November in West Virginia is a month of joy, as we often have a few last beautiful glimpses of fall before we celebrate Thanksgiving. But it’s also a month of mourning: on November 14, 1970, on a dark, wet, cold night just after 7:35 p.m., Southern Airways Flight 932 went down in a field near Kenova, killing all 75 people on board. It was the worst plane crash in West Virginia history, and the worst sports-related air tragedy in U.S. history. Every November, many pause to remember – especially this year, as it marks exactly 50 years since this tragic loss.
If you've been around at all, you likely know at least a little bit about the worst plane crash in West Virginia history, in which a charter plane full of Marshall University football players, coaches, fans, and administration crashed as it was attempting to land, killing all 75 people on board.
At the last minute, though, an unknown error occurred with the airplane's instrumentation, and, with mere seconds of warning, the plane plowed into the side of a hill just beyond the Kenova airport. It was shortly after 7:30 p.m on November 14, 1970. None of the plane's 75 passengers survived.
The staggering loss of students, faculty, and leading members of the community was felt far and wide. In addition to nearly the entire Marshall University football team and coaches, other prominent members of the community on board the flight included a councilman, four physicians, and a state legislator. Others were married couples; in all, 70 children lost at least one parent in the crash and 18 of those children lost both father and mother.
Many of the victims were buried in nearby Spring Hill Cemetery, where a monument still stands in their honor. Other memorials can be found on the Marshall University campus (at both the student center and the sports stadium), at the crash site, and at East Carolina University.
For those who lived in the area at the time of the crash, it was a life-altering experience. Time, for them, is divided into "before" and "after" the crash. And, while the community has somewhat recovered, those who lost their lives that November day will never be forgotten.
Do you have a story about this tragedy that has touched so many in West Virginia and beyond? We’d be honored if you would share it with us. How will you be marking the 50th anniversary of this event? One option might be to watch (or re-watch) the film We Are Marshall, which details one small part of the Marshall University community’s journey to rise from the ashes of such a devastating loss. To learn more, visit Marshall University’s special online memorial collection detailing this event.
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