RIP Kurt Budke

[C&CDean]

Bummer.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/article.aspx?subjectid=234&articleid=20111118_234_0_Aunive379629

[SoonerinSouthlake]

Bummer.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/article.aspx?subjectid=234&articleid=20111118_234_0_Aunive379629

If my job required me to get in a small prop plane. It wouldnt by my job anymore.

Sad News

[Ground_Attack]

http://www.newson6.com/story/16073779/osus-women-basketball-coach-and-assistant-killed-in-plane-crash

godspeed.

and I wasn't fast enough. Please combine with other thread.

[missann]

How terrible. Thoughts and prayers to the families.

[prrriiide]

Wow. That's awful.

It seems that OSU basketball and airplanes don't mix.

[soonerloyal]

Prayers for families, friends and for the Oklahoma State Cowboy Nation on the tragic loss of Kurt Budke and Miranda Serna and the two others. The Sooner Nation sends love, comfort and strength to you all. May God hold you gently in the palms of His loving hands.

[olevetonahill]

Sad this happened , But how in hell do you Crash a Piper PA-28 Cherokee. The dayum things will just about fly themselves

[Turd_Ferguson]

Prayers for the families. RIP.

[Mad Dog Madsen]

Horrible news... Prayers and condolences for the OSU family. :confusion:

[Turd_Ferguson]

Sad this happened , But how in hell do you Crash a Piper PA-28 Cherokee. The dayum things will just about fly themselvesWas wondering the same. I've flown the Cherokee a few times. I'm thinking catastrophic failure...

[olevetonahill]

Was wondering the same. I've flown the Cherokee a few times. I'm thinking catastrophic failure...

Had to have been. But those are some of the safest planes ever. I owned an archer . It was almost impossible to screw up flying it
Prayers to the Families But Id like to hear more about what happened .

[badger]

Sad this happened , But how in hell do you Crash a Piper PA-28 Cherokee. The dayum things will just about fly themselves

We've had some crazy high winds in Oklahoma here lately. Wonder if that impacted it at all. Might have been engine failure, who knows. :(

[Sooner in Tampa]

God Speed to the Family

[Lott's Bandana]

This guy made OSU relevant in the sport's powerhouse conference.

T&P to all their families and to the folks up north.

[olevetonahill]

We've had some crazy high winds in Oklahoma here lately. Wonder if that impacted it at all. Might have been engine failure, who knows. :(

The Wind MIGHT have been a factor On Take off or Landing But doubtful if in flight
Losing the engine you can still glide a long dayum way.
A friend of mine lost his engine about 10 miles north of Clinton still made it back to the Airport.

[Keller Sooner]

Terrible news. God bless Coach Budke, Miranda Serna and the other victims. May God provide comfort for the families, friends, and the good folks at Oklahoma State.

[delhalew]

It happened in Arkansas. Sad deal.

[Hotrod3157]

Thoughts and Prayers for all the family, friends, and the school.

[Frozen Sooner]

Sad. Condolences to OSU.

[Lott's Bandana]

The OSU football team was in the air at the same time, flying their charter to Des Moines.

[KABOOKIE]

If my job required me to get in a small prop plane. It wouldnt by my job anymore.

Sad News

That's too bad. I guess you don't drive or get out of the house much?

[Memtig14]

Prayers for him and his family.......


....and all others on the plane.

[salth2o]

I coached against Kurt for several years during the mid to late 1990's.

R.I.P. Kurt and Miranda.

[BeaSooner]

Prayers for the families. Such sad news.

[jumperstop]

That's too bad. I guess you don't drive or get out of the house much?

Some people have a thing about planes. Whether or not it's rational, the people who try to tell them driving is far more unsafe aren't really helping at all....they'll still hate flying....

[soonersweetie]

RIP all aboard the plane. My thoughts and prayers to their families and loved ones.

Very, very sad news.

[Sooners78]

Horrible news. Prayers to the families of all four.

[TheHumanAlphabet]

Prayers to the families and to OSU on this one...

[btk108]

That's too bad. I guess you don't drive or get out of the house much?


Some people have a thing about planes. Whether or not it's rational, the people who try to tell them driving is far more unsafe aren't really helping at all....they'll still hate flying....

Let's keep this thread on track people. Tragic scenario for that University. Thoughts and prayers their way.

[LVSOONER15]

Thoughts and prayers with the family.

[jumperstop]

Let's keep this thread on track people. Tragic scenario for that University. Thoughts and prayers their way.
Lets keep it on track? I'm talking about flying in a thread about a plane crash. I'm sorry for those people's family and I'm sad for all those who are sad, but honestly when I heard on the radio this morning I didn't even know who the person was until they said osu bb coach....If all I can say in this thread is "T&P to the family and osu" then you're being ridiculous....

[KABOOKIE]

Was Eddie the pilot?

[Soonerus]

RIP Kurt Budke, I hate this !!!

[marfacowboy]

Condolences to the families. That's a tragic story.
I don't fly much these days, and when I do fly, I don't fly on those small planes. They frankly scare the hell out of me.

