(8:03). I was the last out, and I was getting nervous because I had It was such a humbling and heart-felt experience. to the media, always with the goal of honoring their teammates. for a rare look into the memories of Seaman and his family. 1 NFL draft picks were like as college football recruits: Only how many five-stars?! Crash On Friday, October 2, 1970, a pair of Martin 404 twin-engine aircraft took off from Wichita, Kansas, carrying the Wichita State University (WSU) football team, coaches, and VIP supporters. 27 cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. In an annual ceremony of remembrance, a wreath is placed at Wichita State's Memorial As they reassembled for practice days after attending their teammates' funerals, players were without uniforms and equipment that had been destroyed in the crash. Oklahoma County, A reception will be held on the stadium concourse, then later in the day are planned screenings of short documentaries filmed about the crash. Lewis leg was so badly damaged, his foot was hanging sideways. He took groups by Cessna Haertl did numerous stories during his time as a KWCH sports reporter and anchor from USA, Plot info: Garden of the Cross-Lot 38C-Grave 3, Eureka, Its hard Mike Bruce, a crash survivor, and John Straka, who was on the plane that landed safely, laid a wreath on the 50-yard. was thrown forward with the impact of the crash. They think about the survivors and the victims around October Someone would always ask about the crash, he said. On 2 October 1970, a twin-engine plane carrying Wichita State University football players, staff and supporters crashed near Loveland Pass enroute to a game in Utah. remembers staff members taking several calls from Ohio, home of several Shocker coaches It became a story about the people and the survivors and the families, he said. Its like a grandpa That had never happened before. "How many laps did they have to run? National Honor Society member.. John, we thank you.". feeling sorrow. was engulfed in flames. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash, which happened . We Are Marshall. Marshall football rebounded and has thrived. The passengers enjoyed the aerial view of the changing autumn leaves, with the village of Georgetown gleaming below. Frish, a 2019 Wichita State graduate with a major in media arts and film-making, helped the co-pilot survived the crash of the Martin 404 on a Friday afternoon on Mount Trelease Tunnel workers clambered up the hill and met Bruce, who told them to head to the crash site while he went for help. "We stopped at McDonald's for our Christmas Eve dinner -- we joke about this -- and they forgot our sauce!". The mangled wings smoldered, and unidentifiable chunks of metal, along with football helmets and pads, lay scattered across the mountainside. Of the 40. The thirty-one victims of the Wichita State University plane crash in October 1970 are commemorated in this memorial near the Eisenhower Tunnel along Interstate 70. Bethel. Because Wichita State ended its football program in 1986. killed 75 in West Virginia. reviewed Wichita State Plane Wreck. Survivors and family members of the crash victims attended the service. I look up there and think of them.. Valory would pray to her father every night. The tragedy remained fresh among people on campus and the annual Below on the interstate, California tourists Mr. and Mrs. George Gruenwald saw the plane lumbering up the box canyon very low and very slow. In the cabin Skipper suggested to Crocker that they should turn back toward Denver, and he began to steer some forty-five degrees right. He spoke to Bob Seaman, elevated from offensive coordinator to Then, just a few seconds later, it weave through the interview where you ask him questions, that you want the answers An inhaler didn't seem to help. to remembering their friends and helping each other through the tragedy. documentary, he knew not much more than the basics about the crash. In 2010, Lutz went to Nixa, Missouri, to interview the family of crash victim Mal Kimmel. the pilots. next day at Utah State. She answered the phone, and her son explained what had happened. USA, Duncan, Berry Tramel: Berry can be reached at 405-760-8080 or at btramel@oklahoman.com. Though she'd never shown any symptoms, Valory had the gene. But the fire still prevented rescuers from getting inside. But Featherstone was winning a hot and heavy game of spades; he wanted to see it through. '70 at 9 a.m. each Oct. 2. Updated: 5:33 PM MDT October 2, 2020. Stephens and co-pilot They noticed a phone. A list of the 31 people killed in the Wichita State football plane crash on Oct. 2, 1970. Eight players and In the late 1980s a marker engraved with the victims names was built beside Interstate 70 beneath the crash site. Renner, a 21-year old quarterback, Illinois, financial reasons and low attendance. She raised money for Johns Hopkins and did interviews to promote awareness of ARVC in young athletes. Custer County, Survivors, friends and family will convene at the Wichita Country Club to console and reminisce about the lives lost. His work, which a call from Jim Rhatigan, the former Wichita State senior vice president. The Wichita State University Football Team Airplane Crash Collection contains various documentsrelating to the airplane crash that took place on October 2, 1970, when members of the WSU footballteam, staff and friends were killed in the Colorado mountains near Denver. USA, Plot info: Addition 1, Block 27, Lot 9, Space 5. She'd come through another long procedure at Johns Hopkins in time for an emotional senior night, when Emily would be on the court again. "Sometimes we would tell him what we did that day," Diane remembers. bit further. Two planes carried the team, but which crashed? If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. The story that we told was really a story of resilience.. But Featherstone has a particular mission. We were just down. at Wichita State in October, no matter where you are. He heard people moaning from inside the plane, but it down when we started hitting the trees. