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For athletes, travel is an unavoidable part of life, and with the rise of air travel, many sports teams have shifted from ships, trains, or buses to airplanes. Over the past six decades, as flying became the norm, several teams have tragically never reached their destinations. What’s remarkable is how often these teams chose to persevere, often relying on younger players, volunteers, athletes from other disciplines, and even borrowing players from rival teams. Below are the ten most notable plane crashes involving sports teams.
10. Alianza Lima Peru Football Team 1987
On December 8, 1987, a tragic accident occurred when a Peruvian Navy Fokker F27-400M, chartered by the Alianza Lima football club, crashed into the Pacific Ocean just six miles from its destination. The flight carried 44 passengers, including players, coaches, staff, cheerleaders, and crew, with only the pilot surviving. The team was returning from a league match when the crew noticed a potential issue with the landing gear indicator. To confirm the gear’s status, the pilot performed a flyby of the control tower, and ground spotters confirmed it was safe to land. However, during the subsequent landing attempt, the aircraft descended too low and crashed into the ocean.
After the crash, the Peruvian Navy avoided media attention, withholding the findings of its investigation and blocking independent inquiries. Claims surfaced that the plane’s poor mechanical state caused the accident, and the Navy allegedly hid the truth to protect its reputation. The official investigation results were only revealed in 2006, attributing the crash to the pilot’s inexperience with night flights, his mishandling of the landing gear emergency procedures, and the aircraft’s subpar condition. Despite losing most of its team, the Peruvian Football Federation decided to continue the season. Alianza Lima finished their matches using retired players, youth team members, and borrowed athletes from a Chilean club. The tragedy devastated Alianza, wiping out their most talented squad in ten years.
9. US Amateur Boxing Team 1980
On March 14, 1980, LOT Polish Airlines Flight 007 crashed near Warsaw, Poland, following a mechanical failure during an aborted landing attempt. All 87 passengers and crew perished. Among the victims were several members of the 1980 US amateur boxing team, many of whom were potential qualifiers for the US Olympic Boxing Team (the US later boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics). The team was traveling to Poland for matches against Polish and Russian amateur boxers. The flight left New York City at 21:18 and, after nine uneventful hours, approached Warsaw Airport at 11:13 local time. During the final approach, just a minute before landing, the crew reported an issue with the landing gear indicator light and decided to abort the landing to investigate.
Nine seconds after the final communication, the plane abruptly went into a steep dive. After 26 seconds of uncontrolled descent, it struck a tree with its right wing and crashed into the frozen moat of a 19th-century fortress. The pilot narrowly avoided hitting a juvenile detention center by using the plane’s ailerons. On impact, the aircraft broke apart, with much of the fuselage sinking into the moat. Investigators had to drain the moat to recover debris. The pilot’s body was found 60 meters from the crash site, while other remains were scattered among the wreckage. The Polish government’s Special Disaster Commission concluded that the crash resulted from material defects, manufacturing flaws in the jet engine’s shaft, and design weaknesses in the turbine.
Other members of the US boxing team, such as Johnny “Bump City” Bumphus, who qualified for the US Olympic team in the 139-pound category, were not on the flight. Bumphus later achieved a successful professional boxing career, becoming the WBA Light Welterweight Champion.
8. University of Evansville Basketball Team 1977
On December 13, 1977, a chartered DC-3 transporting the University of Evansville basketball team crashed in a field near Evansville Regional Airport. All team members and coaching staff on board perished. One player, who missed the flight due to other commitments, tragically died in a car accident shortly after. The team was en route to Nashville, Tennessee, for a game against Middle Tennessee University when the plane went down in rain and fog just 90 seconds after takeoff. The crash claimed 29 lives, including 14 players and their coach. Three individuals initially survived but succumbed to their injuries soon after. The NTSB investigation concluded that improper weight distribution and the crew’s failure to remove external safety locks caused the accident.
7. Cal Poly Football Team 1960
On October 29, 1960, a twin-engine C-46 aircraft carrying the Cal Poly football team crashed during takeoff at Toledo Express Airport in Ohio. The World War II-era plane split in two and burst into flames upon impact. Of the 48 people on board, 22 lost their lives, including 16 players. Investigators determined the plane was overloaded by 2,000 pounds beyond its maximum allowable weight and experienced a partial engine failure before the crash. Weather conditions had worsened significantly, with visibility dropping to zero by the time of the accident. This tragedy led the FAA to implement new regulations, prohibiting commercial takeoffs when visibility is less than 1/4 mile or runway visibility is under 2,000 feet.
The pilot responsible for the takeoff decision was operating on a revoked license, pending an appeal. Bowling Green State University was the farthest east Cal Poly’s football team had ever traveled for a game. Following the crash, the university canceled the remaining three games of the 1960 season. NFL Hall of Fame coach John Madden, a Cal Poly alumnus, is often said to have developed a fear of flying due to this incident, though he attributes it to claustrophobia. Madden, who played for Cal Poly from 1957 to 1958 and was coaching at Allan Hancock Junior College at the time, knew many of the victims. The crash led Cal Poly to avoid out-of-state road games until 1969.
