Weather & sports tragedy, 42 years ago tonight... - 13abc.com Toledo (OH) News, Weather and Sports

Weather & sports tragedy, 42 years ago tonight

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HUNTINGTON, West Virginia -

On the evening of November 14, 1970, one of the sports world's most tragic events took place, when a DC-9 carrying most of the Marshall University football team crashed in low clouds and rain, in Huntington, West Virginia.

The team was returning from an away game, and the chartered airplane descended toward the Tri-State Airport.  At the time, visibility was 4-6 miles at the ground, but rain was falling out of some very low clouds.  The ceiling was only 500', and the pilot descended through the clouds too quickly.  Reports from 42 years ago say that the plane skimmed treetops upon approaching the airport, and the plane crashed, killing everyone on board.

All but a few members of the Thundering Herd were on the plane, and died that night.

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