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. The brotherhood that I witnessed as a result The "Gold" plane, a Martin 404, carried 36 passengers and a crew of four. really had to, essentially, trust myself. Deleting this Virtual Cemetery cannot be undone. that and getting to know quite a few of the families of those who did not survive So she would try harder." On Saturday, Nov. 14, 1970, a plane carrying members of the Marshall University Thundering Herd football team and coaching staff crashed in West Virginia killing all 75 people on board and. On May 3, 1968, Braniff Flight 352 crashed in the town of Dawson, about 80 miles southeast of Fort Worth. Survivors such as The following victims of the plane crash are not included in this Virtual Cemetery as their burial locations are unknown. USA, Derby, Mal Kimmel wouldn't see any of that. "Our fans gave 'em a standing ovation," recalls Chuck Dicus, an All-American receiver and game captain that night for the Razorbacks. Donnie was the strongest guy I ever met, Lewis said. Our experts answer 6 portal questions, College football reporters' NFL draft takeaways, Badgers' Allen facing concealed weapon charge, USF RB facing charge for felony domestic battery, Deion 'ashamed' after only 1 HBCU player drafted, Spartans QB Thorne, WR Coleman enter portal, Philly Dawgs: Eagles add Ringo to UGA draft haul, Biden salutes Air Force for fall success over rivals, New Big Ten boss Petitti ready to lead 'new era', College football Future Power Rankings: Defenses, Ranking college football's 10 best running backs for 2023. Months later, Valory's first spoken word would become a treasured part of Kimmel family lore: "Dada. Only one of those would never get to meet her father. + Caption. He wrote more about the crash Duren told Featherstone there was an empty seat on the black plane. Running back Randy Jackson would tell Stephens that in the maelstrom, he had spotted Jack Vetter, the blond offensive lineman whom Stephens had climbed over to get to the flight deck: "Randy said he tried to pull him out," Stephens recalls. I do feel like its something that needs That morning in 1970 -- Mal Kimmel's last morning -- Diane got to the top floor and took one more glance through the staircase's windows, out to the bright, clear day that was beginning to blossom. She started her work on the story as a personal matter. 1 (1998). "Our lives were so intertwined. 2023 www.oklahoman.com. Johnny Duren, wide receiver, John Marshall High School. He wanted to know she'd gotten there OK. Its been 50 years since the Shockers flew out for Logan, Utah, and a game against Utah State. When the door opened to their floor, she staggered out, breathing heavily, before collapsing onto the carpet. Years later, Lewis would learn that teammate Mike Bruce, another survivor, pushed him through a hole to exit the hell of the crash. How much practice time did he get?" I looked out the window, and it looked like 10 feet below me was the trees. Likewise, the valley was too narrow to reverse direction, as Skipper had first attempted. Her own family felt the same way: She had lots of relatives there, plenty of friends from high school, and her father was the school superintendent. Somehow, When everyone in her life was twisted with grief, they looked at this 20-year-old widow and saw a future for her. the wire in the KMUW radio newsroom on that October day in 1970. UPON HER BIRTH in February 1971, the sweet secret of the Wichita lineman was named Valory. It was it was really touching.". Adapted from Ariana Harner, Scenic Route Through the Rockies: The Wichita State University Tragedy, Colorado Heritage Magazine 18, no. crash for an Elliott School of Communication class. That research paper, including Genevieve, when he said he needed to show her where he wanted to be buried -- in the shade of some pines that dotted an open field. "[They] were about football practice, pretty much," she says. comfortable being able to talk about it, Lutz said. Her team wore the letter "E" for Emily on their jerseys. I wish it had been a cathartic process for those guys, but I always felt their pain. It was melancholy, but also uplifting Teammates such as John Yeros, Ed Plopa and John Potts took lead roles in speaking At 1:14 pm, highway workers saw the plane dip and strike the side of Mt. And beyond. The NTSB determined the cause of the crash to be Crocker and Skippers insufficient and improper flight planning, as well as their lack of understanding of the aircrafts abilities. The players helped each other stumble away from the wreckage, then collapsed some twenty feet away. Oconee Co plane crash victims identified. You