The National Transportation Safety Board issued a report on the multi-vehicle crash that killed three and injured 37.
The crash occurred at 4:01 p.m. Nov. 19, 2021, in the eastbound lanes of Interstate 20 near Big Spring.
A 2016 Ford F-350 pickup truck traveling the wrong way (westbound) in the eastbound lanes near mile marker 179 struck a 2005 MCI motorcoach nearly head-on. The Ford was occupied only by its driver. The motorcoach was occupied by the driver, two adults, and 37 high school students.
The 2005 MCI motorcoach was the lead vehicle in a caravan of three buses owned and operated by the Andrews Independent School District and had been traveling to a high school football game in a neighboring town.
As a result of the collision, the 59-year-old driver of the Ford died. The 69-year-old motorcoach driver and an adult occupant died, one adult and 36 students sustained injuries, and one student was not injured. After the initial impact, the Ford was pushed backward and sideswiped a 2018 Freightliner bus, the second bus in the caravan, which sustained minor damage; no bus occupants were injured, the NTSB report said.
The third motorcoach in the caravan was not involved in the crash. After the collision, the 2005 MCI motorcoach traveled into the median and struck the cable barrier before coming to rest. The 2016 Ford came to rest in the right lane of eastbound Interstate 20 and was destroyed in a post-crash fire, the report said.
At the crash location, Interstate 20 consisted of two travel lanes in each direction, which were separated by a median and a cable barrier. The posted speed limit was 75 mph. Conditions (road and weather) were dry, the report detailed.
All aspects of the crash remain under investigation while the National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause, with the intent of issuing safety recommendations to prevent similar events in the future. The NTSB is working alongside the Texas Department of Public Safety, which is conducting a separate, parallel crash investigation. The Texas Department of Transportation is also a party to the investigation.
Any updates to the accident information will be added as the investigation continues. An NTSB investigation, typically takes about 12-14 months to complete, a spokesman said in an email.
