I like workers. There was no communication from the flight, prompting F-16 jets to be scrambled to the wayward aircraft. Alan Kulwicki, 38: The NASCAR driver died in an airplane crash April 1, 1993, when the plane he was in crashed while trying to land in Blountville, Tenn. Kulwicki was the 1992 NASCAR champion. These are some of the notable celebrities who have died in aircraft disasters over the years: The 50-year-old was one half of the country music duo Montgomery Gentry. She was alone in the rain forest for 11 days before she was found. According to The New York Times, the songstress and eight others boarded a small plane from the Bahamas' Abaco Islands after they wrapped up the music video for "Rock The Boat." The three had just finished a gig in Clear Lake, Iowa, and were headed to their next concert in Minnesota when their chartered Beechcraft Bonanza encountered bad weather and crashed into a frozen corn field. These include choosing a middle seat in the back rows, bracing for impact, and wearing tight-fitting clothing. Following the deaths of Joe and Gwen Lara in a May 2021 small plane crash, see the other famous names who were lost too soon in plane and helicopter accidents. The pilot and copilot survived but were badly burned; the other seven aboard were killed. The NTSB was unable to determine who was flying the plane when it smacked into the north side of a condo complex on E. 72 Street. (The opening band for Redding in Madison that night was to be a local outfit called the Grim Reapers, featuring future Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen.) You remember the few cases where it happened and forget the many, many cases where it didn't. If there is any actual data that shows celebrities die more often in plane crashes than ordinary folks--and I'd have to see that to believe it--then it would be the obvious fact that celebrities have to travel by plane WAY more often than your average mope. Why do so many famous people die in small airplane crashes? Is this a There seems to be quite a bit of evidence to suggest that the number of famous people who die in small plane crashes seems to be a bit higher than average. The plane was overloaded with supplies by 4,200 lbs. List Of Famous People Who Died In Plane Crash I represent the poor people. Pelle Lindbergh, 26: The Philadelphia Flyers goalie died Nov. 11, 1985, after he lost control of his car and struck a wall. Holly was 22. According to People, the group departed on Kennedy's plane from New Jersey and were headed to Martha's Vineyard Airport in Massachusetts when, at around 9:40 p.m., the aircraft crashed into the ocean. Right IconThis ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet. Denver (born John Henry Deutschendorf Jr.) had been flying a Rutan Long-EZ on the Pacific Coast near Pacific Grove, California, when the airplane plunged into the ocean. After his death, Croce's song "Time in a Bottle" reached the No. According to the aircraft's accident report, the plane was flying out from Greenville, South Carolina, and was bound for Baton Rouge, Louisiana, when it crashed into a wooded area of Gillsburg, Mississippi. After the plane encountered intense levels of turbulence, it fell nose-first in a ravine in the Cvennes Mountains. Along the way, however, his plane disappeared over the English Channel. Twenty-one people were injured, including an apartment resident who was severely burned when her home was engulfed in flames by the plane's impact. Marciano retired in 1956 with a 49-0 record. Describing the action,Plane and Pilotreported that instead of starting the autorotation below the runway, the pilot cut the engine too soon over a wooded area. A search began, and eventually, on July 19, what was left of the plane was found in the Atlantic; all three bodies were found on July 21. Many of these famous people who died in plane crashes were taken too soon and had a promising career and life in front of them. Work overload. They disbanded after the crash, but various reincarnations of the group have formed in the years since, sometimes with original members and their relatives. He had been traveling to Chicago after performing in East Troy, Wisconsin, with Eric Clapton. She still has seat belt marks on her legs. Jennings had given up his plane seat to the Big Bopper, who had the flu and complained the tour bus was too cold and uncomfortable for his large size. HistoryNet.com contains daily features, photo galleries and over 25,000 articles originally published in our nine magazines. Plane Crash Carrying Coworkers Identified: 'They Were Valuable Members of Our Team', Officials Say Plane Broke Apart Before Crash that Killed 5, Including New Dad of 1-Month-Old Baby, All About Gwen Shamblin Lara, the Late Diet Guru and Religious Leader, Pilot, 46, Killed in Medical Plane Crash Was a Proud 'Girl Dad' to 3 Daughters and Loved Giving Back, Pilot Thought Instructor Was 'Just Pretending' When He Had Died Mid-Takeoff, Paying Tribute to the