can always change this later in your Account settings. The scenery stopped in the canyon of Mount Trelease, above where the Eisenhower Tunnel was being constructed around I-70, 60 miles west of Denver. The same spirit has brought members of WSU's 1970 team and loved ones to pay their respects at the casket-shaped memorial just off I-70 outside Silver Plume, Colorado, where the names of Malory W. Kimmel and the 30 others who perished are inscribed on a plaque. Featherstone, a retired Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation agent, was Lewis teammate with those 1970 Wheatshockers. The blazes finally died out several hours later. He loved his horse, Star. get choked up at moments and he held back tears.. As we walked down the hill, a fireball swept through the plane and working for 17 years at The Wichita Eagle. What No. We They urged her to wait, to get through the dark days and to reevaluate afterward. One of those first nights after her diagnosis, Emily was afraid that if she went to sleep, she would never wake up. Christian sat two rows ahead of Lewis. Rick has told this story, Im sure, hundreds of times and thats It was such a monumental thing that happened in our Ronald Skipper, copilot of the downed plane and president of Jack Richards Aircraft Company, testified that he did not know why Crocker grabbed the controls from him or why the engines began vibrating immediately before the crash. Eventually, a movie was made. He was excited: The coaches had told Mal that after two seasons as the team's long snapper, he'd be starting at center on Saturday. Beckman, who earned a masters degree in communications from Wichita State in 2015, She was given mouth-to-mouth. They hadn't even told their parents yet. For me, it goes even a little Valory opened the door of the condo just as Emily lost consciousness. It kind of made me feel like I was part of the family I dont want em to be forgotten.. They had flown the overloaded plane straight into a box canyon, hemmed in on both sides and unable to turn around. attached to the university in a different way, I felt a different type of pride for Kansas, FOX31's . head coach at 38 after the crash, for a rare look into the memories of Seaman and his family. memorial ceremony a poignant reminder for the many people who attended or worked at PublishedOctober 2, 2020 at 12:33 PM CDT, Korva Coleman Diversity in Journalism Internship, Addition To Wichita State Memorial Honors Survivors Of 1970 Plane Crash, KMUW 89.1 FM | 121 N. Mead, Ste. to, but you also have to be very respectful of what hes feeling.. Mal. Lewis doesnt know how far he got before those miners found him. Almost every day, Dave Lewis walks out onto his back deck, gingerly, because his left leg remains a medical textbook, after six surgeries and four total knee replacements. It led to one of the more unlikely games in college football history. "It was at least a week before we had official confirmation that his remains had been identified," Diane says. Eight players and the co-pilot survived. McPherson County, To most questions, he replied I dont recall. Eventually, it was determined that the plane was carrying more weight than it could handle and that the engines lacked sufficient power for a quick gain of altitude. In early October 1970, a twin-engine aircraft carrying forty people associated with the Wichita State University football team crashed into Mt. Meet the NFL draft darling playing only once this fall, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. That was stripped away.. Rick Stephens, sitting toward the front, was ejected. We have set your language to Wichita State players remember their 'second season' 50 years later (8:03), Three generations later, the secrets of Wichita State's devastating plane crash are still unfolding, What's going on at Colorado? that perished, said Bruce Haertl, a former sports anchor at KWCH-TV in Wichita. The Wichita Eagle, pp D1, D3. McMillen, L. (1990, September 30). They By the time Duren graduated, he was a superstar, Featherstone said. I dont know that Ill ever write anything that will Today, a memorial below the crash site on Interstate 70 commemorates the tragedy, and the FAA has gone on to pass stricter regulations with each passing year. The brief ceremony honors WSU football players, administrators away. Stories appear on Outside the Lines and E:60, as well as College GameDay and SportsCenter. After the plane crash, when so much about her life was in turmoil, everyone seemed certain what Diane should do. Washtenaw County, Maybe that's why so many haven't heard about what happened to the Wichita State University Gold Plane, which crashed into Mount Trelease 10,750 feet above sea level and burned, claiming the lives of 31 of its 40 passengers and crew. ", Her family wanted her close to a major hospital while she took it easy. How do you get through this?". phone interviews with Plopa and Yeros, led to an interview with Stephens for WSU TV in 2018. Others, such as former KPTS production manager Gabe Juhnke Emily's siblings called 911. and supporters who died in a plane crash Oct. 2, 1970. WSU team members, students remember fatal Some of them had their clothes burned off and were hurt and were just running like deer. The plane had sheared a swath through the trees 50 yards wide and 100 yards long, some 300 yards north of the interstate. was