It was supposed to be a routine flight. Just another Friday in October. But on October 2, 1970, the trajectory of Wichita State University changed forever. This wasn't just a sports story; it was a localized apocalypse for a tight-knit community in Kansas. If you’ve spent any time in Wichita, you know the weight the "Gold 40" carries. It’s heavy. It’s visceral. Even decades later, the Wichita State plane crash remains one of the most haunting "what-ifs" in American collegiate history.
Most people know the broad strokes. A plane carrying football players, coaches, and boosters went down in the Colorado mountains. People died. People survived. But when you dig into the NTSB reports and the firsthand accounts of the guys who crawled out of that wreckage, the story gets a lot more complicated—and a lot more frustrating.
What Really Happened in the Colorado Rockies?
Basically, the team had two planes. They were Martin 4-0-4s. One was the "Gold" plane, and the other was the "Black" plane. It sounds like a movie setup, but that was just the school colors. The Black plane took a standard, safe route. The Gold plane? Not so much.
The pilot of the Gold plane, Ronald Skipper, decided to give the passengers a "scenic" view of the mountains. He flew into the Continental Divide. Specifically, he flew into Clear Creek Canyon. It's a box canyon. If you're a pilot, you know that's a nightmare scenario. If you're not, it's pretty simple: the canyon gets narrower and the ground gets higher faster than the plane can climb.
The plane was overweight. It was a hot day, which makes the air thin and kills engine performance. By the time they realized they couldn't clear the ridge, it was too late. They tried to turn, but the 4-0-4 didn't have the room. It slammed into Mount Trelease at about 10,800 feet.
Thirty-one people died. Fourteen at the scene, others later from their injuries. Nine survived.
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The Logistics of a Disaster
Honestly, the "scenic route" wasn't even on the flight plan. The NTSB later cited "intentional flight" into a valley where the plane couldn't climb out as the primary cause. It’s infuriating to read. You have these young athletes, guys like Randy Jackson and Glenn Kostal, sitting in the back, probably looking at the peaks and thinking how cool it looked, unaware that the cockpit was basically making a fatal gamble.
Think about the equipment. This was 1970. No GPS. No real-time terrain mapping on a screen. Just paper charts and eyeballs. When the plane hit the trees, it didn't just stop; it disintegrated and caught fire. The survivors didn't just "get out." They fought through fire and jagged metal.
The Survivors' Burden
Rick Stephens was one of the guys who made it. He’s spoken over the years about the sheer confusion of that moment. One second you're talking to a teammate; the next, the world is exploding. The survivors were mostly at the back of the plane. That's usually how it goes in these types of crashes.
The physical injuries were brutal, but the psychological stuff? That’s what lingered. Imagine being 19 or 20 and your entire social circle—your brothers—are just gone. The university had to decide: do we keep playing?
They actually did. They played the rest of the season with a "Second Season" roster made up of freshmen and players who were on the Black plane. They lost every game. But they played. Looking back, you sort of wonder if that helped or just prolonged the trauma. It’s a polarizing topic in Wichita. Some think it was a show of strength; others think it was too much to ask of kids who were grieving.
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Why We Still Talk About the Wichita State Plane Crash
It's about the safety legacy. This crash, along with the Marshall University crash that happened just weeks later, fundamentally changed how college athletic departments handle travel. You don't see teams flying on "fly-by-night" charter operations anymore. There are strict protocols now.
But there's also the human element. Every year on October 2nd, there's a ceremony at the Memorial '70 site on the WSU campus. It’s quiet. It’s somber. It reminds you that history isn't just dates; it's names like Gene Robinson and John Taylor.
Common Misconceptions
A lot of people think the plane just malfunctioned. While the 4-0-4 wasn't exactly a state-of-the-art jet, the investigation was pretty clear: this was pilot error. It was a choice. That’s the hardest part for the families to swallow. It wasn't an act of God; it was a bad decision in the cockpit.
Another thing: people often lump this in with the Marshall crash. While they happened in the same season, the causes were different. Marshall was a controlled flight into terrain during a botched approach in bad weather. Wichita State was a scenic detour gone wrong on a clear day.
Understanding the "Gold 40" Legacy
The term "Gold 40" refers to the number of people on that specific plane. It’s become a shorthand for the tragedy. But if you talk to the alumni, they’ll tell you it’s about the spirit of the 1970 team. They were a good squad. They had talent. They were heading to Logan, Utah, to play Utah State.
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The impact on the city of Wichita was massive. The university is the heartbeat of that town. When the plane went down, the local economy, the social scene, everything just stopped. It was the kind of event where everyone remembers exactly where they were when they heard the news on the radio.
Actionable Insights and Reflections
If you're looking into this history, or if you're a student of aviation safety, there are a few things to take away from the Wichita State tragedy.
- Respect the Flight Plan: In aviation, deviations for "fun" are where accidents happen. The Gold plane's departure from the established route was the catalyst.
- Weight and Balance Matter: The plane was near its maximum weight capacity. In high-altitude mountain environments, those margins become razor-thin.
- Memorializing is Healing: If you’re ever in Wichita, visit the Memorial '70. It’s located near 17th and Hillside. Seeing the names carved in stone makes the statistics real.
- Support for Survivors: The "Second Season" teaches us about the complexity of grief. There is no right way to move forward after a mass casualty event, but community support is the only thing that makes it possible.
The Wichita State plane crash didn't end the football program—that didn't happen until 1986 for financial reasons—but it definitely scarred it. It's a reminder of how fragile life is, even for the strongest among us. The story of the Gold 40 isn't just a footnote in a sports record book. It's a story of a mountain, a mistake, and a school that refused to forget its own.
To truly understand the impact, you have to look at the names. Look at the families who still live in Kansas. For them, October 2nd isn't just a date on a calendar. It's the day the world went quiet.
Next Steps for Further Research:
- Review the NTSB's official accident report (File No. 1-0024) for the technical breakdown of the Martin 4-0-4's performance.
- Visit the Memorial '70 site at Wichita State University to see the tribute to the 31 victims.
- Read "Black and Gold" narratives from the 1970 survivors to understand the long-term psychological impact of the disaster.