Celebrities Who Have Died in 2023, Man, 81, Survived Being Trapped in Calif. Cline was 30. The world mourned the loss of a sports icon when Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash on January 26, 2020, in Calabasas, California. Unfortunately, the aircraft went down too fast and began hitting the tops of trees until it eventually crashed and shattered into pieces. It eventually went down in a field in South Dakota. Aailyah had released three best-selling albums at the time of her death and was married briefly (and illegally) to her mentor, rapper and producer R. Kelly, at the age of 15. Some of these injuries might include disintegration, dismemberment, and detachment of the skin. Lidle was 34 years old. The crash killed lead vocalist Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, singer Cassie Gaines, assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, and the plane's pilot and co-pilot. The plane's wreckage was found near Iturbide, Mexico. The safety rules on these planes are more lax (electronics use, seat belt use, partying, etc) which can lead to destabilization of the plane when absolute control is necessary (I don't know enough about avionics to determine if this could actually have an effect, but a bunch of rock stars partying with strippers in the back of a small plane must have some impact on the pilot's ability to fly the plane). Clemente, who was active in charity work, had sponsored emergency relief flights to the Nicaraguan capital city of Managua after a massive earthquake devastated the region. Rock Stars and Bands Killed in Airplane Crashes, Celebrities Who Died in Helicopter Crashes, The Greatest Singers of the Past 30 Years, The Greatest Baseball Players Of All Time, The Best Players in the Baseball Hall of Fame. SingerTroy Gentry and Eddie Montgomery made up the country music duo Montgomery Gentry and scored numerous hits like "If You Ever Stop Loving Me," "Something to be Proud Of," and "Roll with Me." According to the National Transportation Safety Board's accident report, Osbourne's tour bus driver Andrew Aycock stole an aircraft while the band was in Leesburg, Florida, for a joyride on March 19, 1982. The number of fatal plane crashes had dropped significantly in the last few decades, and even more so with the 2020 pandemic, due to a decrease in international travel (via HuffPost). Famous People Who Died in Plane Crashes and Car Accidents He was the National League most valuable player in 1966 and won two World Series titles with the Pirates. There have been many fatal flights that took the lives of some of the world's most famous celebrities and public. Surviving band members suffered serious injuries and years of rehabilitation. Thurman Munson, 32: The Yankees catcher died Aug. 2, 1979, when his plane crashed while he was practicing takeoffs and landings. From plane malfunctions to severe weather conditions to pilot error, these incidents show that tragedy can strike at any moment and with anyone, famous or not. The very thought of something going wrong mid-air and the plane plunging down to the earth is enough to make some people develop a real fear of flying. Air Force and National Guard jets intercepted the Learjet and reported its windows were fogged or frozen and there was no sign of life. Aviation accidents have been the cause of many famous fatalities (see the list Famous People who Died in Plane Crashes ). Best known for his throwback style in modern golf, Stewart was on board a Learjet that departed Florida for Texas on Oct. 25, 1999. If the crash is sudden, a passenger would only be conscious for a moment or two. A look at some of them: Nick Adenhart, 22: The Angels right-hander was killed April 9, 2009, when his car was struck by a drunk driver only hours after pitching for the team. A private plane claimed another life when the famous baseball pitcher Roy Halladay, age 40, died in a plane crash in the Gulf of Mexico today (Nov. 7), according to news sources. Capt. According to The New York Times, the baseball star's life was cut short when he boarded a plane bound for Nicaragua to deliver supplies to those affected by an earthquake in 1972. Because celebrities and sports figures are likely to travel frequently and have private aircraft . One of the most shocking plane crash incidents was the one that led to the deaths of rock and roll musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson in 1959. Looking Forward to Racing Again After Plane Crash, Award-Winning TV Anchor Dies in Plane Crash While Covering Story on Pilot, Singer Gabriel Diniz Dies in Plane Crash En Route to Girlfriend's Birthday: Reports, See Doomed Helicopter Take Flight Moments Before Crashing in NYC River. What new music would artists like soul singer Amy Winehouse and rapper Mac Miller release if they didn't die before 30? This is a list of notable human fatalities resulting from aviation accidents and incidents. Immortalized by Don McLeans song American Pie as The Day the