The future First Lady was just two years old in 1887 when she and her parents started on an Atlantic crossing aboard the White Star liner Britannic. His co-pilot was 21 and allegedly not licensed to fly outside the U.S. Powell shared, "It felt like being in a solid steel garbage can rolling down a hill, hit with a hundred baseball bats, head, body, ankles, you name it." Halladay an . 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. The singer, known for hits like Four Walls, took off from Batesville, Arkansas, on July 31, 1964, for a flight to Nashville. According to the Los Angeles Times, the "Basta Ya" songstress had given what would be her final performance atArena Monterrey when she boarded her plane at around 3 a.m. with her team, which included a makeup artist, hair stylist, her lawyer, and a publicist. His only passenger was his manager, Dean Manuel. 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. 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. Drazen Petrovic, 28: The European basketball great who was a rising star in the NBA died June 7, 1993, when the car he was riding in crashed into a truck on Germanys Autobahn. Allison won 19 races, including the 1992 Daytona 500. killed in a crash of a Piper Comanche in 1963, https://www.historynet.com/musicians-who-died-in-plane-crashes/, Jerrie Mock: Record-Breaking American Female Pilot, All the Light We Cannot See Trailer Wows Without A Word, This A-List Actor Used His Celebrity to Promote Aviation. When their plane didn't arrive on time, it was reported missing. On Feb. 3, 1959, Holly was killed in a plane crash in Clear Lake, Iowa, just a few miles away from the airport, along with fellow musicians Ritchie Valens and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson. However, as of this writing, it has not been released. Jose Fernandez, 24: The Miami Marlins pitcher died Sept. 25, 2016, when the boat he was in struck a jetty in Miami Beach. Joshua Sanders of Rutherford County Fire Rescue said in a news conference that authorities initially conducted searches at the crash scene by boat and in shallow water, and later performed dive operations, according to ABC News. Privacy Policy. Everyone on the aircraft died in the crash. 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. The 22-year-old R&B artist died after her plane went down after takeoff on Aug. 25, 2001. Best known for his throwback style in modern golf, Stewart was on board a Learjet that departed Florida for Texas on Oct. 25, 1999. Musician Denver who, ironically, sang the tune "Leaving on a Jet Plane" was also a pilot who had ample experience in the air. Gentry was 50 years old. 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. According to the National Safety Council, commercial air travel is one of the safest modes of transportation. Tim Crews, 31: Cleveland Indians pitcher, who had pitched for the Dodgers the previous season, was killed March 23, 1993, when the boat he was in collided with a dock in Clermont, Fla. Teammate Steve Olin was also killed in the accident. Soul legend Otis Redding's classic song "(Sittin' On) the Dock of the Bay" became a massive success upon its release in 1968 and would become Redding'sfirst number-one hit. The accident happened when Aycock, whose pilots license had expired, attempted to buzz Osbournes tour bus, clipped a wing on the bus, and crashed into Calhouns house. These celebrities were known in different fields such as music, science and acting.. The group was heading to Texas for a performance with deputy Walter Braxton stating, "It was a single-engine plane, I believe. 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). Rivera and six others were in a Learjet that departed Monterrey, Mexico. The journey ended up being more treacherous than expected. It's important to remember that statistically, traveling by plane is safer than other modes of transportation, like driving or cycling. Because celebrities and sports figures are likely to travel frequently and have private aircraft . The plane's wreckage was found near Iturbide, Mexico. Redding and his band were just miles from the airport, en route from a series of performances in Cleveland. Both Miller and the plane were never found. The date of the musicians' deaths has been dubbed "the day music died.". He scored the tying touchdown in the San Diego Chargers-New York Giants Snowball Game at the Meadowlands in 1995. The NTSB later determined the probable cause of the crash was pilot error and that Kennedy may have become disoriented while flying over water at night. Gentry, who was one half of the country duo Montgomery Gentry, died in a helicopter crash in Medford, New Jersey, on Sept. 8, 2017. He died early