What caused plane crash that killed Marshall Football team? Revisiting tragic accident in US sports history

November 14, 1970 remains etched in the Marshall football team and US sports history.

On that day, Southern Airways Flight 932 crashed with no survivors. The plane was carrying 37 members of the Marshall University Thundering Herd football team, eight members of the coaching staff, 25 fans, two pilots, two flight attendants and a charter coordinator.

The Marshall University Thundering Herd football team was returning from a 17-14 loss to the East Carolina Pirates in Greenville, North Carolina. The commercial jet took off from Stallings Field in North Carolina and was supposed to land at the Huntington Tri State Airport. During the approach, though, it crashed into a hill, killing everyone on board.

The incident was adjudged to have taken place because of a pilot error when they missed the correct altitude while landing. Instead, they crashed over 4,000 feet before the runway, in what was described as an insurvivable incident. It remains the biggest sports-related air mishap in American history.

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History of Marshall University Football Team

The Marshall University Football Team played their second season under coach Rick Tolley in 1970. Their game in Carolina was their ninth of the season. They had compiled a 3-6 losing record at the time of the crash, having begun the season 2-1.

Marshall Football Team won their last game at home against Kent State before losing to the East Carolina Pirates. They were supposed to return to Huntington before moving on to Ohio in Athens, Ohio, on November 21. Needless to say, that game was canceled.

Among those who perished was Marshall Football Team coach Frank Loria. Loria is a College Football Hall of Fame member, and the Loria award is given to the most outstanding high school football player in Harrison county.

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Honoring legacy of Marshall Football Team

The impact of the plane crash was severe on the American psyche, especially the Marshall Football Team. The university almost decided to disband the programme completely only to reverse course later.

A granite cenotaph was placed at the Spring Hill Cemetery in Huntington, West Virginia. There's a plaque and memorial at the Fairfield Stadium and a Memorial Fountain at the Memorial Student Center. The fountain is switched off every year at the anniversary of the crash, only to be reactivated next spring.

Every year on the anniversary date, Marshall holds a ceremony honoring the victims. The current Marshall Football Team plays at the Joan C. Edwards Stadium, and the road between the location and Spring Hill Cemetery has been renamed the Marshall Memorial Boulevard.

In their new stadium, there's a bronze sculpture called the "We Are Marshall Memorial Bronze", which was dedicated on Nov. 11, 2000, three days before the 30th anniversary of the crash.

In December 2006, another memorial was placed at the crash site in remembrance.

The East Carolina Pirates' home stadium guest entrance also commemorates the event with a plaque. Film and television offerings have also covered this harrowing event.

Even to this day, the events of the crash are not forgotten. It had a long-lasting impact on the aviation industry as well.

One of the recommendations in the accident report was that carriers should be equipped with Ground Proximity Warning systems. Today, such systems are installed by default in most commercial aircrafts.