Editing Munich air disaster

{{Redirect|Munich Air Disaster 1958|the song by Morrissey|You Are the Quarry#Track listing}}
{{Short description|1958 crash of British European Airways Flight 609}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}}
{{Infobox aircraft occurrence
| occurrence_type = Accident
| name            = Munich air disaster
<br>
{{nobold|{{small|British European Airways Flight 609}}}}
| image           = Airspeed Ambassador G-ALZU Burning At Munich 1958.jpg
| caption         = The Airspeed Ambassador burning at Munich
| alt             = A twin-engine airliner with three fins parked on ramp while being serviced, with mobile staircases nearby.
| date            = {{start date and age|1958|02|06|df=y}}
| type            = [[Runway overrun]] due to [[slush]] on the runway
| site            = [[Munich-Riem Airport]], [[Munich]], [[West Germany]]
| coords          = {{Coord|48|07|34|N|11|40|40|E|region:DE-BY_type:event|display=inline,title}}
| plane1_image    = Airspeed Ambassador G-ALZU At Munich Before Accident.jpg
| plane1_caption  = The Airspeed Ambassador G-ALZU, pictured shortly before the accident
| aircraft_type   = [[Airspeed Ambassador|Airspeed AS-57 Ambassador]]
| aircraft_name   = ''[[William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley|Lord Burghley]]''
| operator        = [[British European Airways]]
| tail_number     = G-ALZU
| origin          = [[Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport|Belgrade Airport]], [[Belgrade]], [[Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia|SFR Yugoslavia]]
| stopover        = Munich-Riem Airport, Munich, West Germany
| stopover0       = 
| last_stopover   = 
| destination     = [[Manchester Airport]], [[Manchester]], England, UK
| occupants       = 44
| passengers      = 38
| crew            = 6
| injuries        = 19
| fatalities      = 23
| missing         = 
| survivors       = 21
}}

The '''Munich air disaster''' occurred on 6 February 1958, when [[British European Airways]] Flight 609 crashed on its third attempt to take off at [[Munich-Riem Airport]] in [[Munich]], [[West Germany]]. The aircraft was carrying the [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] [[association football|football]] team, nicknamed the "[[Busby Babes]]", along with supporters and journalists.<ref>{{cite video |year=1958 |title=Video: Britain Mourns. Soccer Champs Die In Plane Crash, 1958/02/10 (1958) |url=https://archive.org/details/1958-02-10_Britain_Mourns |publisher=[[Universal Newsreel]] |access-date=20 February 2012 }}</ref> There were 44 people on board, 20 of whom died at the scene. The injured, some unconscious, were taken to Munich's [[Rechts der Isar Hospital]], where three more died, resulting in 23 fatalities, with 21 survivors.

The Manchester United team were returning from a [[1957–58 European Cup|European Cup]] match in [[Belgrade]], [[Yugoslavia]] (now [[Serbia]]), having eliminated [[Red Star Belgrade]] to advance to the semi-finals of the competition. The flight stopped to refuel in Munich, because a non-stop flight from Belgrade to Manchester was beyond the range of the "Elizabethan"-class [[Airspeed Ambassador]]. After refuelling, pilots [[James Thain]] and [[Kenneth Rayment]] twice abandoned take-off because of [[Compressor stall|boost surging]] in the left engine. Fearing they would fall too far behind schedule, Thain rejected an overnight stay in Munich in favour of a third take-off attempt. By that time, snow was falling, causing a layer of slush to form at the end of the runway. After hitting the slush, the aircraft ploughed through a fence beyond the end of the runway, and the left wing was torn off when it struck a house. The tail section broke off and hit a barn with a parked fuel truck in it, which caught fire and exploded. Fearing the aircraft might explode, Thain began evacuating passengers, while [[goalkeeper (association football)|goalkeeper]] [[Harry Gregg]] helped pull survivors from the wreckage.

An investigation by West German airport authorities originally blamed Thain, saying he did not [[de-icing|de-ice]] the aircraft's wings, despite eyewitness statements indicating that de-icing was unnecessary.<ref>{{cite report |title=Report by the Federal Republic of Germany relating to the Inquiry into the Accident G-ALZU AS-57 Ambassador (Elizabethan) on 6th February, 1958 at Munich-Riem Airport |publisher=U.K. Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation |date=1959 |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422f1ebed915d137100039d/CAP_153_G-ALZU_6_Feb_1958_Elizabethan_Munich_1959_1st_German_Acc_Report.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231024132043/https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422f1ebed915d137100039d/CAP_153_G-ALZU_6_Feb_1958_Elizabethan_Munich_1959_1st_German_Acc_Report.pdf |archive-date=24 October 2023 }}</ref> The last inquiry by the U.K. Board of Trade, released in 1969, found that the crash was caused by snow slush on the runway that slowed the plane too much to allow takeoff, and that Captain Thain was not to blame.<ref>{{cite report |title=Report of the Second Independent Review appointed to consider the Accident to Elizabethan Aircraft G-ALZU on 6th February 1958 at Munich Airport and to Report whether blame for the Accident is to be imputed to Captain Thain |publisher=U.K. Board of Trade |date=1969 |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422f6c3e5274a13140005db/CAP_318_G-ALZU_6_Feb_1958_Elizabethan_Munich_1969_2nd_UK_Acc_Report.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231024132959/https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422f6c3e5274a13140005db/CAP_318_G-ALZU_6_Feb_1958_Elizabethan_Munich_1969_2nd_UK_Acc_Report.pdf |archive-date=24 October 2023 }}</ref> 

United were aiming to become the third club to win three successive [[English Football League|Football League]] titles. They were six points behind league leaders [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]], with 14 games still to play. They held the [[1957 FA Charity Shield|FA Charity Shield]] and had just advanced into their second successive [[UEFA Champions League|European Cup]] semi-finals. The team had not been beaten for 11 matches. The crash not only derailed the team's title ambitions that year but also destroyed the nucleus of what promised to be one of the greatest generations of players in English football history. It took ten years for the club to recover after the tragedy. Busby rebuilt the team and won the European Cup [[1967–68 European Cup|in 1968]] with a new generation of "Babes".
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==Background==
In April 1955, the [[Union of European Football Associations]] (UEFA) established the [[UEFA Champions League|European Cup]], a football competition for the champion clubs of UEFA-affiliated nations, the predecessor to the present-day UEFA Champions League, to begin in the [[1955–56 European Cup|1955–56]] season.<ref>{{cite web |title=UEFA Champions League – History |url=https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/history/ |publisher=UEFA |access-date=24 April 2011 }}</ref> The English league winners, [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]], were denied entry by [[the Football League]]'s secretary, [[Alan Hardaker]], who believed not participating was best for English football.{{Sfn|White|2008|p=103}} The following season, the English league was won by [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]], managed by [[Matt Busby]]. The Football League again denied their champions entry, but Busby and his chairman, [[Harold Hardman]], with the help of [[the Football Association]]'s (FA) chairman [[Stanley Rous]], defied the league and United became the first English team to play in Europe.{{Sfn|White|2008|p=105}}

The team – known as the "[[Busby Babes]]" for their youth – reached the semi-finals, beaten there by the eventual winners, [[Real Madrid C.F.|Real Madrid]]. Winning the First Division title again that season meant qualification for the [[1957–58 European Cup|1957–58]] tournament, and their semi-final run in [[1956–57 European Cup|1956–57]], meant they were one of the favourites to win. Domestic league matches were on Saturdays and European matches midweek, so, although air travel was risky, it was the only choice if United were to fulfil their league fixtures,{{Sfn|Crick|Smith|1990|p=39}} which they would have to do if they were to avoid proving Hardaker right.{{Sfn|White|2008|p=105}}

After overcoming [[Shamrock Rovers F.C.|Shamrock Rovers]] and [[Dukla Prague]] in the preliminary and first round respectively, United were drawn with [[Red Star Belgrade]] of Yugoslavia, now Serbia, for the quarter-finals. After beating them 2–1 at [[Old Trafford]] on 14 January 1958, the club was to travel to Yugoslavia for the return leg on 5 February. On the way back from Prague in the previous round, fog over England prevented the team from flying back to [[Manchester]], so they flew to Amsterdam. They took the ferry from the [[Hook of Holland]] to [[Harwich]], and then the train to Manchester. The trip took its toll on the players and they drew 3–3 with [[Birmingham City F.C.|Birmingham City]] at [[St Andrew's (stadium)|St Andrew's]] three days later.{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|pp=67–68}}