in the morning of August 27, 1990, in the crash of a Bell 206B JetRanger helicopter outside Elkhorn, Wisconsin. Celebrities who died in a plane crash. He had achieved chart success with Bad, Bad Leroy Brown and other songs and was working on a third album. ), At Willie Nelson 90, country, rock and rap stars pay tribute, but Willie and Trigger steal the show, Concertgoer lets out a loud full body orgasm while L.A. Phil plays Tchaikovskys 5th, Dodgers dont need the long ball to finish sweep of Cardinals, Lakers vs. Warriors: What scouts expect in playoff series, School is in session as Sparks begin training camp, The Times final regular-season top 25 baseball rankings. The pilot was also killed in the crash. Koepcke's mother's body was later discovered. The 80-year-old actor noted his . 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. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. The accident investigators blamed pilot error. She had completed a music video shoot on the islands. What celebrities have died in a car crash? - SoapTown USA 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. Country singer Jim Reeves, 40, died in a crash similar to Clines, except in this case Reeves was flying his own airplane. He was the National League most valuable player in 1966 and won two World Series titles with the Pirates. Bryant was known for using his helicopter as a commuting vehicle from his home in Newport Beach to Lakers games at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles. But the crash says as much about the times in which it occurred as the circumstances surrounding it. One half of the country music group Montgomery Gentry, 50-year-old Troy Gentry, was killed in New Jersey during an emergency helicopter landing. Jenni Rivera. BenCauley, a trumpeter for the Bar-Kays was the only survivor. 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. Lead singer Ronnie Van Zant (29), guitarist Steve Gaines (28) and backup singer Cassie Gaines (29) were killed, as was an assistant road manager and the pilot and copilot. He had been traveling to Chicago after performing in East Troy, Wisconsin, with Eric Clapton. Why do so many celebrities died in plane crashes? Aaliyah's life was taken too soon when she was killed in a plane crash on August 25, 2001. It took 42 hours to locate the wreckage in a search that included country stars Marty Robbins and Ernest Tubb. However, an explosion would mean a death that was rapid and pain-free. Payne Stewart, 42: The golfer was killed in a plane crash Oct. 25, 1999, when the aircraft failed to pressurize. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Zobayan lost his sense of direction due to spatial disorientation, a phenomenon in aviation that is commonly referred to as "the leans," and crashed into the side of a hill. According to Billboard, a posthumous album featuring artists like Drake and Chris Brown was coming out in January 2022. Pilot error was the most likely cause of the crash. 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). The pilot and copilot survived but were badly burned; the other seven aboard were killed. Right IconThis ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet. All three had completed a concert in nearby Clear Lake, Iowa. Cline was on her way back to her home in Nashville, Tennessee, after performing in Kansas City, Kansas. The 40-year-old's body was found in 6 feet of water, and FAA officials said the athlete had not filed a flight plan. Kobe Bryant joins a list of athletes who died young in vehicle or aviation accidents. 'If I Leave Here Tomorrow:' Musicians Who Died In Plane Crashes Cory Lidle, 34: The New York Yankees pitcher was killed Oct. 11, 2006, when his plane crashed into an apartment building in New York. 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. Misinterpreting data. He was 53. 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. And when its a celebrity who dies in a plane crash, the entire world is plunged into shock and grief. Kennedy acquired his pilot's license a year before. 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. According to PBS, the chances of an average American dying in a plane crash are 1 in 11 million. 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. Rivera, then 43, was killed in a plane crash shortly after takeoff on Dec. 9, 2012. 