Indiana coach remembers team killed in 1977 crash

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) - A former University of Evansville assistant basketball coach says he's still haunted 40 years after a plane crash in southwestern Indiana killed all members of the school's men's basketball team and more than a dozen other people.

Stafford Stephenson told the Courier and Press he was one of three assistant coaches who were on recruiting trips when a DC-3 chartered to carry the Purple Aces to a game in Nashville, Tennessee, crashed shortly after takeoff in rain and dense fog on Dec. 13, 1977. Federal investigators blamed the crash on flight crew negligence.

"The kids had great potential on and off the floor," Stephenson said. "They were good kids. They worked hard, and I think they enjoyed their experience, as short as it was . It's hard to tell what contributions they would have made in their lives. That is always in my mind."

The crash killed all 29 people onboard, including the 14 team members, their head coach, a radio announcer, two fans and others.

During the 1977-78 season the Aces had moved from the NCAA Division II to Division I. The team dropped its season opener to Western Kentucky at Roberts Stadium. The Aces then traveled to Chicago and lost to DePaul, defeated Pittsburgh, then lost on the road to an Indiana State team led by Larry Bird.

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Information from: Evansville Courier & Press, http://www.courierpress.com