Eager not to miss Football League fixtures, and not to have a difficult trip again, the club chartered a [[British European Airways]] (BEA) plane from Manchester to Belgrade, for the away leg against Red Star.{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|p=77}} The match was drawn 3–3 but it was enough to send United to the semi-finals.{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|p=86}} The [[takeoff]] from Belgrade was delayed for an hour after [[outside forward|outside right]] [[Johnny Berry]] lost his passport.{{Sfn|Crick|Smith|1990|p=46}} The plane landed in [[Munich]], [[West Germany]], for refuelling at 13:15 [[Greenwich Mean Time|GMT]].{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|p=93}}{{Sfn|White|2008|p=119}}

===Aircraft and crew===
The aircraft was a six-year-old [[Airspeed Ambassador|Airspeed Ambassador 2]], built in 1952 and delivered to BEA the same year.<ref>{{cite book |first=Charles |last=Woodley |title=History of British European Airways 1946–1974 |year=2006 |publisher=Pen & Sword Aviation |location=Barnsley |page=182 |isbn=1-84415-186-7 }}</ref>

The pilot, Captain [[James Thain]], was a former [[flight lieutenant]] in the [[Royal Air Force]] (RAF). Originally a [[Sergeant#United Kingdom|sergeant]], later a [[Warrant officer (United Kingdom)|warrant officer]], he was given an emergency commission in the RAF as an [[acting pilot officer]] on probation in April 1944.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=36534 |date=30 May 1944 |page=2479 |supp=y}}</ref> He was promoted to [[pilot officer]] on probation in September 1944.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=36830 |date=8 December 1944 |page=5627 |supp=y |nolink=yes}}</ref> He was promoted to flight lieutenant in May 1948,<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=38323 |date=15 June 1948 |page=3514 |supp=y |nolink=yes}}</ref> and received a permanent commission in the same rank in 1952.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=39669 |date=14 October 1952 |page=5392 |supp=y |nolink=yes}}</ref> He retired from the RAF to join BEA.

The co-pilot, Captain [[Kenneth Rayment]], was also a former RAF flight lieutenant and a [[Second World War]] [[flying ace]]. After joining the RAF in 1940, he was promoted to sergeant in September 1941.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=35343 |date=11 November 1941 |page=6507 |nolink=yes}}</ref> He was commissioned as a war substantive pilot officer a year later,<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=35747 |date=16 October 1942 |page=4489 |supp=y |nolink=yes}}</ref> and promoted to war substantive [[flying officer]] in May 1943.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=36033 |date=2 June 1943|page=2460 |supp=y |nolink=yes}}</ref> He shot down five German fighters, one Italian plane and a [[V-1 flying bomb]]. He was awarded the [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)|Distinguished Flying Cross]] in July 1943,<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=36108 |date=27 July 1943 |page=3384 |supp=y |nolink=yes}}</ref> and promoted to flight lieutenant in September 1943.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=36165 |date=10 September 1943 |page=4018 |supp=y |nolink=yes}}</ref> After leaving the RAF in 1945, he joined [[British Overseas Airways Corporation]] in Cairo, before joining BEA in 1947. He had had experience with [[Vickers VC.1 Viking|Viking]]s, [[Douglas C-47 Skytrain|Dakotas]] and the Ambassador "Elizabethan" class.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mikekemble.com/manutd/munich3.html |title=The Munich Air Disaster 1958 |website=www.mikekemble.com |access-date=17 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090107054333/http://www.mikekemble.com/manutd/munich3.html |archive-date=7 January 2009 |url-status=usurped}}</ref>

==Accident==
Thain had flown the "Elizabethan"-class Airspeed Ambassador, registration G-ALZU, to Belgrade but handed the controls to Rayment for the return.{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|p=79}} At 14:19 GMT, the [[control tower]] at Munich was told the plane was ready to take off and gave clearance for take-off, expiring at 14:31.{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|p=97}} Rayment abandoned the take-off after Thain noticed the [[port and starboard|port]] [[Supercharger|boost pressure]] gauge fluctuating as the plane reached full power, and the engine sounded odd while accelerating.{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|p=98}} A second attempt was made three minutes later, but called off 40 seconds into the attempt{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|pp=99–100}} because the engines were running on an overrich [[Carburettor|mixture]], causing them to overaccelerate, a common problem for the "Elizabethan".{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|p=98}}

After the second failure, passengers retreated to the airport lounge.{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|p=101}} By then, it had started to snow heavily, and it looked unlikely that the plane would be making the return journey that day. Half-back [[Duncan Edwards]] sent a telegram to his landlady in Manchester, reading: "All flights cancelled, flying tomorrow. Duncan."{{Sfn|Barnes|Bostock|Butler|Ferguson|2001|p=16}}

Thain told the station engineer, Bill Black, about the problem with the boost surging in the port engine. Black suggested that since opening the throttle more slowly had not worked, the only option was to hold the plane overnight for retuning. Thain was anxious to stay on schedule and suggested that opening the throttle even more slowly would suffice. This would mean that the plane would not achieve take-off velocity until further down the runway, but with the [[runway]] almost {{convert|2|km|mi}} long, he believed this would not be a problem. The passengers were called back to the plane 15 minutes after leaving it.{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|p=103}}

A few of the players were not confident fliers, particularly [[Billy Whelan]], who said, "This may be death, but I'm ready". Others, including Edwards, [[Tommy Taylor]], [[Mark Jones (footballer, born 1933)|Mark Jones]], [[Eddie Colman]] and journalist [[Frank Swift]], moved to the back of the plane, believing it safer.{{Sfn|White|2008|p=119}} Once everyone was on board, Thain and Rayment got the plane moving again at 14:56.{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|p=107}} At 14:59, they reached the runway holding point, where they received clearance to line up ready for take-off.{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|pp=107–108}} On the runway, they made final cockpit checks. At 15:02, they were told their take-off clearance would expire at 15:04.{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|p=108}} The pilots agreed to attempt take-off, but that they would watch the instruments for surging in the engines. At 15:03, they told the control tower of their decision.{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|p=108}}

[[File:1958-02-10 Britain Mourns. Soccer Champs Die In Plane Crash - small unedited.ogv|thumb|American newsreel footage reporting the crash]]
Rayment moved the throttle forward slowly and released the brakes. The plane began to accelerate, and radio officer Bill Rodgers radioed the control tower with the message "Zulu Uniform rolling".{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|p=109}} The plane threw up [[slush]] as it gathered speed, and Thain called out the plane's velocity in 10-knot increments.{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|p=109}} At {{convert|85|kn|km/h}}, the port engine began to surge again, and he pulled back marginally on the port throttle, before pushing it forward again.{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|p=109}}

Once the plane reached {{convert|117|kn|km/h}}, he announced "[[V speeds#V1|V1]]", at which it was no longer safe to abort take-off, and Rayment listened for the call of "[[V speeds#V2|V2]]" ({{convert|119|kn|km/h}}), the minimum required to get off the ground.{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|pp=109–110}} Thain expected the speed to rise, but it fluctuated around {{convert|117|kn|km/h}} before suddenly dropping to {{convert|112|kn|km/h}}, and then {{convert|105|kn|km/h}}.{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|p=110}} Rayment shouted, "Christ, we won't make it!",{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|p=110}} as Thain looked up to see what lay ahead.{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|p=112}}

The plane skidded off the end of the runway, crashed into the fence surrounding the airport, and across a road. Its port wing was torn off as it caught a house, home to a family of six.{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|pp=112–113}} The father and eldest daughter were away, and the mother and the other three children escaped as the house caught fire.{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|p=113}} Part of the plane's tail was torn off, before the left side of the cockpit hit a tree.{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|p=113}} The right side of the fuselage hit a wooden hut, inside of which was a truck filled with tyres and fuel, which exploded.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Munich air disaster: a timeline |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/content/articles/2008/01/17/060208_munich_timeline_feature.shtml |publisher=BBC Manchester |date=19 March 2008 |access-date=12 October 2008 }}</ref> 

