Michigan Coach John Beilein Recounted The Harrowing Behind-The-Scenes Story Of His Team’s Plane Crash

Michigan John Beilein plane crash story

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The Michigan Wolverines more than earned their way into the NCAA Tournament this year. Not only did they win the Big Ten Tournament, they did it after arriving mere moments before their first game after their plane crashed prior to taking them there.

Heck, they didn’t even have their uniforms and had to play in their practice jerseys against Illinois…

According to MLive

The landing gear collapsed and the plane went through a fence and, as one descriptor said, “the pilot opted to veer to the side instead of going toward buildings.”

There was a ravine ahead. The plane stopped just short of it. There was a jolt. Those on the plane described waiting for the plane to stop; “it felt like forever,” Michigan strength and conditioning coach Jon Sanderson said.

One witness said the ravine was 100 yards away. Another witness said it was 300 yards. Either way, it was there. The plane stopped short.

“That pilot undoubtedly saved our lives,” said one witness, who requested to not be quoted directly. “He knew something wasn’t right.”

Thankfully, no one was seriously injured, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a frightening experience as Michigan coach John Beilein explained to Rich Eisen on Tuesday.

Comparing it to a toboggan ride where you can’t see where you’re going, Beilen said, “Thank God we didn’t flip.”

Amazingly, the crash seemed to galvanize the team reported the Cedar Rapids Gazette

“Once we landed in D.C., we agreed that, ‘Why can’t this be the greatest story ever told?’” [Zak] Irvin said. “Everybody had that mentality (of), ‘Why not us?’

“When we were tired and fatigued, whatever it might be, that was the extra push we needed to win this championship.”

Listen to the rest of Beilen’s crazy tale, as well as how smoothly he and his team seemed to handle what had to be a very scary experience, below…