Fire Buffs promote the general welfare of the fire and rescue service and protect its heritage and history. Famous Fire Buffs through the years include New York Fire Surgeon Harry Archer, Boston Pops Conductor Arthur Fiedler, New York Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia and - legend has it - President George Washington.

Friday, March 11, 2016

WICHITA STATE - 1970



An air charter ferrying Wichita State's football team crashed in Colorado.

The propeller-drive Martin 4-0-4 plowed into a mountain near Silver Plume and burst into flames in clear weather on Oct, 2, 1970.

The aircraft carried 37 passengers and a crew of three, with 29 dying at the crash site and two survivors later succumbing to their injuries.

According to the archives of the international Bureau of Aircraft Accidents, the flight made with an intermediate stop at Denver-Stapleton Airport and departed following "a wrong track."

Crash survivor Rick Stephens, quoted by USA Today in 2013, said that as the aircraft traced I-70 "there were old mines and old vehicles above us. I noticed we were quite a bit below the top of the mountains.

"I got up to go to the cockpit, which wasn't unusual to do, and I could tell we were in trouble, looking out the window and seeing nothing but green in front of us," Stephens said.

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