On seeing flames around the cockpit, Thain feared that the aircraft would explode, and told his crew to evacuate the area. The [[stewardess]]es, Rosemary Cheverton and Margaret Bellis, were the first to leave through a blown-out emergency window in the [[galley (kitchen)|galley]], followed by radio officer Rodgers.{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|p=115}} Rayment was trapped in his seat by the crumpled fuselage and told Thain to go without him. Thain clambered out of the galley window.{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|p=115}} On reaching the ground, he saw flames growing under the starboard wing, which held {{convert|500|impgal|L}} of fuel. He shouted to his crew to get away and climbed back into the aircraft to retrieve two handheld fire extinguishers, stopping to tell Rayment he would be back when the fires had been dealt with.{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|p=115}}

Meanwhile, in the cabin, [[goalkeeper (association football)|goalkeeper]] [[Harry Gregg]] was regaining consciousness, thinking that he was dead.{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|p=116}} He felt blood on his face and "didn't dare put [his] hand up. [He] thought the top of [his] head had been taken off, like a hard boiled egg."{{Sfn|White|2008|p=118}} Just above him, light shone into the cabin, so Gregg kicked the hole wide enough for him to escape. He managed to save some passengers, among them teammates Bobby Charlton and Dennis Viollet, who were strapped into their seats away from the wreckage.<ref name="itimes">{{Cite news|last=Walker|first=Michael|title=Bravery and goodness: Harry Gregg, the reluctant hero of Munich|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/english-soccer/bravery-and-goodness-harry-gregg-the-reluctant-hero-of-munich-1.3378025|access-date=2020-07-21|newspaper=The Irish Times|language=en}}</ref>

==Victims==
Twenty passengers died at the scene, another died on his way to hospital, and two others died a few weeks later while in the hospital.

===Fatalities===
====Crew members====
* Captain [[Kenneth Rayment|Kenneth "Ken" Rayment]]. Co-pilot on this flight. Survived but suffered multiple injuries. Died in hospital five weeks later as a result of brain damage.

====Passengers====
[[File:Munich Memorial Plaque.jpg|thumb|A plaque at Old Trafford in memory of the Munich air disaster]]
[[File:Munich Clock.jpg|thumb|upright|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 (footballer, born 1933)|Mark Jones]]
* [[David Pegg]]
* [[Tommy Taylor]]
* [[Billy Whelan]]

'''Manchester United staff'''
* [[Walter Crickmer]], club secretary
* [[Tom Curry (footballer)|Tom Curry]], trainer
* [[Bert Whalley]], chief coach 

'''Journalists'''
* [[Frank Swift]], ''[[News of the World]]'', also former [[England national football team|England]] and [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]] goalkeeper. Died on his way to hospital
* [[Donny Davies]], retired footballer, who went on to write for the ''[[Manchester Guardian]]''

===Survivors===
====Crew====
* Captain [[James Thain]], pilot, died 1975.<ref>{{cite news |first=Marcus |last=Leroux |title=Captain James Thain cleared of blame after the thawing of hostilities |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article3279019.ece |work=The Times |date=30 January 2008 |access-date=11 January 2009 |location=London }}</ref>

====Passengers====
'''Manchester United players'''
* [[Johnny Berry]], never played again, died 1994.{{Sfn|Barnes|Bostock|Butler|Ferguson|2001|p=66}}
* [[Jackie Blanchflower]], never played again, died 1998.<ref>{{cite news |title=Busby Babe loses battle against cancer |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/163621.stm |work=BBC News |date=2 September 1998 |access-date=10 January 2009 }}</ref>
* [[Bobby Charlton]], died 2023.<ref>{{cite news |first=Gavin |last=McOwan |title=Sir Bobby Charlton obituary |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/oct/21/sir-bobby-charlton-obituary |work=The Guardian |publisher=Guardian News & Media |date=21 October 2023 |access-date=24 October 2023 }}</ref>
* [[Bill Foulkes]], died 2013.<ref>{{cite news |title=Busby Babe Bill Foulkes dies, aged 81 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-25084845 |work=BBC News |date=25 November 2013 |access-date=25 November 2013 }}</ref>
* [[Harry Gregg]], died 2020.<ref>{{cite web |title=Harry Gregg: Munich air disaster hero and Northern Ireland goalkeeping great dies |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51400376 |website=BBC Sport |date=17 February 2020 |access-date=17 February 2020 }}</ref>
* [[Kenny Morgans]], died 2012.<ref>{{cite news |title=Kenny Morgans: Ex-Man Utd player and Munich survivor dies |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20388051 |work=BBC Sport |date=18 November 2012 |access-date=18 November 2012 }}</ref>
* [[Albert Scanlon]], died 2009.<ref>{{cite news |title=Busby Babe Albert Scanlon dies |url=http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1187158_busby_babe_albert_scanlon_dies |work=Manchester Evening News |date=22 December 2009 |access-date=23 December 2009 |archive-date=12 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121112180207/http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1187158_busby_babe_albert_scanlon_dies |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[Dennis Viollet]], died 1999.<ref>{{cite news |title=Busby Babe dies |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/292184.stm |work=BBC News |date=7 March 1999 |access-date=10 January 2009 }}</ref>
* [[Ray Wood]], died 2002.<ref>{{cite news |first=Bill |last=Wilson |title=Waiting for news from Munich |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7211922.stm |work=BBC News |date=4 February 2008 |access-date=10 January 2009 }}</ref>

'''Manchester United staff'''
* [[Matt Busby]], manager, died 1994.<ref>{{cite news |title=1969: Matt Busby retires from Man United |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/january/14/newsid_3334000/3334059.stm |work=BBC News |date=14 January 2008 |access-date=11 January 2009 }}</ref>

'''Journalists and photographers'''
* [[Frank Taylor (journalist)|Frank Taylor]], ''[[News Chronicle]]'' reporter, died 2002.<ref>{{cite news |first=Brian |last=Glanville |title=Obituary: Frank Taylor |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2002/jul/22/guardianobituaries.sport |work=The Guardian |location=London |date=22 July 2002 |access-date=11 January 2009 }}</ref>

==Investigation==
The crash was originally blamed on [[pilot error]], but it was later found to have been caused by slush towards the end of the runway, slowing the aircraft and preventing safe flying speed.{{Sfn|Stewart|1987|p=86}} During take-off, the aircraft had reached {{convert|117|kn|km/h}}, but, on entering the slush, dropped to {{convert|105|kn|km/h}}, too slow to leave the ground, and with not enough runway to abort the take-off. Aircraft with [[Conventional landing gear|tail-wheel]] [[Landing gear|undercarriage]]s had not been greatly affected by slush, due to the geometry of these undercarriages in relation to the [[Center of gravity of an aircraft|aircraft's centre of gravity]],{{Efn|Aircraft with tailwheel undercarriages have the main undercarriage – about which the aeroplane [[Rotation (aviation)|rotates on take-off]] – positioned ahead of the aircraft's centre of gravity, allowing the aircraft to be flown off by application of up-elevator should deceleration be applied to the mainwheels on take-off when close to flying speed. On aircraft with a nosewheel, the main wheels are positioned behind the centre of gravity, causing a nose-down [[torque|moment]] (force) should undue drag occur at the mainwheels, even if the nosewheel is already off the ground. This nose-down force reduces the elevator authority and makes it more difficult to keep the nosewheel off the ground, whereas the tailwheel undercarriage aeroplane already has its tailwheel off the ground at this point, and applying up elevator will usually lower the tail sufficiently for the aircraft to lift-off. On the nosewheel-equipped aircraft, the additional drag of the nosewheel in the slush reduces speed even more, as once the mainwheels have entered slush and initiated a downward force on the nose, the aeroplane has three wheels in contact with the slush, rather than just two. The tailwheel-equipped aeroplane upon entering slush may be 'hauled off' at close to safe flying speed, whereas the nosewheel one may be prevented from reaching it, or have its speed reduced by the additional drag of the nosewheel. As the slush drag further slows the aeroplane, this can make it impossible to raise the nosewheel off the runway, so the aircraft is unable to rotate. On a tailwheeled aircraft, the slush drag force is usually insufficient to prevent rotation, providing sufficient airspeed is reached, whereas on a nosewheeled aeroplane, it may force the nosewheel back onto the runway, or, depending on the airspeed achieved, even prevent it from being raised at all. In the Munich case, the drag of the slush slowed the Ambassador – which had twin-wheeled nose and mainwheel undercarriage units – sufficiently to make take-off impossible, while insufficient runway remained for the aircraft to be stopped safely.{{Citation needed|date=February 2013}}}} but newer types, such as the Ambassador, with [[Tricycle gear|nose wheel landing-gear]] and the main wheels behind the centre of gravity, were found to be vulnerable.