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. The number of times famous people use private jets per year is statistically higher than the average user of private jets , increasing their likelihood of dying in a plane crash. EDIT: http://abcnews.go.com/ABC_Univision/Entertainment/banda-supestar-jenni-rivera-dies-plane-crash/story?id=17919621#.UMZTHIPedNo, http://abcnews.go.com/ABC_Univision/Entertainment/banda-supestar-jenni-rivera-dies-plane-crash/story?id=17919621#.UMZTHIPedNo. Kobe's wife, Vanessa Bryant, later sued Los Angeles County for emotional distress over claims that police and firefighters on the scene had taken photographs of the wreckage, including photos of the remains of Kobe and their daughter, and had shared them. Per Ranker, 95% of people who crash while on a plane survive. The exact cause of the crash remains undetermined, but the Beechcraft may have been experiencing engine problems. Answer (1 of 7): There are at least three reasons why famous people are more likely to die in flight, and one reason why there are not as much more likely as you might think they are. Christian diet guru Gwen Lara, her actor husband Joe and five others were killed on May 29, 2021, after their private jet crashed into a Tennessee lake near Nashville, according to multiple reports. With hectic schedules and numerous professional commitments, famous people from all walks of life are required to fly regularly. After Lewis agreed, Graham hopped back on the helicopter to return to his Bay Area home. King World Productions Inc. 2023 Inside Edition Inc. and CBS interactive Inc., Paramount companies. Singer Patsy Cline, who was killed in a crash of a Piper Comanche in 1963 (from the Autumn 2022 issue of Aviation History), was neither the first nor the last popular musician to die in an airplane crash. Of the seven passengers, the only survivor was 20-year-old Ben Cauley, one of the musicians. The NTSB also said the 53-year-old singer didn't have a valid pilot's license because it had been revoked over a previous drunken driving conviction. Moreover, the human body is not designed to withstand high deceleration forces (via HuffPost), which is why the body suffers such brutal injuries that cause a swift death. Stewart was a three-time major champion, winning the PGA Championship in 1989, and the U.S. Open in 1991 and 1999. Six members of the legendary Southern rock band, including frontman Ronnie Van Zant, died when their decades-old leased plane plowed into the swamps of Mississippi after running out of fuel. 82. List of Musicians & Singers Who Died in Plane Crashes - Ranker According to the documentary"The Real Patsy Cline,""Because [Hughes] was not an instrumented-rated pilot and relied on only on visual contact with the ground, he was unable to navigate through the dense storm clouds." The flight flew out of Greenville, South Carolina, en route to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, when it crashed near Gillsburg, Mississippi. But the badly overloaded DC-7 cargo plane crashed because of engine failure immediately after takeoff. and crashed off the coast of Puerto Rico just after it took off. Rivera and six others were in a Learjet that departed Monterrey, Mexico. Lidle was 34 years old. The popular swing-era bandleader disappeared over the English Channel on December 15, 1944, while a passenger on a single-engine UC-64-A Norseman. The airplane took off from Twinwood Airfield, about 50 miles north of London, en route to Paris, where Major Miller, 40, was going to make arrangements to bring his Army band to the continent to entertain American troops. Celebrities who died in a plane crash - YouTube The singer behind "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" was on board a chartered Beechcraft aircraft when it crashed into a tree on take off in Natchitoches, Louisiana, on Sept. 20 1973. Sadly, there were two other up-and-coming stars with Holly on board the plane. Who is the most famous person who died in a plane crash? Bad weather had been making the trip difficult and forced several stops along the way. Even though parts of the crashed plane were found in the waters off Nicaragua, Clemente's body was never recovered. The Texas-born Vaughan was leaving a concert in East Troy, Wisconsin, on board a helicopter when it slammed into the side of a ski hill on August 27, 1990. Why do so many famous people die in small airplane crashes? Is this a Petrovic had just led the New Jersey Nets to the playoffs, averaging a career-high 22.3 points. One of John F. Kennedy Jr. and his wife Carolyn Bessett-Kennedy's last public appearances occurred at the White House Correspondents dinner, in May 1999. Drug and alcohol overdoses were among the most common causes of death, which comes as no surprise given that the average rock star has access to an illicit pharmacy whenever he or she seeks it out.. Nine people boarded a twin-engine Cessna 402B at the Marsh Harbour Airport, headed for Opa-locka Airport in Florida. However, if the plane crash proves fatal for those on board, the bodies are grievously