'Air capital' mourns after plane crash: What to know about Wichita's aviation history

USA Today

31-01-2025

A devastating plane crash that took the lives of more than 60 people this week has drawn Wichita — known globally as the "air capital of the world" — and its aviation roots into the national spotlight.
The passenger jet, flying a regular nonstop route from Wichita to Washington, D.C., collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter at about 9 p.m. Wednesday and fell into the frigid Potomac River. Officials believe no one survived the crash.
For Wichita residents, the ramifications of this crash and deaths will run deep. Many of the city's half a million residents are employed by the aviation industry, and those who aren't still feel connected through Wichita's key role in the history of aviation.
'There's just a deep sense of hurt right now across all aspects of this community,' Ben Sauceda said.
'We are deeply saddened by the tragic plane crash involving Flight 5342; this loss is felt profoundly across our region and state. Our thoughts are with the families and all those impacted by this heartbreaking event," Jeff Fluhr, president of the Greater Wichita Partnership, wrote in an email.
Wichita has deep ties to aviation and manufacturing
Wichita's roots in aviation manufacturing travel as far back as the 1920s. Beginning with aviation legends like Clyde Cessna and Walter Beech, Wichita was garnered with its new name, "the air capital of the world," in 1928.
During the '20s, the city's 16 manufacturers built more than 120 planes on a weekly basis, according to the city's visitor's bureau. Currently, Textron Aviation, which manufactures Beechcraft and Cessna aircraft, is headquartered in Wichita, as is Spirit AeroSystems – the manufacturing arm of Boeing.
Spirit AeroSystems and Textron Aviation are two of the city's largest employers.
Bombardier also has a facility in the Air Capital as does Airbus. Bombardier, with headquarters in Montreal, was the manufacturer of the aircraft that crashed Wednesday night into the Potomac.
'The history (of aircraft) goes back well over 100 years in terms of aviation,' said Ben Sauceda, president and CEO of the Aviation Museum. 'About 17%, roughly, of our workforce are involved in (aircraft) manufacturing.'
In addition, 35% of all general aviation planes built in the U.S. are delivered through Kansas, with more than 450 machine shops and aerospace subcontract manufacturers located in the greater Wichita area, according to the Greater Wichita Partnership.
In addition to many of the world's largest aerospace manufacturers, Wichita is the home of the National Institute of Aviation Research (NIAR), which is an aerospace research and development institution located on the Wichita State University campus. The Institute has a $350 million annual budget and a staff of more than 1,200, according NIAR's website.
Wichita manufacturers also work in spaceship manufacturing.
Community remembers Wichita State plane crash tragedy
Among those killed in the crash Wednesday evening were U.S. figure skaters who participated in the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita earlier that week.
Their deaths brought back sad memories for many in Wichita familiar with a similar crash decades ago.
In 1970, the Wichita State University football team was devastated after much of the team was killed when a twin-engine charter plane crashed into a Colorado mountain after taking off from the same city.
The Oct. 2, 1970, crash on Mount Trelease about 40 miles west of Denver – one of the worst tragedies in college sports history – killed 31 people, including 14 players, 14 staff members, administrators and boosters, two flight attendants and the pilot.
Eight players and the co-pilot survived.
More:D.C. plane crash brings back memories of 1970 Wichita State football tragedy
The National Transportation Safety Board blamed the crash on the pilot planning his flight poorly, which resulted in the plane being overloaded and trapped in a box canyon with no ability to reverse course or climb above the mountain ridges surrounding it on three sides.
Wichita State honors the memories of those who died each year at 9 a.m. on Oct. 2 by placing a wreath at Memorial '70, a monument bearing their names that it created for them on campus.
(This story was updated to add new information.)