Despite this conclusion, German airport authorities took legal action against Thain, as the one pilot who had survived the crash. They claimed he had taken off without [[de-icing|clearing the wings of ice]], which caused the crash, despite several witnesses stating that no ice had been seen.<ref name="Mayday">[http://www.discoverychannel.ca/episodeList.aspx?sid=12966 MAYDAY: SEASON 11] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120219135535/http://www.discoverychannel.ca/episodeList.aspx?sid=12966 |date=19 February 2012 }}</ref> De-icing the aircraft was the captain's responsibility, while the state of the airport's runways was the responsibility of the airport authorities, among whom there was widespread ignorance of the danger of slush on runways for aircraft such as the Ambassador.

The basis of the German authorities' case relied on the icy condition of the wings hours after the crash and a photograph of the aircraft (published in several newspapers) taken shortly before take-off, that appeared to show snow on the upper wing surfaces. When the original [[negative (photography)|negative]] was examined, no snow or ice could be seen, the "snow" in the original having been due to the sun reflecting off the wings, which was clarified when examining the negative rather than the published pictures which had been produced from a copy negative.<ref name="Mayday"/>

The witnesses were not called to the German inquiry, and proceedings against Thain dragged on until 1969, when he was finally cleared of any responsibility for the crash.<ref>{{Cite news |last=DRAPER |first=FRANK |date=10 June 1969 |title=Munich crash pilot cleared |page=21 |newspaper=[[Evening Standard]] |location=[[London]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120198329/munich-crash-pilot-cleared/ |access-date=5 March 2023}}</ref> As the official cause, British authorities recorded a build-up of melting snow on the runway, which prevented the plane from reaching the required take-off speed. Thain, having been dismissed by BEA on February 1961 and never re-engaged, retired and returned to run his poultry farm in [[Berkshire]]. He died of a heart attack at age 53, in August 1975.<ref>[http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1975/1975%20-%201496.html death notice] in ''[[Flight International]]''. 14 August 1975, p. 210. Retrieved 4 July 2015.</ref>

==Aftermath==
Twenty people, including seven of Manchester United's players, died at the scene of the crash. The 21st victim was [[Frank Swift]], a journalist and former goalkeeper who played with Busby at [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]]; he died on his way to hospital. [[Duncan Edwards]] died from his injuries on 21 February at the [[Rechts der Isar Hospital]] in Munich. The final death toll reached 23 several days later, when co-pilot Rayment died as a result of serious head injuries.{{Sfn|Barnes|Bostock|Butler|Ferguson|2001|p=16}} [[Johnny Berry]] and [[Jackie Blanchflower]] were both injured so severely that they never played again.{{Sfn|Hall|2008|p=340}}

Busby was seriously injured and had to stay in hospital for more than two months after the crash, and was given the [[Anointing of the sick|Last Rites]] twice.{{Sfn|Barnes|Bostock|Butler|Ferguson|2001|p=17}} After being discharged from hospital, he went to Switzerland to recuperate in [[Interlaken]]. At times, he felt like giving up football entirely, until he was told by his wife, Jean, "You know Matt, the lads would have wanted you to carry on."{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|p=155}} That statement lifted Busby from his [[depression (mood)|depression]], and he returned by land and sea to Manchester, before watching his team play in the [[1958 FA Cup final]].{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|p=155}}

Meanwhile, there was speculation that the club would fold, but a threadbare United team completed the 1957–58 season, with Busby's assistant [[Jimmy Murphy (footballer)|Jimmy Murphy]] standing in as manager; he had not travelled to Belgrade as he was in Cardiff managing the [[Wales national football team|Wales national team]] at the time. A team largely made up of [[Reserve team|reserve]] and [[Youth system|youth team]] players beat [[Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|Sheffield Wednesday]] 3–0 in the first match after the disaster. The programme for that match showed simply a blank space where each United player's name should have been. With seven players dead (Edwards died just over 24 hours later), and with only Gregg and Foulkes fit to play out of the surviving players, United were desperate to find replacements with experience, so Murphy signed [[Ernie Taylor (footballer, born 1925)|Ernie Taylor]] from [[Blackpool F.C.|Blackpool]]{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|p=147}} and [[Stan Crowther (footballer)|Stan Crowther]] from [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]].{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|p=150}}

Three players, [[Derek Lewin]], [[Bob Hardisty]] and [[Warren Bradley (footballer)|Warren Bradley]], were transferred to United on short-term contracts by [[Non-League football|non-League]] club [[Bishop Auckland F.C.|Bishop Auckland]]. Bradley was the only one of the three players to play for the first team, and the only one to sign a permanent contract. The remaining places in the team were filled by reserve players including [[Shay Brennan]] and [[Mark Pearson (footballer)|Mark Pearson]].<ref>[http://www.theadvertiserseries.co.uk/news/9583397.Marking_club_s_125_year_history/ Marking club's 125-year history] The Advertiser, 12 March 2012.</ref> United's fierce rivals [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] offered them five loan players to help put a side together.<ref>{{cite news |first=Steve |last=Graves |title=Liverpool and Manchester United: the times the teams and fans put rivalry aside |url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-manchester-united-times-teams-12035393 |newspaper=Liverpool Echo |publisher=Trinity Mirror Merseyside |date=17 October 2016 |access-date=7 February 2018 }}</ref>

There were changes in the backroom staff at United too, following the deaths of secretary [[Walter Crickmer]] and coaches [[Tom Curry (footballer)|Tom Curry]] and [[Bert Whalley]].{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|p=146}} Goalkeeper [[Les Olive]], still registered as a player at the time of the disaster, retired from playing and took over from Crickmer as club secretary.{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|p=146}} Another former United goalkeeper, [[Jack Crompton]], took over coaching duties after United chairman [[Harold Hardman]] had negotiated with Crompton's then-employers [[Luton Town F.C.|Luton Town]] for his release.{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|p=146}}

United only won one more league game in the 1957–58 season after the crash, causing their title challenge to collapse and they fell to ninth place.<ref name="1957-58">{{cite web |first=Andrew |last=Endlar |title=1957/58 |url=http://www.stretfordend.co.uk/seasons/season1958.html |publisher=StretfordEnd.co.uk |access-date=10 January 2009 }}</ref> They managed to reach the [[1958 FA Cup final|FA Cup final]], but lost 2–0 to [[Bolton Wanderers F.C.|Bolton Wanderers]],<ref name="1957-58" /> and beat [[AC Milan|Milan]] at Old Trafford in the European Cup semi-finals, only to lose 4–0 at the [[San Siro]].<ref name="1957-58" /> Real Madrid, who went on to win the trophy for the third year running, suggested that Manchester United be awarded the trophy for that year – a suggestion supported by Red Star Belgrade – but this failed to materialise.<ref>{{cite news |first=Jack |last=Richards |title=World Laments Manchester Loss |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=KZRlAAAAIBAJ&pg=3483,1146085&dq=manchester-united&hl=en |work=The Vancouver Sun |page=22 |date=7 February 1958 |access-date=23 April 2011 }}</ref> After the tragedy, UEFA floated the idea of Manchester City taking United's place in the European Cup, had United not been able to fulfil their fixtures, but this was rejected by all parties involved, City in particular.<ref>"Manchester – the City Years: Tracing the Story of Manchester City from the 1860s to the Modern Day", James, G.</ref>

Busby resumed managerial duties the [[1958–59 Manchester United F.C. season|following season]]. Real Madrid offered to loan [[Alfredo Di Stefano]] until the end of the season for half his wages, but the transfer was blocked by the FA, as it would prevent a British player to take that spot in the team.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2013-02-12 |title=How Real Madrid helped to rebuild Manchester United after Munich air |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/how-real-madrid-helped-to-rebuild-manchester-united-after-munich-air-disaster-8492422.html |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=The Independent }}</ref> Madrid instead raised funds and organized charity friendly matches with United.<ref name=":0" /> Eventually, Busby built a second generation of Busby Babes, including [[George Best]] and [[Denis Law]], that ten years later won the European Cup by [[1968 European Cup final|beating]] two-time winners [[S.L. Benfica|Benfica]]. Charlton and Foulkes were the only two crash survivors who lined up in that team.<ref>{{cite news |title=1968: Manchester United win European Cup |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/may/29/newsid_4464000/4464446.stm |work=BBC News |date=29 May 1968 |access-date=10 January 2009 }}</ref>