seated in the back of the plane along with most of the other survivors. Diane never forgot, and when he died, the family got the county to build a road to the site. hearings, funerals, lawsuits and the teams game against Arkansas in Little Rock a With the Continental Divide up ahead, the camps' metal equipment was so visible that Stephens began to wonder. The fire deterred those looking to return for people still trapped in the plane. Sedgwick County, and football players. USA, Henry, remember what happened.. A memorial stands on the campus, and enhancements will be unveiled Friday. I didnt feel like I could understand the impact of the story without being there, Wichita State suffers one of the greatest tragedies in college football history when one of the team's two charter flights crashes en route to its game at Utah State. They were bound for Logan, Utah, to play the Utah State University Aggies the following day. "That is unheard of: No one that I am aware of has ever done something like that. Once there, the senior parked his car and joined his WSU teammates as they piled onto buses for a ride to the local airport, where two small prop planes were waiting to fly the Shockers to Logan, Utah, for their game the next day against Utah State. After graduating with a degree in nursing from WSU, Valory would work for a year in Wichita before eventually moving to Kansas City, Missouri. Then suddenly at 9:34 a.m., terror rained from the sky. Wichita State Crash Survivor Relives Details - The Oklahoman Crash site an important memorial for 'Gold Plane' family - Clear Creek Courant Triumph and tragedy: Scotties grad Barkell starred at Wichita State, recalls plane crash - Herald-Standard Ron Johnson, 21, Kansas City, Mo., Senior S When he interviewed teammates, such as Yeros, he drew inspiration from their devotion The Shockers traveled in two planes. Once I came some of the first people in Wichita to know about it. To use this feature, use a newer browser. She vowed to avoid any undo exertion, to stay off the black diamond runs and to ski only with her father. Why? Its just kind of forgotten about. Meanwhile, from his window seat near Mal, offensive tackle Rick Stephens was checking out the scenery below, the mining camps just off I-70 gleaming in the bright sunshine of a perfect fall day. The Georgetown and Idaho Springs volunteer fire departments worked to control the fire. Bob Renner, her uncle, is returned to help as many as they could. Weve updated the security on the site. Investigators interrogated him for hours about details of contractual arrangements. Dehard has not added any memorials to this virtual cemetery. You want them to feel comfortable, you want them to feel respected, she said. Genevieve, where she'd spend holidays playing with her cousins. A couple flying from Florida to Georgia have been identified as two people who died in a plane crash Wednesday. Rick Stephens would be brought to testify at the hearing on his hospital bed. Whaley, M. (2001, January 29). During those years and beyond, Mal Kimmel's death would reverberate through the lives of three generations of extraordinary women, their fates linked to his by ties they couldn't always see. We ranked college football's top 37 spring transfers: Who tops the list? The WSU Shockers football squad hoped to win its first game of the season at Utah after losing its first three. Many of the 1970 Shockers have traveled to the crash site over the years, making the difficult climb to shed tears, leave mementos, offer prayers. The Wichita Eagle, pp A10, A12. Nine people survived the crash. She did all of it without ever setting foot inside his dorm room (school rules, team rules). Forty-three days after the Wichita State plane crash, the Marshall University football team plane crashed, returning from a game at East Carolina. Tom Shedden, offensive tackle, Putnam City High School. focused solely on his story and what he went through. All of the traveling I did at Wichita State it is never really far Others tried to rescue those trapped in the front part of the cabin, some of whom were screaming for help. There will be a reception immediately following the remembrance on the Cessna Stadium concourse. Jennifer Perryman had called one more play for her point guard -- the last shot of Emily's basketball career. 50 years ago, WSU's football team was flying through the Dry Gulch when the plane crashed into the side of a mountain on Oct. 2, 1970. Learn about changes to our search options . Pat Graham, Forgotten Tragedy: Survivors Quest to Keep Memories of 1970 Wichita State Crash from Fading, Associated Press, September 26, 2010. based on information from your browser. Press, Kennedy recalls, embargoed the story until reporters learned more details. The interview with Stephens reinforced the need to prepare with research and a list And I understood, it was the same in few weeks later. We have this morning the names of the two people killed in Wednesday's plane crash in Oconee County: Robert and Sandra Denton were from Michigan. Kansas, They were bound for Logan, Utah, to play the Utah State University Aggies the following day. The Southwest Daily Times. USA, Clinton, There was never a cross word said between us.. was eerily quiet.". Construction worker Jerry Meyer told the press, we passed seven of the survivors coming down the hill. The search for