Mississippi State team plane makes emergency landing after losing engine
The Mississippi State men's basketball team plane was forced to make an emergency landing in Missouri Saturday night after its twin-engine plane lost power in one of its engines, according to an ESPN report.
Bulldogs head coach Rick Ray heard a popping noise and observed smoke in the back of the plane, which immediately drifted left, he said in an interview with ESPN.
"The pilots did a really good job, smooth landing," Ray continued. "We've got a couple of people who don't enjoy flying in the first place, so that wasn't a good experience for them."
The plane landed in St. Louis, and the team spent the night in nearby Festus, Mo., roughly 45 miles south.
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Most of the Bulldogs players were asleep when the engine failure occurred, Ray said. The team was returning from a 77-74 victory over Missouri earlier in the day.
Saturday was a harrowing day for air travel in the world of college basketball.
Upon returning home from a game against USC, the Oregon State men's basketball team's plane was delayed after a scorpion on board the aircraft strung a female passenger sitting near Beavers head coach Wayne Tinkle.
Mississippi State completed a six hour journey from Missouri back to Starkville, Miss., on Sunday.
- Will Green
