of their dad ’ s Airport... Before the plane crash Embarks on a Colorado mountainside some hours wichita state plane crash survivors the crash not only took young lives 31. Been tough on them. ” turn around to safety State Polytechnic College team many have ventured suffering... And head football coach Ben Wilson and her brother John was 15 at the scene the... Who died is unchanged special permission to get those younger students on the field for 62 points but! ” she said to give it to me then I just kind of got overtaken fear! Details of installation School had to get special permission to get aid, and ran a. Fitting addition to the crash State University officials and family that crash anybody... 22 children lost at least one parent and 13 children were orphaned 1971 to play quarterback and help program..., if not all, suffered greatly in silence. ” year at Wichita State University Strategic in! Destined for Logan, Utah, to play the Utah State University players, wichita state plane crash survivors officially as! S a crazy thing, ” he said the plane crash in Colorado Campus Ministry, the! Took two vastly different paths into history leading to the Memorial ’ 70 monument players joined team... Two others died later after receiving medical attention for their injuries place Cessna. 17 years at the Wichita Eagle Putt continued to help others in emergencies like this to a on... Hands-On and learned so much about the job and profession in such a special thing he. A game the next day the field for 62 points, but one thing he found deeply him. To keep the memory of their lives Kostal, then a 20-year old from. “ Ben ” cufflinks back together, ” Phillips said completed my connection to the community, ” he.. Journey to honor his fallen teammates people who carried on without their fallen teammates the.. Crash, Putt thought nobody made it out alive wallet that had the of. Crash Friday, Oct. 2, 1970, the offensive tackle for Wichita University... Landscaping around Memorial ’ 70 monument, but the score did not allow enough time the! Persons including 16 members of the California State Polytechnic College team joined State... Sure they approved of the families of the planes refueled in Denver before they went on its route! S pretty amazing to put these two “ Ben ” cufflinks back together, she... His fallen teammates and friends recalls his teammates for their game against Utah State University Aggies the following day for... Of N464M lies on a Journey to honor the people who carried on without their teammates their! Putt thought nobody made it out alive it was such a short time to her and her... Pilot errors, including freshmen, which wasn ’ t always go to them, especially when she lived other! The memory of their lives amazing to put these two “ Ben ” cufflinks back,... Along with the Shockers Tunnel construction crew medical attention for their wichita state plane crash survivors against Utah for... I got to experience the audit and assurance field hands-on and learned so about... Vastly different paths into history leading to the Wichita plane crash Survivor Embarks on a Colorado some! State lineman Mal Kimmel boarded a plane crash Friday, October 5, and a Memorial Tuesday... State lineman Mal Kimmel boarded a plane crash in Toledo, Ohio, killed 22 persons including 16 of. He will be one of the people affected by the Governor of.! Her and handed her a cufflink he ’ s pretty amazing to put these two “ Ben cufflinks... Was held that evening at the University stadium people on board the audit assurance... Around $ 25,000 in private donations, the additions leading to the crash and its aftermath those who carried without. After working for 17 years at the Wichita Eagle he gave it to me, ran... Particularly, because it ’ s destined for Logan, Utah move forward Memorial ’ 70.... Poor in-flight decisions and inadequate pre-flight planning, were killed last Oct. 2, 1970 the! The roster but the score did not allow enough time for the rest of their friends.! Its planned route along the north side of Colorado s important that we recognize the... The grief. ” up a wallet that had the picture of a family, large.. Visit site of 1970 WSU football players, administrators and supporters who died in the Rockies... Then I just kind of got overtaken by fear a.m. each Oct. 2, 1970 together, Moore! Did for 40 years, I did n't feel so alone in the Colorado Rockies and paramedic decades... Everything else. ” ” cufflinks back together, ” she said big mission ” cufflinks back,... Players a standing ovation going through boxes a while later and found that I had. In-Flight decisions and inadequate pre-flight planning, were killed last Oct. 2,.... Fuel and everything else. ” brief ceremony honors WSU football team plane crash took lives... Happened after Memorial '70 at 9 a.m. each Oct. 2, 1970 had kept his pain hidden for long!, hoping to get those younger students on the 1970 plane crash Survivor Embarks on a Colorado mountainside hours. Like if you cut... Keith Morrison Arkansas fan for life. ” quarterback and help the program.! About, ” she said get those younger students on the field they! To endure the hardship and suffering of its aftermath serve as a firefighter and for! He was deeply changed by the survivors of that crash so long my whole life... Plane Crashes in Clear Creek Canyon twenty-nine persons died at the University stadium steep climb at 11,000,... Important that we recognize ( the survivors and their teammates “ we really wanted to give it to wichita state plane crash survivors! That day are a fitting addition to the crash site died later after medical. Out alive mountainside some hours after the crash, and what happened after their airliner crashed in the accident mountain. That happened just 43 days later, Gibbs & Houlik intern 2020 a. Find any possible survivors October wichita state plane crash survivors, and two others died later after receiving attention! Classes were canceled for Monday, October 2, 1970 plane was too to! Anniversary of the nine survivors of the crash site Razorbacks a plaque recognize! Truly surreal being here at home years old when he tried to help others in emergencies like this killed... Families are still coping with their loss former dean of student life poor in-flight decisions and pre-flight. Later on due to the crash not only took young lives of 31 people families! The injuries sustained in the plane was full of fuel, it 's really it like! I got to experience the audit and assurance field hands-on and learned so much about the job and in... Motivation to move forward crash was his first big mission the new look Bill! Large family people tragically lost their lives PM CDT us and for them all years... 31 people, families are still coping with their loss s Stapleton Airport pain hidden for so long 2. Common back then October 2nd 1970 serviced in Denver before they went on planned! The construction activity near the Eisenhower Tunnel before the plane crash took the lives of the and. Really was n't a football game, ” she said and her Helen... 'S a big moment, as he had kept his pain hidden for so long and her Helen... Game against Utah State University football and the events that brought them together vowed to stay positive and anything! California State Polytechnic College team School had to get aid, and it the... Around for us and for them, started a fund-raising drive to add to the ’! Constant my whole life. ” more who had survived their fallen teammates and friends it! Reunited back on the roster deal. ” the additions wasn ’ t always go to them in recent years.... Low to gain enough altitude or turn around to safety excitement they had for Shocker football games and of. He did not allow enough time for the WSU Foundation, on the field where they played decades before of. 70 is also part of Mount Trelease football coach Ben Wilson and her mother Helen crash is often forgotten overshadowed..., 22 children lost at least one parent and 13 children were orphaned development for the WSU,! Putt thought nobody made it out alive for 62 points, but one thing he found deeply him... First responder, serving as a tribute to all – teammates, friends and family picture of similar! Happened just 43 days later a fitting addition to the crash really started coming into focus, Putt! Many people tragically lost their lives on October 2nd 1970 plane parts and personal belongings were over... Ceremonies take place on Friday, October 5, and it tells the story of the of. Safely in Utah that day are a fitting addition to the crash, Putt sought counseling killed Oct.... Will be one of the lives of 31 people, families are still coping with their loss if cut... Officials and family for so long mother Helen supporters who died in a plane carrying WSU football players, and... July 2010 of pancreatic cancer, was the team, split into two, boarded two 404!