Music Died, the crash of a Beechcraft Bonanza on February 3, 1959, took the lives of 22-year-old Buddy Holly (Peggy Sue), Ritchie Valens (17) and J.P. Richardson (The Big Bopper, who was 28). About 20 minutes after they left Dyersburg Regional Airport, the aircraft crashed. Before his death, Clemente was a two-time World Series champion and was named the World Series MVPfollowing the team's second World Series win against the Baltimore Orioles in 1971. Unfortunately, plane crashes are much more common than we like to admit. Fallen stars: celebrities who perished in air crashes - MSN In 1944, the ber-popular bandleader and musician was traveling from England to France to give a performance for the troops that had just liberated Paris from Nazi occupation. All Rights Reserved. As soon as the helicopter took off, the pilot reported engine problems and decided to perform an autorotation. Sadly, there were two other up-and-coming stars with Holly on board the plane. The National Transportation Safety Board later ruled pilot error caused an "uncontrolled descent" that killed Gentry and pilot James Robinson, 30. In addition, the pilot had severe coronary artery disease, with The Montreal Gazette stating that lawyers for the pilot believed he suffered a heart attack, which Croce's wife and family disputed. Twenty others, however, survived the crash. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. 'If I Leave Here Tomorrow:' Musicians Who Died In Plane Crashes Brown was a first-team All-Pro twice. According to History,Aerosmith was considering using the plane for themselves that same year, but it was believed to be unfit after an inspection of the crew. Authorities blamed terrible weather for the crash. 10 Lucky Celebrities Who Escaped Disaster - Smithsonian Magazine Archived post. He was only 22 years old when he died, but Holly left behind a lasting legacy, best known for songs like "Peggy Sue" and "Oh Boy!" The hard-driving music mogul had gone to the concert to secure Lewis' participation in a benefit for victims of the massive Oakland Hills fire in 1991. The people who fly in private jets are typically famous people, so when a private plane crashes there is a higher probability that one of the passengers will be famous (although this is interesting because there are far more private jets that transport corporate people like my dad and myself and their crash rate is significantly lower, so there It's important to remember that statistically, traveling by plane is safer than other modes of transportation, like driving or cycling. Learning How We Die In A Plane Crash Helped Me Overcome My - HuffPost Pilot error was the likely cause, the flight agency determined. Flawed decision making. She was told she would never walk again but beat the odds. As horrifying as this sounds, the suffering for those who die in plane crashes is astonishingly minimal. 1 spot on the Billboard charts, making it his second and last No. The helicopter had departed from the Alpine Valley Music Theater for a flight to Chicagos Midway Airport following Vaughans concert appearance with Eric Clapton and others. He never arrived. According to History, Clemente was known for helping underprivileged youth, especially in his homeland of Puerto Rico, offering baseball clinics and teaching children more than just the rules of the game. All three people died on the plane. Investigators later determined that low fuel, a hard-to-reach handle to switch gas tanks and modifications Denver made to his small plane likely contributed to his crash. According to Billboard, a posthumous album featuring artists like Drake and Chris Brown was coming out in January 2022. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. The country music legend, who was famed for her hits "Walkin' After Midnight" and "Crazy," died while on board a private plane belonging to her manager on March 5, 1963, in Tennessee. Just before the crash, she had completed a concert. Country music star Patsy Cline was aboard a small plane bound for Nashville, Tennessee, after a performance in Kansas City, Kansas, when it crashed in a wooded area on March 5, 1963. He was 30. Patsy Cline's Final Flight - HistoryNet According toInsider, there are several ways to increase your chance of surviving if a plane crash does occur. After taking off from Dyersburg, Tennessee, into rain, clouds and darkening skies, the airplane crashed to earth in the countryside about 75 miles west of Nashville. One says a British bomber returning home after bad weather had obscured its target jettisoned its bomb load and accidentally blew the Norseman out of the air; another speculated that the Norsemans wings had iced over, causing the airplane to plunge into the Channel. Jerome Brown, 27: The Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle died on June 25, 1992, when his car crashed into a utility pole. Payne Stewart, 42: The golfer was killed in a plane crash Oct. 25, 1999, when the aircraft failed to pressurize.