Munich air disaster

Munich air disaster
British European Airways Flight 609

Accident summary
Date	6 February 1958 (1958-02-06)
Summary	Runway overrun due to slush on the runway
Place	Munich-Riem Airport, Munich, West Germany 48°07′34″N 11°40′40″E
Passengers	38
Crew	6
Injuries (non-fatal)	19
Fatalities	23
Survivors	21
180px An Airspeed AS-57 Ambassador, similar to the one involved in the crash.
Aircraft type	Airspeed AS-57 Ambassador
Aircraft name	Lord Burghley
Airline/user	British European Airways
Registration	G-ALZU
Flew from	Belgrade Airport, Belgrade, SFR Yugoslavia
Stopover	Munich-Riem Airport, Munich, West Germany
Flying to	Manchester Airport, Manchester, England, UK

The Munich air disaster occurred on 6 February 1958 when British European Airways Flight 609 crashed on its third attempt to take off from a slush-covered runway at Munich-Riem Airport, Munich, Bavaria, West Germany.

On the plane was the Manchester United football team, nicknamed the "Busby Babes", along with supporters and journalists. 20 of the 44 on the aircraft died at the scene. Three more died at a Munich hospital, resulting in 23 fatalities with 21 survivors.

An investigation said that the crash was caused by the slush on the runway, which slowed the plane too much to take off.

Crew members

• Captain Kenneth "Ken" Rayment. Co-pilot. Died in hospital five weeks later as a result of brain damage.

Passengers

A plaque at Old Trafford in memory of the Munich air disaster

The Munich Clock, on the southeast corner of Old Trafford

Manchester United players

• Geoff Bent
• Roger Byrne
• Eddie Colman
• Duncan Edwards (survived the crash, but died in hospital 15 days later)
• Mark Jones
• David Pegg
• Tommy Taylor
• Billy Whelan

Manchester United staff

• Walter Crickmer, club secretary
• Tom Curry, trainer
• Bert Whalley, chief coach

Journalists

• Frank Swift, News of the World (also former England and Manchester City goalkeeper; died on his way to hospital)
• Donny Davies, Manchester Guardian

Munich Air Disaster Media

• American newsreel footage reporting the crash

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  Memorial cross at the Emplstraße in Munich

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  Memorial stone at the Emplstraße / at the Manchesterplatz in Munich in remembrance of the Munich air disaster 06. Februrary 1958

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  Old Trafford's Munich Tunnel, renamed on the 50th anniversary of the disaster

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  Commemorative scarves laid out on the backs of seats before the 50th anniversary match at Old Trafford

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  Display at the National Football Museum