A fund for dependents of victims of the crash was established in March 1958, and chaired by the Chairman of the FA, [[Arthur Drewry]].<ref>''[[The Guardian|The Manchester Guardian]]'', Manchester, 1 April 1958, p. 12</ref> The fund raised [[Pound sterling|£]]52,000 (equivalent to £{{Format price|{{Inflation|UK|52000|1958|r=0}}}} as of {{Inflation-year|UK}}) by the time of its disbursement in October 1958.<ref>Our own Reporter, ''The Manchester Guardian'', Manchester, 11 October 1958, 1</ref>{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}}

Manchester United announced on 8 January 1963 that legal action against BEA relating to the crash had been [[legal settlement|settled]] out of court. Club secretary Les Olive said the amount involved was not being disclosed. A BEA statement said: "A settlement has been made and an application will be made to the court on Friday, January 11, to stay proceedings."<ref name="crash outcome">{{cite news |title=Munich air crash action is settled |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0002318/19630108/163/0008?browse=true |access-date=12 January 2021 |publisher=Belfast Telegraph |date=8 January 1963}}</ref>

==Memorials==
===Old Trafford===
[[File:Munich plaque.jpg|thumb|upright|Commemorative plaque in the Munich Tunnel at Old Trafford|alt=A plaque with words enclosed in a square box, underneath which is a square metal inside a circle.]]
The first memorials at Old Trafford to the lost players and staff were unveiled on 25 February 1960. The first, a plaque in the shape of the stadium with the image of a green pitch, inscribed with the names of the victims in black and gold glass, was placed above the entrance to the directors' box. Above the plaque was a teak carving of a player and a supporter, heads bowed either side of a wreath and a football inscribed with the date "1958". The plaque was designed by Manchester architect J. Vipond and constructed by Messrs Jaconello (Manchester) Ltd. at a cost of £2,100,<ref name="red_news">{{cite web |title=The Munich Plaque at Old Trafford |url=http://www.munich58.co.uk/memorials/plaque/plaque_history.asp |website=Munich58.co.uk |year=2005 |access-date=12 October 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070324114256/http://www.munich58.co.uk/memorials/plaque/plaque_history.asp |archive-date=24 March 2007 |url-status=dead}}<br />Transcribed from a 2005 issue of Manchester United fanzine ''[[Red News]]''.</ref> and unveiled by Matt Busby.{{Sfn|White|2007|p=14}}

Also unveiled that day was a memorial to the members of the press who died at Munich, which consisted of a bronze plaque that named the eight lost journalists. It was unveiled by crash survivor [[Frank Taylor (journalist)|Frank Taylor]] on behalf of the [[Football Writers' Association]]. The original plaque was stolen in the 1980s and replaced by a replica now behind the counter in the press entrance.<ref name="red_news"/> The final memorial was the Munich clock, a simple two-faced clock paid for by the Ground Committee and attached to the southeast corner of the stadium, with the date "6 Feb 1958" at the top of both faces and "Munich" at the bottom. The clock has remained in the same position since it was first installed.<ref name="red_news"/> The clock was unveiled on 25 February 1960 by Dan Marsden, the chairman of the Ground Committee.{{Sfn|White|2007|p=14}}

When the stadium was renovated in the mid-1970s, the plaque had to be moved from the directors' entrance to allow the necessary changes. The plaque could not be removed without damaging it, so the old memorial was walled up within the Main Stand and a new memorial was made, simpler than the original, now consisting simply of a slate pitch with the names inscribed upon it, and installed in 1976.<ref name="red_news"/>

A third version of the memorial, more like the original than the second in that it included the stands around the slate pitch and the figures above it, was installed in 1996, coinciding with the erection of the statue of Matt Busby, who had unveiled the original memorial.<ref name="red_news"/> This third version was constructed by stonemasons Mather and Ellis from Trafford Park, and the second was put into storage. It is currently awaiting new display panels before being placed into the club museum's Munich display.<ref name="red_news"/> The third plaque and the statue of Busby were originally on the north side of the East Stand, but the statue was moved to the front of the East Stand and the plaque to the south side of the stand after the stand's expansion in 2000.<ref name="red_news"/>

===Munich===
[[File:Gedenkkreuz.JPG|thumb|Memorial cross at the Emplstraße in Munich|alt=A memorial stone erected next to a road curb. Nearby is a metal pole topped by a written sign.]]
There are also two memorials in Germany. First, in the Munich suburb of [[Trudering]], on the corner of Karotschstraße and Emplstraße, there is a small wooden memorial depicting the [[Crucifixion]], decorated by a stone trough filled with flowers. The trough bears a plaque with the inscription: "Im Gedenken an die Opfer der Flugzeugkatastrophe am 6.2.1958 unter denen sich auch ein Teil der Fußballmannschaft von Manchester United befand, sowie allen Verkehrstoten der Gemeinde Trudering" (''In memory of the victims of the air disaster of 6 February 1958 including members of the football team of Manchester United as well as all the traffic victims from the municipality of Trudering'').<ref>{{cite web |title=The Memorial at Munich Airport |url=http://www.munich58.co.uk/memorials/munichairport/index.asp |website=Munich58.co.uk |access-date=12 October 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021127162637/http://www.munich58.co.uk/memorials/munichairport/index.asp |archive-date=27 November 2002 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:Gedenkstein Manchester United Übersicht.JPG|thumb|upright|Memorial stone]]
On 22 September 2004, a dark blue granite plaque set in a sandstone border was unveiled in the vicinity of the old Munich Airport on the corner of Rappenweg and Emplstraße, just metres from the wooden memorial.<ref name="new_memorial">{{cite web |title=New memorial to be unveiled at Munich Airport |url=http://www.munich58.co.uk/memorials/munichairport/20040922.asp |website=Munich58.co.uk |year=2004 |access-date=12 October 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050320090405/http://www.munich58.co.uk/memorials/munichairport/20040922.asp |archive-date=20 March 2005 |url-status=dead}}</ref> With a design in the shape of a football pitch, it reads, in both English and German, "In memory of all those who lost their lives here in the Munich air disaster on 6 February 1958".<ref>{{cite web |title=Photo 3 of 13 |url=http://www.munich58.co.uk/apps/photoalbummanager/photo.asp?itemID=256 |website=Munich58.co.uk |date=September 2004 |access-date=12 October 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071109154519/http://www.munich58.co.uk/apps/photoalbummanager/photo.asp?itemID=256 |archive-date=9 November 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> 

Underneath is a plaque expressing United's gratitude to the municipality of Munich and its people. The new memorial was funded by Manchester United themselves and the unveiling was attended by club officials, including chief executive [[David Gill (football executive)|David Gill]], manager [[Alex Ferguson|Sir Alex Ferguson]] and director Sir Bobby Charlton, a survivor of the disaster himself.<ref name="new_memorial"/> On 24 April 2008, the Munich city council decided to name the site where the memorial stone is placed "Manchesterplatz" (''Manchester Square'').<ref>{{cite web |title=Straßenneubenennung Manchesterplatz |url=http://www.muenchen.de/Rathaus/kom/03vermessung/strassen/strassenneu2008/232459/manchesterplatz.html |work=muenchen.de |publisher=City of Munich |access-date=1 June 2009 }}</ref>

On the 57th anniversary of the crash, 6 February 2015, Charlton and [[FC Bayern Munich|Bayern Munich]] chairman [[Karl-Heinz Rummenigge]] opened a new museum exhibit commemorating the disaster at the German club's stadium, the [[Allianz Arena]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Nathan |last=Thomas |title=Sir Bobby opens Bayern's Munich exhibit |url=http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Club-News/2015/Feb/Sir-Bobby-Charlton-opens-Munich-exhibit.aspx |website=ManUtd.com |date=6 February 2015 |access-date=8 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150212082821/http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Club-News/2015/Feb/Sir-Bobby-Charlton-opens-Munich-exhibit.aspx |archive-date=12 February 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Belgrade===
There is a small display of artefacts at the Majestic Hotel, where the team stayed after the match. These include a menu card signed by 14 of the players, including the eight who were killed, a photograph taken at the meal and a match ticket. The menu card was acquired by the then-British ambassador to Yugoslavia and was auctioned by his son in 2006.<ref>{{cite news |title=Babes' autographs fetch £12,000 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/5406908.stm |work=BBC News |date=4 October 2006 |access-date=31 July 2013 }}</ref> Also at the hotel is the piano played by Manchester United's Mark Jones the night before the accident.<ref>{{cite news |title=Cherishing the memory of Manchester United's 'Busby Babes' |url=https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/0266-1180a8a4814d-775d03badbd7-1000--cherishing-the-memory-of-manchester-united-s-busby-babes/ |website=[[UEFA]] |publisher=Union of European Football Association |date=5 February 2021 |access-date=1 April 2022 }}</ref>