6. Wichita State Football Team 1970
On October 2, 1970, a Martin 4-0-4 aircraft carrying the Wichita State University football team crashed into a mountain near Silver Plume, Colorado. The plane, with 36 passengers and four crew members, resulted in 29 fatalities at the scene and two more from injuries. It was one of two planes transporting the team to Logan, Utah, for a game against Utah State University. The planes were nicknamed “Gold” and “Black” after the team’s colors. The “Gold” plane, which crashed, carried starters, coaches, and boosters, while “Black” had backup players and support staff. The pilot of “Gold” lacked certification for the Martin 4-0-4 and opted for a scenic route over the Rocky Mountains, deviating from the standard flight path. In contrast, the “Black” plane followed the original route, taking a northerly path over Wyoming to safely navigate the mountains.
During a refueling stop in Denver, the “Gold” plane’s pilot bought a map to highlight landmarks for the scenic route. After takeoff in clear weather, the two planes diverged. The overloaded “Gold” plane entered a box canyon in the mountains and couldn’t climb out. At 1:14 p.m., it hit trees on Mount Trelease, 1,600 feet below the summit, and crashed. The NTSB report suggested many passengers survived the initial impact, with a few escaping before the fuselage caught fire, killing the rest.
The NTSB concluded the crash was primarily caused by the pilot’s decision to fly over a mountain valley at an altitude that prevented climbing over terrain or reversing course. The game was canceled, and Utah State held a memorial service at the stadium, placing a wreath on the 50-yard line. Wichita State, with NCAA approval to use freshmen, chose to continue the 1970 season. The university discontinued varsity football after 1986 and built the Memorial ’70 to honor the victims. Each year on October 2 at 9 a.m., a wreath is laid at the memorial.
5. Torino A.C. Football Team 1949
On May 4, 1949, the Superga air disaster occurred when a Fiat G212CP aircraft carrying nearly the entire Torino A.C. football team, known as Il Grande Torino, crashed into the Superga hill near Turin. All 31 people on board died, including 18 players, club officials, journalists, and the crew. The plane encountered a thunderstorm, low clouds, and poor visibility while approaching Turin, forcing the pilots to descend for visual navigation. During the descent, it struck the rear wall of the Basilica complex on Superga hill. Italian authorities attributed the crash to poor weather, inadequate radio aids, and navigational errors.
The tragedy deeply affected Italian sports fans, as it wiped out a legendary team that had dominated Serie A before World War II and won four consecutive titles from 1946 to 1949. At the time of the crash, Torino A.C. was leading the league with four games remaining. The club continued the season using its youth team (Primavera), and their opponents—Genoa, Palermo, Sampdoria, and Fiorentina—also fielded youth squads as a gesture of respect. The disaster devastated the Italian national team, which had relied heavily on Torino players. Torino did not win another title until 1976. Sauro Tomà, the only squad member not on the flight, missed the trip due to injury.
4. Manchester United Football Team 1958
On February 6, 1958, British European Airways Flight 609 crashed during its third takeoff attempt from a slush-covered runway at Munich-Riem Airport in West Germany. The plane carried the Manchester United football team, known as the “Busby Babes,” along with supporters and journalists. Of the 44 people on board, 23 died. The team was returning from a European Cup match against Red Star Belgrade in Yugoslavia and stopped in Munich to refuel, as the aircraft could not fly nonstop to Manchester. After refueling, the pilots aborted two takeoff attempts due to engine issues. Despite concerns about delays, the captain opted for a third attempt instead of staying overnight.
By the third takeoff attempt, snow had begun to fall, creating a layer of slush at the runway’s end. As the aircraft hit the slush, it lost speed, making takeoff impossible. It skidded through a fence, and the left wing struck a house, tearing off. Fearing an explosion, the captain urged survivors to move away. Despite the danger, goalkeeper Harry Gregg stayed behind to rescue others from the wreckage. Initially, West German authorities blamed the captain for not de-icing the wings, despite eyewitness accounts contradicting this. Later investigations confirmed that slush on the runway prevented the plane from reaching takeoff speed, causing the crash.
3. Uruguayan Old Christians Club Rugby Team 1972
Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571, famously known as the Miracle in the Andes, was a chartered flight that crashed in the Andes on October 13, 1972, carrying 45 people, including a rugby team, their families, and associates. The last of the 16 survivors were rescued on December 23, 1972. The story gained widespread attention through the book “Alive” and its 1993 film adaptation. On October 13, 1972, a Fairchild FH-227D aircraft, operated by the Uruguayan Air Force, was transporting the Old Christians Club rugby team from Montevideo, Uruguay, to a match in Santiago, Chile.
Due to poor weather and the plane’s limitations, the flight couldn’t fly over the Andes and had to navigate through a mountain pass. The pilots miscalculated their position, mistakenly flying into a mountain. In a desperate attempt to gain altitude, the plane clipped a peak at 4,200 meters (13,800 ft), shearing off the right wing, which tore away the tail. The left wing was then severed after hitting another peak, leaving only the fuselage airborne. It eventually slid down a slope and came to rest in a snowbank.