[Soonerjeepman]

wow...yup prayers to the families and OSU...

my buddy went to HS with him...we played ball last night at 9:30 guess it hadn't hit the news yet..didn't say anything. We've talked about women's bball...his daughter played at St Thomas here in KC and I coached hs girls so we had that connection...

really sad.

[Soonerjeepman]

Was Eddie the pilot?

seriously? not cool....this is a DEATH...sports are nothing

[jumperstop]

seriously? not cool....this is a DEATH...sports are nothing
Agree, I hope he was just trying to push the buttons of the person who called us out for not staying on topic...Some people....

[EatLeadCommie]

Holy cow, this is terrible. Could happen to anybody. Prayers for their families.

[Wishboned]

Thoughts and prayers to the families, and to the OSU community.

It's unreal that this tragedy has been repeated. I can't imagine what they're feeling or going through.

[NYC Poke]

I just can't even comment on this.

[8timechamps]

Very tragic news. Thoughts and prayers going out to all the family of those involved.

RIP

[StoopTroup]

Condolenses to the oSu Family and all affected by this.

From all the accident Reports i've ever read one of the most frequent things that happen when there are problems is that the pilot forgets to keep flying the plane while he/she is trying to get things going. I of course am not implying that is what happened in this instance but so many things can happen that can take your mind off flying when something happens to your equipment. You always hope that your training kicks in and that you recover but even having to ditch one of those in a field is going to be pretty hard on everyone in the plane.

I truly hope they didn't suffer.

God Bless their Families and Friends.

[C&CDean]

Latest report says the pilot was 82 years old. From Ponca City. His wife was the other person in the plane.

[olevetonahill]

Latest report says the pilot was 82 years old. From Ponca City. His wife was the other person in the plane.

Former State Senator Olin Branstetter, and His wife

http://www.koco.com/r/29804505/detail.html

[StoopTroup]

Former State Senator Olin Branstetter, and His wife

http://www.koco.com/r/29804505/detail.html

Thanks Vet. He was highly experienced. Hopefully they will know more about what happened.

[lubbocksooner]

Was wondering the same. I've flown the Cherokee a few times. I'm thinking catastrophic failure...

Or something went dreadfully wrong with the pilot. Either way a tough day for Oklahoma and both OU and OSU. Something like this affects everyone in the university family.

[StoopTroup]

Or something went dreadfully wrong with the pilot. Either way a tough day for Oklahoma and both OU and OSU. Something like this affects everyone in the university family.

When I saw he was 82...I thought the same thing. If his Wife had flown as much as she seemed to have with him....I'd have to think that she would have been able to at least take over flying a bit if he had fallen ill. I know lots of folks like them that fly as a couple and the Wives I know...many of them have a license or at the very least learn enough to take the controls over time.

[Williesan]

All of my OSU fan firends/co-workers are stunned by the accident. Our thoughts and prayers should be with the families of those who perished and with those whose lives they influenced and the entire OSU family.

As for winds - I couldn't tell you if they were a factor. But they were pretty rough at lower altitudes everywhere yesterday - even landing in Tulsa was a bit bumpy. Even with no experience behind the yokes, I know that smaller planes don't achieve higher altitudes. Definietely a mystery until the reports come back from the FAA.

[GrapevineSooner]

Terrible news.

The fact the plane crash from 2001 is still relatively fresh in everybody's memories is going to make this even more difficult for our friends in Stillwater to deal with.

RIP to all the victims and those associated with Oklahoma State University and it's athletics department.

[SoonerinLex]

They were both experienced pilots. They were the first family to fly over the North Pole.
http://www.kjrh.com/dpp/news/state/branstetters-had-a-love-of-aviation,-osu

[Fraggle145]

Sad deal. :(

[OU GENO]

Thoughts and Prayers for all the family, friends, and the school. Yes

[blacktop]

Tremendous loss for OSU and the families. My prayers are with you and for all impacted.

[picasso]

Sad sad stuff. I can't imagine the oSu girls team being assembled this morning and told of the news.

[soonergirlNeugene]

Condolences to our friends in Stillwater.

[vtsooner21]

Prayers go out to all of the victims, families, and friends...

Boomer

[StoopTroup]

They were both experienced pilots. They were the first family to fly over the North Pole.
http://www.kjrh.com/dpp/news/state/branstetters-had-a-love-of-aviation,-osu

Incredible Folks.

Looks like it leads more towards Catastrophic Failure IMO.

[lubbocksooner]

Incredible Folks.

Looks like it leads more towards Catastrophic Failure IMO.

Sounds like it, and with what sounds like wooded area around, winds and depending on the time maybe not much moonlight (doesn't come up until midnight) it would have been tough conditions to find a safe spot even if the plane was gliding fine. I have a good friend who flies a similar plane kind of brings home what can happen even to the best.

