The sound was heard across the world when Oklahoma State University student athletes and employees crashed into the rolling countryside of Strasburg, Colo.
John A. Hammershmidt, acting chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, wrote, “I am sure the OSU travel policies were very similar to other Big 12 schools of their size.”
The team travel policy at the University of Arkansas was very similar to the policy in effect at OSU, said Frank Broyles, athletic director at the University of Arkansas.
“We had some strength in some of our policies. … We were using some private planes, but now we have changed since the crash. … We only fly with charter or commercial companies,” Broyles said.
According to the NTSB report released Thursday, some universities do not have access to private donations and planes. Other Big 12 universities had to travel commercially from the start.
“We have always flown commercial; we have never had access to the resources such as private planes, like OSU and other Big 12 schools,” said Jon Burianek, senior assistant athletic director for the University of Colorado.
The families of the 10 victims of the crash seem to follow the same thinking process.
“There was no reason for this accident to happen,” said Zane Fleming, father of Nate Fleming. “A stronger policy and really just enforcement of the existing policy would have maybe kept the men safe.”
Students at OSU feel saddened by the news that the plane crash was a result of human error.
Sherri Collins, agriculture junior said, “In the beginning, it was a source of comfort to know that nothing could have been done to save the victims of the crash. … But now with the evidence presented by the NTSB there is a shadow of doubt cast over the situation.
“The emotions that students tried to deal with two years ago are only being prolonged in anguish. To know that lives could have been saved if the pilot of the airplane had been able to properly fly the plane.”
“My concern is for the families affected by the crash before the students,” Collins said. “I cannot imagine trying to deal with a situation of this magnitude for two years and then finally have the real facts presented two years down the road.”
At every university there is worry about student travel.
“Anytime you have student athletes traveling, whether it be on the land or in the air you are always concerned,” said Ed Stuart, associate dean of athletics for the University of Missouri. “You are always going to try and do everything to ensure or give your kids the best and safest opportunity to travel from one destination to another.”
“You hope as an institution that you have done everything in your power to guard against situations of that magnitude,” Stuart said.
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