injured along the way so much so, that it makes cataloging the injuries incredibly difficult, according to the Journal of Forensic Science (posted at the National Library of Medicine). More likely than not, the victim wouldn't feel a thing or perhaps even realize what is happening. After shooting a music video, she and eight other people had boarded the chartered Cessna for a flight from the Bahamas to Florida. The plane nose-dived shortly after take-off and exploded, about 200 feet from the end of the runway. Celebrities Who Died In Plane Crashes - Nicki Swift Waylon Jennings, then a member of Hollys band, gave up his seat to Richardson, who was sick. As perThe Washington Post, the National Transportation Safety Board reported that the crash was due to pilot error and bad weather, stating that the plane went down because of Kennedy's "failure to maintain control of the airplane during a descent over water at night, which was a result of spatial disorientation.". His legend wasnt supposed to end this way, Dodgers vs. Philadelphia Phillies: How to watch, start times and betting odds, Elliott: Pissed off Kings must improve in key areas to break Oilers playoff stranglehold, Shohei Ohtanis seventh home run of the season helps Angels avoid sweep, Florida Panthers upset record-setting Boston Bruins in Game 7 OT thriller. He was the only person inside the airplane when it crashed. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Federal investigators look for answers in Kobe Bryant helicopter crash, Plaschke: How can Kobe Bryant be gone? Aaliyah - Aug. 25, 2001. Was frontman for the band Lynyrd Skynyrd. These include choosing a middle seat in the back rows, bracing for impact, and wearing tight-fitting clothing. Halladay won two Cy Young awards, pitched a perfect game and, in the postseason, pitched a no-hitter. Now for some of the non statistical potential explanations: The quality of pilots for these famous people is lower, The pilots are forced to fly through worse weather conditions that the average private jet would be required to so that these famous people can keep their schedule (assuming of course that they force the pilots to fly through worse conditions more than a corporate person would). 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. Some of these injuries might include disintegration, dismemberment, and detachment of the skin. In comparison, it's much more common to die in a car crash (1 in 5,000) or even from drowning. This Is What Really Happens To Your Body If You Die In A Plane Crash Theories abound about what happened. He was the AL MVP in 1976 and was a key member of two Yankees World Series title teams. Twenty others, however, survived the crash. Notable celebrities who died in aircraft incidents - ABC13 Houston 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. On top of that, Aaliyah showcased her acting chops in "Romeo Must Die.". Reeves was 39 years old. A pitcher for the New York Yankees, Lidle died after his plane crashed into a New York City apartment building on Oct. 11, 2006. 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. Bandmember Steve Gaines and backup singer Cassie Gaines also died in the crash, along with three others; the other 20 people on board survived. A look at some of them: Nick Adenhart, 22: The Angels right-hander was killed April . She was alone in the rain forest for 11 days before she was found. Ron Wolfson/WireImage for Bragman Nyman Cafarelli, JOHN F. KENNEDY JR. & CAROLYN BESSETTE-KENNEDY, Dave Allocca/DMI/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty, Plane Crash That Killed Christian Diet Guru Gwen Shamblin Caused By 'Spatial Disorientation' of Pilot Husband, Pilot and Pregnant Wife Found Dead After Plane Crash in Australia: 'Just Tragic for the Family', Peter Frampton Makes Rare Appearance at 2023 CMT Awards to Honor Lynyrd Skynyrd's Gary Rossington, 2 Planes Fall Out of the Sky Killing Hundreds and New Documentary Investigates How, Mom and Daughter Booked Flight on Groupon for 'Beautiful Day' Together Before Deadly Plane Crash, Father of 7 Sent Wife a Message Before He and Pilot Died in N.Y. A day into the voyage . Roy Halladay, 40: The retired pitcher was killed Nov. 7, 2017, when the aircraft he was piloting crashed into the Gulf of Mexico. The famed pop singer of hits such as "Rocky Mountain High" died when he plowed his private plane into California's Monterey Bay. flights become a regular part of life for traveling famous people, as they move from . However, contact with the pilot was lost ten minutes into the flight. On Sept. 8, 2017, Gentry was traveling in a helicopter to his scheduled concert performance in New Jersey when the aircraft crashed. The bands fifth album, Street Survivors, had been released only three days before. According to Rolling Stone, Croce and five others, which included guitarist Maury Muehleisen, road manager Morgan Tell, comedian George Stevens, a booking agent, and the pilot, were killed when their plane hit a tree and crashed after taking off from Natchitoches, Louisiana. 