[badger]

More info on all the crash victims here (http://www.tulsaworld.com/webextra/continuingcoverage/default.aspx/OSU_plane_tragedy_claims_four_lives/40)

Sorry if someone already put this up here:

FbOc2Q18r-4

[badger]

Also, for those of you that don't follow womens basketball as much as me, I'll try to give a eulogy of sorts:

Kurt Budke is the reason why OU womens basketball fans must now fear an OSU upset much like mens basketball and football fans, regardless of team rankings, records or game location. OU can be a Final Four team and still lose to OSU thanks to Kurt Budke.

Before Coach Budke arrived, there was a running joke with OSU womens basketball: They were not goodenough. This lame joke stemmed from Budke's predecessor's name, Coach Goodenough. She was fired, creating the opportunity for OSU to hire Budke.

I attended an OU-OSU game in Stillwater in the last year that wasn't goodenough. GIA was a ghost town with blindly bright orange seats everywhere. The few OSU fans in attendance (mostly a student pep band) were soooo angry that one busload of us from Norman would out-shout and outnumber them at their home court... and of course we won that game. Because OSU wasn't goodenough.

A few years after Budke arrived, GIA set the record for the highest attended womens sporting event in state history, beating out any of our LNC games, thanks to GIA's larger capacity, but also thanks to the greatest (at least in recent history) player that OSU womens basketball ever recruited: Andrea Riley.

Riley drove OU fans like me nuts. She was a ball hog and deservedly so: She was their best player, their best scorer, their team leader. The fact that Budke had her at OSU drove the entire rest of the Big 12 crazy, because dang it, OSU was supposed to be an easy win on the schedule, in the Big 12 tourney, wherever. Now, we're gonna actually have to do more than sleep walk in Stilly????

While Riley has since left and OSU is no longer a Big 12 contender, they were likely on the verge of getting their next Riley, thanks to Budke being more than good enough to compete in the best womens basketball conference in the country and to another thing: new facilities. Every Big 12 program now has to worry about a star recruit visiting Stillwater, because not only will they get a great sales pitch from Coach Budke, but also see facilities that are some of the best in the country.

So, Coach Budke, there's this begrudging level of respect that Big 12 rivals have for you and your program, because you took an absolutely awful easy-win team and turned them into winners.

As ex-OSU coach Lester would say paraphrased slightly, :les: let you RIP! (rest in peace)

[soonerloyal]

Also killed in the crash were OSU alumni and supporters Olin and Paula Branstetter of Ponca City. Mr. Branstetter, a former state senator, was the pilot. "We also extend our thoughts and prayers to the Branstetter family, which has a long legacy of support to OSU," said OSU President Burns Hargis.

Thoughts and prayers for all who love the Branstetters are also humbly offered. Lord, bless and comfort those who are in pain at the losses. The Sooner Nation embraces those proudly wearing the world's brightest orange in this time of grief.

[PLaw]

Very sad. What a sad year for the Great State.

Thoughts and prayers to the Oklahoma State University family.

Boomer

[CowboyMRW]

Very sad day indeed. OSU family appreciates all the thoughts and prayers from the Sooner Nation.

[badger]

Sherri gave a touching tribute to Budke before the team left for New Mexico:

Link (http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/sportspost.aspx?Sherri_Coale_shares_her_memories_o f_Kurt_Budke_/12-13263)

[Piware]

I was stunned when it came on the morning news. How tragic for everyone involved. Sincere condolences and prayers for the families.

[SunnySooner]

Just heartbreaking, prayers for their friends and families. We've lost so many great Oklahomans this year, which is a true tragedy, because after living all over the world, I can testify that if there's anything the world needs MORE, not LESS of, it's Okies. God bless.

[AlboSooner]

Budke was a good person. RIP

[VA Sooner]

Very, very sad news.

My thoughts and prayers to the families and friends.

[CowboyMRW]

Westboro is planning to picket this service, so if I don't post anymore it's probably because I'm in jail.

[goingoneight]

Westboro does a lot of messed up things, but they're messing with a gigantic fanbase when they mess with sports-related tragedies. There's ALWAYS a loose screw in a fanbase. I have no feelings of remorse if this is the last straw for that so-called "church."

RIP Budke. Great man, and great coach. To put OSU even temporarily on a level he did is a heck of an accomplishment and a sign that he was loved and respected in itself. To the others, RIP as well. To the friends, family and OSU fanbase, our hearts continue to be heavy for you all. Pick on eachother as we might, we're all Oklahomans when it comes to things like this.

[CowboyMRW]

For Bedlam there should definitely be a moment of silence for the 4 killed in the crash, Box, and Everage. It's a sad year for Oklahomans

[StoopTroup]

Westboro is planning to picket this service, so if I don't post anymore it's probably because I'm in jail. Let us know...we will set up a bail Fund for you

[8timechamps]

If you didn't get a chance to watch the OSU/ISU game tonight, there was something reported before the game that I want to share:

Gundy told all of his players before the game that they shouldn't use something as tragic as this to motivate them for football, because football is nothing compared to life and death. I've always liked Gundy, and my respect level continues to increase. It's a very sad time for the friends, family members, etc., and I'm sure Gundy knew them both personally.

A lot of class in Stillwater, and I genuinely hate this for them. And I agree MRW, I would hope for a moment of silence to remember them all.