10 Sports Teams That Died In Plane Crashes

By Jacob Kornhauser

10 Sports Teams That Died In Plane Crashes

Western Kentucky v Marshall — Sports can provide great triumph, but they can also provide great tragedy. On several occasions, airplane failure has brought about that tragedy by causing crashes and taking the life of most, if not all, of entire sports teams. Here are 10 times sports teams were tragically killed in airplane crashes.

10. Iowa State Women's Cross Country

North Carolina Central v Iowa State

10. Iowa State Women's Cross Country

North Carolina Central v Iowa State — Date: Nov. 25, 1985
Casualties: 7

Back in 1985, the Iowa State Cross Country team was traveling from a meet when their plane unfortunately went plummeting to the ground. Seven team members aboard were killed and the university was left to mourn.

9. Puerto Rico Women's Volleyball

One Night, One Star, Usher Live

9. Puerto Rico Women's Volleyball

One Night, One Star, Usher Live — Date: Feb. 15, 1970
Casualties: "Most" of 12 players

When traveling back to Puerto Rico from the Dominican Republic, the team's plane crashed shortly after takeoff. Nearly the entire team was killed in this tragic accident.

8. Oklahoma State Men's Basketball

2014 MGM Grand Main Event Basketball Tournament - Tulsa v Oklahoma State

8. Oklahoma State Men's Basketball

2014 MGM Grand Main Event Basketball Tournament - Tulsa v Oklahoma State — Date: Jan. 7, 2001
Casualties: 10

In the most recent incident, the Oklahoma State basketball team's plane went down. The deaths included two players and six coaches on the Division I basketball program.

7. Evansville Men's Basketball

Wichita State v Evansville

7. Evansville Men's Basketball

Wichita State v Evansville — Date: Dec. 13, 1977
Casualties: 29

This was one of the more tragic accidents to ever occur in sports, because every member of the team, including the coaching staff, was killed. However, despite this, the school still has a basketball team to this day.

6. Wichita State Men's Basketball

NCAA Basketball Tournament - Third Round - St Louis

6. Wichita State Men's Basketball

NCAA Basketball Tournament - Third Round - St Louis — Date: Oct. 2, 1970
Casualties: 31

While traveling to an away game at Utah State, one of the team's two planes crashed into the side of a mountain in Colorado. Tragically, 31 people associated with the team were killed in this collision.

5. U.S. Figure Skating Team

ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating 2014/2015 NHK Trophy - Day 3

5. U.S. Figure Skating Team

ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating 2014/2015 NHK Trophy - Day 3 — Date: Feb. 15, 1961
Casualties: 18 (entire team)

Everyone aboard this flight that went down, including skaters, coaches and judges, perished in the incident. It's the only major U.S. international team to be involved in something like this.

4. Torino FC

Juventus FC v Torino FC - Serie A

4. Torino FC

Juventus FC v Torino FC - Serie A — Date: May 4, 1949
Casualties: 18

This popular Italian soccer team suffered a huge loss when a huge portion of their team died in a plane crash in the late 1940's. The sad thing is that this wasn't even the worst foreign soccer plane incident.

3. Pakhtakor FC

2014 Paralympic Winter Games - Opening Ceremony

3. Pakhtakor FC

2014 Paralympic Winter Games - Opening Ceremony — Date: Aug. 1979
Casualties: 178

In what could very well be the deadliest sports team plane crash in history, this Uzbek soccer team suffered a great tragedy. While flying over the Ukraine, they collided with another plane mid-air. Everyone on both planes involved was killed in the crash.

2. Manchester United

Manchester United v Stoke City - Premier League

2. Manchester United

Manchester United v Stoke City - Premier League — Date: Feb. 6, 1958
Casualties: 23

Manchester United might be the most prestigious sports team to ever suffer the tragedy of a deadly plane crash. While trying to take off from an icy runway in Germany, the plane overturned and killed 23 people, eight of which were players on the well-known soccer team.

1. Marshall Football

Western Kentucky v Marshall

1. Marshall Football

Western Kentucky v Marshall — Date: Nov. 14, 1970
Casualties: 68

This is the most well-known sports-related plane incident because of the way the new team came back from it and because the movie 'We Are Marshall' documents the tragic tale. An astounding 35 players, along with 33 coaches and boosters, were killed in an accident that changed the course of the football program forever.

Share On Facebook

Share