Wichita State University football team plane crash

On Friday, October 2, 1970 at 1:14 p.m. MDT in Colorado a chartered Martin 4-0-4 airliner crashed into a mountain eight miles (13 km) west of Silver Plume. It happened in clear weather. The twin-engined propliner carried 37 passengers and a crew of three; 29 were killed at the scene and two later died of their injuries while under medical care. It was operated by Golden Eagle Aviation.

It was one of two aircraft carrying the Wichita State University football team to Logan, Utah. They were going to Utah for a game against Utah State University.Mondout, Patrick (2005), Air Crash In Rockies Kills Wichita State Football Players, Super70s.com, Retrieved 2009-09-10 The other plane flew a normal route and arrived safely in Utah. Pilot errors, including bad in-flight choices and bad pre-flight planning, were officially reported as what caused the crash.NTSB Aircraft Accident Report, SA-421, File No. 3-1127 

References

Other websites
NTSB Aircraft Accident Report, SA-421, File No. 3-1127    (alternate link 1, alternate link 2)
Memorial '70 Homepage  – includes survivor recollections, photos of victims
Super70s article about the crash – includes narrative on circumstances leading up to the flight, and lists names of those on board
Roadside memorial adjacent to I-70 near Colorado crash site
Present-day photos of crash site on Mount Trelease – includes directions for visiting the site, and GPS coordinates
1960s photo of the accident aircraft in Mohawk Airlines livery 
Wichita State University Football Team Airplane Crash Collection – archives related to crash

Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in the 1970s
Category:1970 in the United States
football team plane crash
Category:20th century in Colorado
Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in the United States