===40th anniversary===
In late 1997, [[John Doherty (English footballer)|John Doherty]] (a former United player who had left the club shortly before the disaster)<ref>{{cite news |title=John Doherty |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/john-doherty-400395.html |work=The Independent |publisher=Independent Print |date=15 November 2007 |access-date=13 November 2011 }}</ref> approached club chairman [[Martin Edwards]] on behalf of the Manchester United Former Players' Association to request a [[Testimonial match|testimonial]] for those victims of the Munich disaster – both the survivors and the dependants of the ones who were lost.{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|pp=201–202}} Edwards was hesitant, but a benefit match was eventually sanctioned for a date as close to the 40th anniversary of the disaster as possible. Red Star Belgrade and Bayern Munich were touted as possible opponents for the match, and fans purchased tickets without the opponents even having been decided.{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|p=203}}

In the midst of the preparations, former United player [[Eric Cantona]], who had retired from football to pursue a career in film in 1997, expressed an interest in returning to the club for a farewell match. Edwards took the opportunity to combine the two events into one.{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|pp=203–204}} Due to Cantona's acting career, his schedule meant that he would not be available in February 1998 and the match was moved to 18 August, with the opposition to be a European XI chosen by Cantona; the side selected by Cantona featured the likes of French internationals [[Laurent Blanc]], [[Pascal Vahirua]] and [[Jean-Pierre Papin]]; England's [[Paul Gascoigne]]; former United players [[Bryan Robson]] and [[Mark Hughes]]; and Cantona's brother [[Joël Cantona|Joël]]. Cantona himself played the first half of the match for the European XI, before switching sides at half-time.<ref>{{cite news |author=Our Salford Lass |title=A tearful goodbye |url=http://red11.org/mufc/matftest.htm |website=RED11.org |publisher=RedEleven |date=19 August 1998 |access-date=29 May 2020 }}</ref> United ultimately won the match 8–4, with goals from [[Ryan Giggs]], [[Paul Scholes]], [[Jordi Cruyff]], [[Phil Neville]], [[Nicky Butt]], [[Alex Notman]] (2) and Cantona; while Papin, Blanc, [[Martin Dahlin]] and United player [[Mark Wilson (English footballer)|Mark Wilson]] were the scorers for the European XI.<ref>{{cite news |title=The red devil returns |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/football/153786.stm |website=BBC News |date=18 August 1998 |access-date=29 May 2020 }}</ref>

Edwards was criticised for turning the match into a publicity stunt, while Elizabeth Wood, the divorced wife of survivor [[Ray Wood]], compared the treatment of the Munich victims to that of "dancing bears at the circus". Nevertheless, the match earned £47,000 for each of the victims' families, while Cantona recouped over £90,000 in expenses directly from the testimonial fund, rather than from the club.{{Sfn|Morrin|2007|p=205}} The club also received criticism from some quarters for its poor treatment of the survivors: Berry and Blanchflower were forced to leave the flats they rented from the club to make way for new players.<ref>{{cite news |first=Matthew |last=Syed |title=Survivors who felt left behind by club's rise from the ashes |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article3300283.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011105140/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article3300283.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 October 2008 |work=The Times |location=London |date=4 February 2008 |access-date=29 August 2011 }}</ref> Berry was also notified by post that his employment with the club had been terminated. Another survivor, Ray Wood, complained about the lack of recognition from the club: "We feel that we helped to build Manchester United... They received massive international support following the disaster but they didn't treat people properly then, did nothing for us all those years, and they're still making money out of it directly now."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/disaster-leaves-bitter-legacy-1.890260|work=[[Irish Times]]|title=Disaster leaves bitter legacy|date=2 February 2008|accessdate=11 December 2021}}</ref>

On 7 February 1998, United played Bolton Wanderers at Old Trafford in the [[Premier League]] a day after the 40th anniversary of the disaster. The match kicked off at 3:15&nbsp;p.m. to allow a [[Moment of silence|minute's silence]] to be observed at 3:04&nbsp;p.m. Representatives from both teams laid floral tributes to those who died, with crash survivor and United director Bobby Charlton joined by Bolton president [[Nat Lofthouse]] in leading out the two teams.<ref>{{cite news |first=Guy |last=Hodgson |date=7 February 1998 |title=Football: Bolton add to solemnity of occasion at Old Trafford |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/football-bolton-add-to-solemnity-of-occasion-at-old-trafford-1143418.html |newspaper=The Independent |publisher=Independent Print |location=London |access-date=1 April 2015 }}</ref>

===50th anniversary===
[[File:Munich Tunnel 2.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Old Trafford's Munich Tunnel, renamed on the 50th anniversary of the disaster]]
A memorial service was held at Old Trafford on 6 February 2008 to mark the 50th anniversary of the disaster. At the conclusion of the service, the surviving members of the 1958 team were the guests of honour at a ceremony to rename the tunnel under the stadium's South Stand as the "Munich Tunnel", which features an exhibition about the Busby Babes.<ref name="bbc_honours">{{cite news |title=Football honours Munich victims |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7228670.stm |work=BBC Sport |date=6 February 2008 |access-date=11 October 2008 }}</ref> A memorial billboard was unveiled outside Old Trafford, but it was criticized by some fans for including the logo of club's then-sponsor, American insurance firm [[AIG]]. The poster was later vandalised with paint bombs.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/7218252.stm|work=BBC|title=Munich disaster poster vandalised|date=30 January 2008|accessdate=11 December 2021}}</ref>

On the same day, the [[England national football team]] took on [[Switzerland national football team|Switzerland]] at [[Wembley Stadium]]. Before the game, pictures of the players who lost their lives at Munich were displayed on big screens, and the England players wore black armbands. There was also a tribute to the Busby Babes in the match programme.<ref>{{cite news |title=Minute's silence for Munich crash |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7191530.stm |work=BBC Sport |date=28 January 2008 |access-date=12 October 2008 }}</ref> Originally, there was no plan to observe a minute's silence on the day, because the FA feared that the silence would not be respected by fans of United's rivals.<ref>{{cite news |title=No silence to honour Munich crash |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7191530.stm |work=BBC Sport |date=16 January 2008 |access-date=18 January 2008 }}</ref> They eventually agreed that a moment of silence should be held and, in the event, it was generally well-observed; however, a small number of supporters made whistles and cat-calls and the referee cut the silence short after less than 30 seconds.<ref>{{cite news |first=Alyson |last=Rudd |title=Silent majority drowned out as tributes cut short |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article3321474.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080821151313/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article3321474.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=21 August 2008 |work=The Times |location=London |date=7 February 2008 |access-date=8 February 2008 }}</ref> One-minute silences were also observed at the [[Northern Ireland national football team|Northern Ireland]], [[Wales national football team|Wales]] and the [[Republic of Ireland national football team|Republic of Ireland]] games.<ref name="bbc_honours" /><ref>{{cite news |first=Barry |last=Glendenning |title=Minute-by-minute: Republic of Ireland v Brazil – live! |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2008/feb/06/minutebyminute.republicofireland |work=The Guardian |date=6 February 2008 |access-date=12 December 2011 }}</ref>

[[File:Scarves of Derby Day.jpg|thumb|upright|Commemorative scarves laid out on the backs of seats before the 50th anniversary match at Old Trafford|alt=Red stadium seats with white scarves laid out on top.]]
At the derby match between United and City at Old Trafford on 10 February 2008, both teams were led onto the pitch by a lone [[Bagpipes|piper]] playing "[[The Red Flag (song)|The Red Flag]]", and the managers – Sir Alex Ferguson and [[Sven-Göran Eriksson]] – each laid a wreath in the centre circle. This was followed by a minute's silence, which, despite previous concerns, was respected by all the fans.<ref>{{cite news |title=Fans respect silence for Munich |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/7209350.stm |work=BBC Sport |date=10 February 2008 |access-date=12 October 2008 }}</ref> Kevin Parker, secretary of City's supporters club, had suggested a minute of applause instead of a minute's silence, so as to drown out anyone who would disrupt the silence,{{Sfn|White|2008|p=116}} but this was rejected by the United management as inappropriate.<ref>{{cite news |first=Adam |last=Bostock |title=United reject applause idea |url=http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Club-News/2008/Jan/United-reject-applause-idea.aspx |website=ManUtd.com |date=22 January 2008 |access-date=12 October 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121005155424/http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Club-News/2008/Jan/United-reject-applause-idea.aspx |archive-date=5 October 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> 