Out of the 45 passengers on the plane, 12 died during the crash or shortly after. Five more perished by the next morning, and another passed away on the eighth day. The remaining 27 survivors faced extreme challenges in the freezing mountains at over 3,600 meters (11,800 ft) altitude. With little food and no heat, they endured harsh conditions. After hearing radio reports that the search for them had been called off, they resorted to eating the preserved bodies of the deceased. Rescuers only discovered the survivors 72 days later, when Nando Parrado and Roberto Canessa, after a 12-day trek across the Andes, encountered a Chilean huaso who alerted authorities. Only 16 people survived, and their ordeal and rescue just before Christmas 1972 became known as The Miracle in the Andes.
2. Zambian National Football Team 1993
On April 27, 1993, the Zambian national football team was traveling on a military plane to Senegal for a World Cup qualifier when the aircraft crashed late in the evening. All 30 passengers and crew, including 18 players, the coach, and support staff, died in the accident. Two team members, who were playing abroad and had arranged separate travel, were not on board and survived. The flight from Zambia to Senegal required three refueling stops. Engine issues were noted during the first stop in the Congo, but the flight continued. Shortly after takeoff from Libreville, Gabon, one engine caught fire and failed. The exhausted pilot, who had flown from Mauritius earlier that day, mistakenly shut down the functioning engine, causing the plane to lose power and crash into the ocean 500 meters offshore.
A new team was hastily assembled to complete Zambia’s World Cup qualifiers and prepare for the upcoming African Nations Cup. Against all odds, the team reached the final but lost to Nigeria. Despite the defeat, they returned as national heroes. Zambia observed seven days of official mourning, and the 18 players, coaches, and crew were buried with state honors. Tens of thousands of grieving fans filled the capital’s streets, mourning what many considered one of Africa’s greatest teams. An official investigation attributed the crash to a mechanical failure in the left engine and the pilot’s error in shutting off the right engine due to a faulty indicator light.
1. United States Figure Skating Team 1961
On February 15, 1961, Sabena Flight 548, a Boeing 707 flying from New York to Brussels, Belgium, crashed during its landing approach. All 72 passengers and crew died, along with one person on the ground. The crash claimed the lives of the entire United States Figure Skating team, who were traveling to the 1961 World Championships in Prague, Czechoslovakia. The flight showed no signs of trouble until it neared Brussels airport. The pilot circled the airport to allow a smaller plane to clear the runway. Witnesses reported the plane climbing and banking unpredictably before crashing into a field near Berg. The wreckage ignited instantly, killing everyone on board. A farmer in the field died from aluminum shrapnel, and another lost a leg to flying debris.
The crash’s exact cause remains uncertain, but investigators speculated a failure in the stabilizer adjusting mechanism might have been responsible. The tragedy claimed the lives of all 18 members of the 1961 U.S. figure skating team, along with 16 family members, coaches, and officials. The loss was so devastating that the 1961 World Figure Skating Championships were canceled. President John F. Kennedy expressed his condolences, deeply affected by the disaster. One of the skaters, Dudley Richards, was a personal friend of Kennedy and his brother Ted, having spent summers together in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. The crash also wiped out many top U.S. coaches, dealing a severe blow to the nation’s figure skating program, which had dominated the sport in the 1950s.
+ Marshall University Football Team 1970
The year 1970 marked a tragic period for college football travel. Southern Airways Flight 932, a chartered jet from Kinston, North Carolina, to Ceredo, West Virginia, crashed into a hill near the airport on November 14, 1970, killing all 75 passengers. The flight carried 37 members of the Marshall University Thundering Herd football team, eight coaches, 25 boosters, four crew members, and one charter company employee. The team was returning after a 17–14 loss to the East Carolina Pirates. Marshall’s teams rarely flew, as most games were within driving distance. Initially, the flight was canceled, but the team later decided to charter the Southern Airways DC-9.
During the return flight, the crew was instructed to descend to 5,000 feet. Controllers warned of “rain, fog, smoke, and a low ceiling,” making landing challenging but feasible. On its final approach, the plane struck treetops on a hillside 5,543 feet (1,690 m) west of runway 12. The impact caused an explosion, leaving a charred area 95 feet (29 m) wide and 279 feet (85 m) long. The NTSB report deemed the crash “unsurvivable,” noting the plane dipped right, nearly inverted, and crashed nose-first into a hollow. The intense fire made it impossible to identify the remains of six individuals.
The NTSB investigation suggested the crash resulted from either crew misreading the instruments or a faulty altimeter. Many boosters and local leaders were on board, leaving 70 children without at least one parent and 18 orphaned. The tragedy nearly ended Marshall’s football program, but students and fans persuaded the university president to rebuild the team. The new squad included junior varsity players, students, and athletes from other sports, many with no prior football experience.
On November 12, 1972, the Memorial Fountain was unveiled at the campus entrance to the Memorial Student Center. Each year, on the crash anniversary, the fountain is turned off at the exact time of the accident and remains inactive until spring.