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). Celebrities Who Died in Plane Crashes - Facts Verse I like people that suffer because these people have a different approach to life from the people that have everything.". Four months after Reddings death his single (Sittin on) The Dock of the Bay reached the top of the charts. Sadly, the singer made the mistake of flying into more stormy weather and did not level his wings as he made a crucial turn. Mexican authorities confirmed that the wreckage of the small plane had been found in Nuevo Leon state, and there were no survivors among the seven people believed to be on board. On March 19, 1982, Randy Rhoads, guitarist for rocker Ozzy Osbourne, died in the crash of a Beechcraft Bonanza in Leesburg, Florida. The group was bound for Miami, Florida, when their plane crashed immediately after taking off from Marsh Harbour Airport, killing everyone on board. The son of the 35th U.S. president, Kennedy was behind the controls of a Piper Saratoga light aircraft that had departed New Jersey on July 16, 1999. Why Private Planes Are Nearly As Deadly As Cars | Live Science NTSB investigators said the two pilots and four passengers died of hypoxia when the plane's cabin failed to pressurize. PerNBC News, the National Transportation Safety Boardwould later reveal that the cause of the crash was due to pilot error. He was uniquely in his own category, and as a vocalist was in a league with the best crooners of the twentieth century like Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, Buddy Clark who was his idol. As per The Washington Post, the National Transportation Safety Board reported that the crash was due to pilot error and bad weather, stating that the plane went down because of Kennedy's. Immediately after takeoff from Natchitoches Regional Airport, the airplane hit a pecan tree. Pyle, also very hurt, managed to get out of the wreckage and call for help. Singer-songwriter John Denver, whose hits included Country Roads and Rocky Mountain High, died on October 12, 1997, in the crash of a home-built aircraft he had recently purchased. The 53-year-old, who was best known in Banda music, died in a plane crash on Dec. 9, 2012. How Palm Springs ran out Black and Latino families to build a fantasy for rich, white people, 17 SoCal hiking trails that are blooming with wildflowers (but probably not for long! It's incredibly saddening when a celebrity dies young, and fans can't help but wonder what could have been if they were still around. According to The Tennessean, the plane was owned by Cline's manager, Randy Hughes, who piloted the plane. He was 40 years old. The airplane belonged to country singer Jerry Calhoun. The R&B singer was only 22 years old when she died in a plane crash while departing the Bahamas on August 25, 2001. Harrison Ford recalled reliving the traumatic moment when he experienced a near-fatal plane crash in 2015 after his "1923" character suffered a serious injury. Factors including speed, size, and the site of the crash determine what will remain of the body, although often, a large number of body parts are missing. The airplane crashed just after takeoff, killing all aboard. HistoryNet.com contains daily features, photo galleries and over 25,000 articles originally published in our nine magazines. - Getty "The Day the Music Died" also claimed the lives of Ritchie Valens and J.P. Richardson, better . Different factors are involved. 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. The 53-year-old, who was best known in Banda music, died in a plane crash on Dec. 9, 2012. However, the plane and bodies ofKennedy Jr, his wife, and his sister-in-lawwere later located on July 21. There have been many fatal flights that took the lives of some of the world's most famous celebrities and public. If an explosion occurs, it's more likely that passengers will die before the actual crash. and our Archived post. 45: The former heavyweight boxing champion died Aug. 31, 1969, when the plane he was in hit a tree two miles short of landing in Iowa. What new music would artists like soul singer Amy Winehouse and rapper Mac Miller release if they didn't die before 30? This video is in Loving Memory of those forty celebrities who sadly died in plane crashes. This is one of the most dangerous reasons plane crashes, and is usually the reason why most airliners crash.