United played in strips reminiscent of those worn by the 1958 team, numbered 1 to 11, with no advertising on the front or players' names on the back, while City removed sponsors' logos from their kit and the image of a small black ribbon was [[heat press]]ed onto the right shoulder.<ref>{{cite news |first=Steve |last=Bartram |title=Derby kit unveiled |url=http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Club-News/2008/Feb/Derby-kit-unveiled.aspx |website=ManUtd.com |date=8 February 2008 |access-date=12 October 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121005155744/http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Club-News/2008/Feb/Derby-kit-unveiled.aspx |archive-date=5 October 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Both teams wore black armbands in tribute to the victims of the Munich disaster. Manchester City won 2–1 thanks to first-half goals from [[Darius Vassell]] and debutant [[Benjani Mwaruwari|Benjani]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Mandeep |last=Sanghera |title=Man Utd 1–2 Man City |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7223971.stm |work=BBC Sport |date=10 February 2008 |access-date=12 October 2008 }}</ref> Fans in attendance were given commemorative scarves – in red and white for the United fans, and sky blue and white for the City fans – which were held up during the silence.<ref>{{cite news |first=Ben |last=Hibbs |title=Moving silence at OT |url=http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Football-News/2008/Feb/Moving-silence-at-OT.aspx |website=ManUtd.com |date=10 February 2008 |access-date=12 October 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121005160531/http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Football-News/2008/Feb/Moving-silence-at-OT.aspx |archive-date=5 October 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Tributes==
[[File:National Football Museum Manchester 5684 (14180312226).jpg|thumb|Display at the [[National Football Museum]]]]

===Music===
Several musical tributes to the Munich air disaster have been recorded, the earliest being the song "The Flowers of Manchester". Written by an anonymous author, later revealed to be Eric Winter, the editor of the magazine ''Sing'',<ref>{{cite web |title=History |url=http://theflowersofmanchester.co.uk/history/ |publisher=theflowersofmanchester.co.uk |access-date=26 April 2011 }}</ref> the song was recorded and released by Liverpool folk band [[The Spinners (UK band)|The Spinners]] on their 1962 debut album ''Quayside Songs Old and New''.{{Sfn|Hall|2008|pp=4–5}} Manchester-born singer [[Morrissey]] also released a song called "Munich Air Disaster, 1958" as a B-side to "[[Irish Blood, English Heart]]" in 2004.<ref>{{cite web |title=Irish Blood, English Heart (CD2) (Single) |website=Amazon UK |url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0001Z2RGE/ |access-date=11 October 2008 }}</ref> It later appeared on his live album, ''[[Live at Earls Court]]'', in 2005<ref>{{cite web |title=Live at Earls Court (Specially Packaged) (Limited Edition) |website=Amazon UK |url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0007WD89G |access-date=11 October 2008 }}</ref> and his 2009 B-sides compilation, ''[[Swords (album)|Swords]]''.

Most recently, the English band [[The Futureheads]] named their album ''[[News and Tributes]]'' in honour of the disaster. The title track pays tribute to those who lost their lives,<ref>{{cite news |first=Betty |last=Clarke |title=The Futureheads, News and Tributes |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2006/may/26/popandrock.shopping6 |work=The Guardian |location=London |date=26 May 2006 |access-date=11 October 2008 }}</ref> and includes the verse:

{{Poem quote|Cut down in their prime,
In silence, on that day,
February 58, they got what they need,
From Belgrade and back home to sleep}}

===Film===
Barry Navidi, producer of the 2004 film ''[[The Merchant of Venice (2004 film)|The Merchant of Venice]]'', was reported to be working on a script for a [[Cinema of the United States|Hollywood]] film about the Munich air crash. The ''[[Manchester Evening News]]'' reported on 22 April 2005 that the survivors had not been consulted and were concerned about how accurate the film would be.<ref name="hince">{{cite news |first=Paul |last=Hince |title=Munich film row |url=http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/sport/football/manchester_united/s/155/155860_munich_film_row.html |work=Manchester Evening News |location=Manchester |date=22 April 2005 |access-date=10 October 2008 |archive-date=12 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121112180248/http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/sport/football/manchester_united/s/155/155860_munich_film_row.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Foulkes said that, if done right, the film could become a "tribute to the Busby Babes which could be seen for generations to come"; however, he expressed concerns about the accuracy of the film, given the filmmakers' lack of first-hand sources about what actually happened in Munich.<ref name="hince"/> Fellow survivor Harry Gregg was more concerned about the portrayal of the players, particularly those who died, and whether their families' feelings would be respected.<ref name="hince"/> John Doherty, a player who had left United only a few months before the crash, was less restrained, saying that "the only reason anyone would want to make a film like this is to make money" and that "while there may be a slight hint of truth in the film, it will be mainly untruths... Unless you were there, how could you know what conversations took place?".<ref name="hince"/>

===Television===
On 10 January 2006, the [[BBC]] showed a drama/documentary retelling the story in the series ''[[Surviving Disaster]]''. The programme was met with criticism from former United winger Albert Scanlon, who claimed that it was full of inaccuracies, despite the production having consulted him about the content of the documentary. Errors in the programme included the depiction of Jimmy Murphy giving a pre-match team talk in Belgrade, despite him being in Cardiff at the time, and the plane being shown as only half full when nearly every seat was occupied.<ref>{{cite news |title=Survivor's anger over Munich crash film |url=http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/197/197906_survivors_anger_over_munich_crash_film.html |work=Manchester Evening News |date=7 January 2006 |access-date=11 October 2008 |archive-date=12 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121112180344/http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/197/197906_survivors_anger_over_munich_crash_film.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On 6 February 2008, the 50th anniversary of the crash, several television channels showed programmes about it:
* [[Yesterday (TV channel)|UKTV History]] aired the BBC co-produced drama documentary ''Surviving Disaster'' to mark the 50th anniversary of the tragedy.<ref>{{cite web |title=Munich Aircrash: Disaster Season |url=http://uktv.co.uk/yesterday/stepbystep/aid/598424 |work=Yesterday |publisher=UKTV |access-date=24 April 2011 }}</ref>
* [[MUTV (Manchester United F.C.)|MUTV]] aired a segmented documentary called ''Munich Remembered'', aired throughout the day with memories of players, staff and supporters.<ref>{{cite news |title=MUTV Schedule: 6 Feb |url=http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Club-News/2008/Feb/MUTV-Schedule-6-Feb.aspx |website=ManUtd.com |date=5 February 2008 |access-date=11 October 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121006004729/http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Club-News/2008/Feb/MUTV-Schedule-6-Feb.aspx |archive-date=6 October 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
* The BBC showed as part of its ''One Life'' series a documentary following United goalkeeper Harry Gregg retracing his route from England to Belgrade to Munich. He met and talked with some of the first rescuers who had arrived on the scene. He also met Vera Lukić, the pregnant mother whom he had rescued and Zoran, the son she bore two months later.<ref name="greatest_save">{{cite news |title=Gregg's 'greatest save' – Munich remembered |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7226285.stm |work=BBC News |date=4 February 2008 |access-date=7 October 2008 }}</ref>

