A fiery collision between a pickup and a van carrying members of the University of the Southwest’s men’s and women’s golf teams killed nine people, including six student-athletes and their coach Tuesday. The pickup’s two occupants, including the driver, a 13-year-old, died.
The crash happened just after 8 p.m., on March 15, on a two-lane road about 9 miles from Andrews, northwest of Midland-Odessa.
According to investigators, the left front tire on the 2007 Dodge pickup, which was a spare, blew out, pulling the truck across the centerline of Highway FM 1788 in Andrews County, West Texas, and caused the truck to hit a Ford Transit passenger van registered to the University of the Southwest in Hobbs, New Mexico. Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTBS) did not specify why the adolescent was driving.
“It was very clearly a high-speed, head-on collision between two heavy vehicles,” said NTSB Vice Chairman Bruce Landsberg. “We will be looking to download the vehicle recorders if they’ve survived.”
Investigators said the speed limit on the two-lane rural road is 75 mph, and the crash produced a large fire. As part of the investigation, experts will try to extract accurate speed data from the automobiles.
According to Landsberg, some bus passengers were not wearing seat belts, and at least one was ejected from the Ford Transit van.
The University of the Southwest said the golf teams were returning to their campus after competing in Midland, Texas, and the school community was startled and in sorrow. A fund was established at the campus to assist the victims and their relatives.
“For any of you that have lost a loved one or a member of your family, it’s the same feeling here. They’re not only students and coaches,” said Ryan Tipton, University of the Southwest Provost. “They are loved ones to us. They are members of our family here on campus.”