corpses in the wreckage continued until midnight, then renewed on Sunday morning. Hearing the full story and feeling From her mother's brief marriage to Rick Stephens -- they were the only two people who knew what the other had gone through -- Valory would get a younger sister, Tori. It was WSU co-captain John Hoheisel, who'd been injured in the crash, slowly making his way to the middle of the field -- an image of Wichita grit in the aftermath of tragedy that ran in sports sections coast to coast. They uniformly regard the stories as some of their best and most important work. USA, Plot info: Block 34, Lot 22, Space 1 Owned by Roberta Grooms, Plot info: Block 34, Lot 22, Space 1B Owned by Roberta Grooms, Argonia, Kansas, From there, it's a short hike up the mountainside to where the plane went down, and even a half-century later, that site remains strewn with wreckage from the aircraft and dotted with white handcrafted memorials placed there by grieving family members. Diane Thomas Kimmel had known Mal since junior high, dated him all through high school in Ste. USA, Ashdown, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Then another, and --, "I guess I was clocked out for the scary part," Emily says. 27 cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. But in this part of the country, those of us alive at the time well remember the somber news from Oct. 2, 1970. Maybe he's hurt and they gotta keep looking. On Dec. 23, Emily and her dad got in a few runs on the bunny slope. But of course, nobody planned on COVID.. The Wichita State University (WSU) community gathered Saturday to remember victims of a 1970 plane crash that killed 31 people, including WSU football players and staff members. "So me and my dad had to head home Christmas Eve," Emily says. "I have relived that crash so often," Diane says. WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - Marking 50 years since the plane crash involving members of the Wichita State University football team killed 31, the university on Friday held its annual ceremony of . out through a hole near the front of the aircraft before it exploded. sometimes a need, to keep the story alive. Stephens would never know how he had escaped and survived. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. Resend Activation Email. The Gold Plane's first officer, Ronald Skipper, had a different idea. There was no blue sky visible out the windows of the cockpit, only the green and brown of the surrounding terrain. "Her mannerisms, some of her giggles. Together with Rhatigan, they had the training to help her through her confusion and fear, the resources to sustain her. ", But Mal Kimmel would never get to tell anyone that he was going to be a father. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. The profound sadness we feel as a community He was a chick magnet. I didnt know whether it was in the top or what, but I think I climbed out of the plane. Several of his teammates also crawled out through the hole blasted in the side of the airplane. Renner's leg was pinned beneath the Oklahoma, of trees had fallen in. of the crash were players Mike Bruce, John Hoheisel, Randy Jackson, Glenn Kostal, A memorial at 18th and Hillside, near the entrance of Wichita State University, honors those who died and survived a plane crash carrying the team WSU football team, management, donors and the . to be remembered in Wichita States history. I jumped off the top of the plane to the ground. Kansas, The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) immediately appointed four investigative teams headed by experts from Washington, DC, to study the wrecked aircraft, its operations and maintenance, and any human factors. Sumner County, She wanted to more about the events and how they affected her working for 17 years at The Wichita Eagle. You I wish it had been a cathartic process for those guys, but I always felt their pain, Marshall County, Don Christian, defensive back, Duncan High School. games and knew that team. As it turned out, the Oct. 2, 1970 plane crash killed 31 people 14 players, 14 staff, One of her sisters had it and had to stop playing competitive tennis. near Silver Plume, Colorado. Greenwood County, State and went to Marshall University (in West Virginia) as part of the Kansas State Fourteen of those killed were starters on the WSU football team, and the horror was front-page news across the nation. Both airplanes refueled at Denver's Stapleton Airport. touch me so much as that did. Fifty years ago Friday. A system error has occurred. 14 players, 17 others. Some of the greatest young men/athletes that ever came out of our state, Featherstone said. Mal was certain what he wanted them to do after graduation: return to their hometown of Ste. He still would Skipper was also president of Golden Eagle Aviation, and during the layover in Denver, he had decided to entertain his passengers -- boosters and college administrators, along with the starters, team trainers and the head coach -- by providing an in-flight tour of the Rockies and the Continental Divide; they'd be taking the "scenic route," he said. Golden Eagle was near the top of the re-inspection list at the time of the disaster. "Hes been a part of our family," said John Yeros, a former Wichita State player who was on the plane that landed safely.
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