1969 Newton Cessna 172 crash

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1969 Newton Cessna 172 crash
Cessna172-CatalinaTakeOff.JPG
A Cessna 172 similar to the accident aircraft
Accident
DateAugust 31, 1969 (1969-08-31) at 8:05 pm
SummaryVFR flight into adverse weather.
Site Jasper County, Iowa, United States
41°42′25″N93°04′34″W / 41.707°N 93.076°W / 41.707; -93.076
Aircraft
Aircraft type Cessna 172
Registration N3149X
Flight origin Midway Airport
Destination Des Moines, Iowa
Passengers2
Crew1
Fatalities3
Survivors0

On August 31, 1969, a Cessna 172 crashed in Newton, Iowa, killing former world heavyweight champion boxer Rocky Marciano and two others. [1]

Contents

The flight

On Sunday, August 31, 1969 at 8:05 pm CDT, the Cessna 172 with registration number N3149X crashed in a pasture near Newton, Iowa, [1] [2] approximately thirty miles (50 km) east of Des Moines.

It had departed from Chicago Midway Airport at 6 pm (1800 hrs) and was en route to Des Moines, where Marciano was to celebrate his 46th birthday at a party the next day. [2] [3] [4] This was to be a surprise party for him; he was to give a speech in support of his friend, Louis Fratto's son. [3] Marciano intended to later fly to Florida to celebrate his birthday at home with his family. [3]

Accident

A storm system was building in the Des Moines region at the time of the accident. The airplane's pilot was 37-year-old Glenn Belz, who was not experienced with night flying or flying during bad weather. Belz decided to head to Newton instead of continuing to Des Moines as planned, to avoid the bad weather. While trying to land at Newton the aircraft entered low cloud, attempted an overshoot and the pilot lost control, impacting a lone oak tree in a corn field. [3] The airplane was also short of fuel at the time of the crash. [3]

Witness Coleen Swarts observed the airplane reverse its course and then heard a loud sound as it crashed. [5]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Unbeaten Rocky Marciano loses life in plane crash". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. September 1, 1969. p. 19. Archived from the original on November 24, 2021. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  2. 1 2 "Newton, IA Rocky Marciano Killed In Plane Crash, Aug 1969". gendisasters.com. Archived from the original on September 3, 2014. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Rocky Marciano". check-six.com. Archived from the original on February 26, 2015. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
  4. ↑ Harro Ranter. "ASN Aircraft accident 31-AUG-1969 Cessna 172H N3149X". aviation-safety.net. Archived from the original on December 11, 2015. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Rocky Marciano is Killed in a Plane Crash". World History Project. Archived from the original on September 5, 2014. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
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