Since the anniversary, two television programmes have been made about the disaster:
* A 2011 made-for-television film ''[[United (TV drama)|United]]'', written by [[Chris Chibnall]] and directed by [[James Strong (director)|James Strong]] for the BBC, tells the story of the crash and the subsequent rebuilding of Manchester United as a footballing force. The story was seen largely through the eyes of coach Jimmy Murphy, who became ''de facto'' manager of the team while Busby recovered from the crash. The role of Murphy was played by [[David Tennant]]. The film gained generally good reviews, especially for its evocation of the period and for Tennant's acting,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2011/apr/24/sam-wollaston-doctor-who-united |title=TV review: ''Doctor Who''; ''United'' |work=The Guardian |date=24 April 2011 |access-date=24 April 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/8467086/Jim-White-Jimmy-Murphys-central-part-in-the-resurrection-of-Manchester-United-is-the-key-reason-to-watch-United.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/8467086/Jim-White-Jimmy-Murphys-central-part-in-the-resurrection-of-Manchester-United-is-the-key-reason-to-watch-United.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Jim White: Jimmy Murphy's central part in the resurrection of Manchester United is the key reason to watch ''United'' |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=22 April 2011 |access-date=22 April 2011}}{{cbignore}}</ref> and was nominated at the [[Prix Europa]] 2011 Awards as "Best European TV Production".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.prix-europa.de/en/prix_europa_2011/nominees/nominees_television/ |title=Prix Europa 2011: Nominees |publisher=Prix Europa |access-date=16 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111029194821/http://www.prix-europa.de/en/prix_europa_2011/nominees/nominees_television/ |archive-date=29 October 2011 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> It was, however, condemned by Sandy Busby, the son of Matt Busby, who said he thought the film was "very poorly done", and strongly criticised the film's portrayal of his father.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-13181651 |title=Sir Matt Busby's son 'disgusted' at United TV film|work=BBC News |date=24 April 2011 |access-date=25 April 2011}}</ref>
* The Canadian TV series ''[[Mayday (Canadian TV series)|Mayday / Air Crash Investigation]]'' covered the crash in [[List of Mayday episodes#Season 11 (2011)|episode 77 (season 11, #5)]], first broadcast in December 2011.<ref name="Mayday"/> The episode covers the background of the flight, then investigates what caused the fatal crash.

===Literature===
The story of the disaster was fictionalised in ''Munichs'' (2024), by [[David Peace]]. The novel covers the disaster and its aftermath, ending with  Manchester United’s defeat in the 1958 FA Cup Final. The title alludes to the use of the word “Munichs” as a term of abuse towards Manchester United supporters, which the author believes should be “reclaimed and worn as a badge of pride”. <ref>{{cite book |last1=Peace |first1=David |title=Munichs |date=2024 |publisher=Faber & Faber |isbn=0571381154 |page=459}}</ref>

===Other===
The [[University of Salford]] honoured Munich victim Eddie Colman by naming one of its halls of residence after him.<ref>{{cite web |title=Eddie Colman and John Lester Courts |url=http://www.accommodation.salford.ac.uk/page/eddie_colman_john_lester |publisher=University of Salford |access-date=13 October 2008 }}</ref> Colman was born in [[Salford, Greater Manchester|Salford]] in 1936. There is a network of small roads in [[Newton Heath]] named after the players who lost their lives in Munich, including Roger Byrne Close, David Pegg Walk, Geoff Bent Walk, Eddie Colman Close, Billy Whelan Walk, Tommy Taylor Close and Mark Jones Walk. Among those roads is an old people's home named after Duncan Edwards.<ref>{{cite news |first=David |last=Conn |title=FC United homage to history as they prepare for future at Newton Heath |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/david-conn-inside-sport-blog/2010/apr/21/fc-united-supporter-owned-clubs |work=The Guardian |date=21 April 2010 |access-date=4 January 2011 }}</ref> 

Edwards was honoured with street names in his home town of [[Dudley]]. There is a small close off Stourbridge Road named Duncan Edwards Close.<ref>{{cite news |title=Duncan Edwards- 50 years on |url=http://www.dudleynews.co.uk/news/2005880.0/ |work=Dudley News |date=30 January 2008 |access-date=3 July 2011 }}</ref> In 2008, the Dudley Southern Bypass was renamed Duncan Edwards Way.<ref>{{cite news |title=Duncan Edwards Way given go-ahead |url=http://www.dudley.gov.uk/welcome/news-in-dudley/2008-news-archive/october-2008/duncan-edwards-way-given-go-ahead |publisher=dudley.gov.uk |date=24 October 2008 |access-date=3 July 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101110230627/http://www.dudley.gov.uk/welcome/news-in-dudley/2008-news-archive/october-2008/duncan-edwards-way-given-go-ahead |archive-date=10 November 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Steve |last=Bradley |title=New road signs have been installed to honour Dudley-born football hero Duncan Edwards |url=http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2008/12/29/new-road-signs-have-been-installed-to-honour-dudley-born-football-hero-duncan-edwards-97319-22563891/ |work=Birmingham Mail |publisher=Trinity Mirror Midlands |date=29 December 2008 |access-date=3 July 2011 |archive-date=26 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120926025025/http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2008/12/29/new-road-signs-have-been-installed-to-honour-dudley-born-football-hero-duncan-edwards-97319-22563891/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The road bridge over the [[Luas]] tram line at Fassaugh Road, [[Cabra, Dublin]] 7 is named after Billy Whelan.

==See also==
{{Portal|Aviation|Germany|United Kingdom|1950s}}
*[[History of Manchester United F.C. (1945–1969)]]
*[[List of accidents involving sports teams]]

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
{{Refbegin|40em}}
* {{cite book |last1=Barnes |first1=Justyn |last2=Bostock |first2=Adam |last3=Butler |first3=Cliff |last4=Ferguson |first4=Jim |last5=Meek |first5=David |last6=Mitten |first6=Andy |last7=Pilger |first7=Sam |last8=Taylor |first8=Frank OBE |last9=Tyrrell |first9=Tom |title=The Official Manchester United Illustrated Encyclopedia |publisher=Manchester United Books |year=2001 |location=London |isbn=0-233-99964-7 }}
* {{cite book |last=Connor |first=Jeff |title=The Lost Babes |year=2007 |publisher=HarperSport |location=London |isbn=978-0-00-720808-1 }}
* {{cite book |last1=Crick |first1=Michael |last2=Smith |first2=David |title=Manchester United – The Betrayal of a Legend |year=1990 |publisher=Pan Books |location=London |isbn=0-330-31440-8 }}
* {{cite book |last=Hall |first=David |title=Manchester's Finest |year=2008 |publisher=Bantam Press |location=London |isbn=978-0-593-05922-7 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/manchestersfines0000hall }}
* {{cite journal |last=Middleton |first=Don |date=April 1982 |title=Airspeed's elegant Ambassador – Part 3 |journal=Aeroplane Monthly }}
* {{cite book |last=Morrin |first=Stephen R. |title=The Munich Air Disaster |year=2007 |publisher=Gill & Macmillan |location=Dublin |isbn=978-0-7171-4110-4 }}
* {{cite book |last=Stewart |first=Stanley |title=Air Disasters |year=1987 |publisher=Guild Publishing |location=London |isbn=0-09-956200-6 }}
* {{cite book |last=White |first=Jim |title=Manchester United: The Biography |year=2008 |publisher=Sphere |location=London |isbn=978-1-84744-088-4 }}
* {{cite book |last=White |first=John |title=The United Miscellany |publisher=Carlton Books |year=2007 |location=London |isbn=978-1-84442-745-1 }}
{{Refend}}

==External links==
{{External media
|video1=British Pathe newsreel footage:
* [https://www.britishpathe.com/video/manchester-united-air-crash-munich/query/manchester+united+munich ''Raw footage of crash debris (silent)''], February 1958
* [https://www.britishpathe.com/video/VLVA8OCEBO80NFCALK1FYKMVG6WAO-GERMANY-UNITED-KINGDOM-THE-AFTERMATH-OF-THE-MUNICH-AIR-DISASTER/query/manchester+united+munich ''The Tragedy of Manchester United''], 10 February 1958
* [https://www.britishpathe.com/video/report-from-munich/query/manchester+united+munich ''Report From Munich'' ], 13 February 1958
* [https://www.britishpathe.com/video/matt-heads-for-home/query/manchester+united+munich ''Matt Heads For Home''], 21 April 1958
* [https://www.britishpathe.com/video/manchester-united-players-die-in-munich-air-crash/query/manchester+united+munich ''A Day That Shook The World''], 2011
}}
* {{Commons category-inline}}
* [http://www.munich58.co.uk Munich58.co.uk]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160204182636/https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1969/1969%20-%201090.html ''Fay Vindicates Thain''] – a 1969 ''[[Flight International]]'' article on the results of the Fay Report on the accident (archived)
* {{cite journal |title=Munich{{snd}}Second Report Disputed |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1967/1967%20-%202118.htmlhttp://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1967/1967%20-%202118.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308031610/https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1967/1967%20-%202118.htmlhttp://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1967/1967%20-%202118.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2016-03-08 |journal=Flight International |date=2 November 1967 }} (archived)

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[[Category:1950s in Munich]]
[[Category:1957–58 European Cup]]
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