Can you imagine what would happen if the entire team, coaches, and 10 officials die at the same time?

That's exactly what happened fifty years ago today. On February 15, 1961, Sabena flight 548 crashed en route to Brussels, Belgium en route from New York City killing the entire United States Figuring Skating team. They were on their way to the World Championships in Prague, Czechoslovakia. The crash was the first fatal accident involving a Boeing 707 in regular passenger service, 28 months after it was placed into commercial use. All 18 athletes of the 1961 U.S. figure skating team and 16 family members, coaches, and officials were among the fatalities. There were 54 fatalities in all.

The world team traveling party was recently inducted into the hall of fame, but not without eliciting emotions in the U.S. figure skating community.

Thanks Los Angeles Times