On This Day

Famous People who Died in Plane Crashes

Famous Plane Crashes

List of Deaths from Plane Crash

  • 1908-09-17 Thomas Selfridge, early American aviator, 1st person to die in an air crash at 26
  • 1912-07-01 Harriet Quimby, American pioneering aviator, 1st woman in the US to receive a pilot certificate and to cross the English Channel, dies in a plane crash at 37 after her biplane unexpectedly pitched forward and threw her and her passenger to their deaths
  • 1918-02-15 Vernon Castle [Blyth] English-American vaudeville, stage, and screen ballroom dancer, and fighter pilot, dies in a plane crash at 30
  • 1926-04-30 Bessie Coleman, American aviator and 1st African-American woman and Native American to hold a pilot license, dies in a plane crash at 34
  • 1928-06-18 Roald Amundsen, Norwegian polar explorer who led the 1st expedition to the South Pole, dies in a plane crash while flying on a rescue mission in the Arctic at 55
  • 1931-03-31 Knute Rockne, American College Football Hall of Fame receiver, coach, (Notre Dame, 13 National titles), dies in a plane crash at 43
  • 1931-11-19 Xu Zhimo, Chinese poet, dies in a plane crash at 34
  • 1932-09-11 Franciszek Żwirko, Polish pilot (co-winner of 'Challenge 1932'), dies in a plane crash at 36
  • 1932-09-11 Stanislaw Wigura, Polish airplane designer and aviator (co-winner of international 'Challenge 1932'), dies in a plane crash at 31
  • 1933-01-07 Herbert "Bert" Hinkler, Australian aviator who made first solo flight from England to Australia (1928), dies in a plane crash at 40
  • 1934-06-06 Max Pallenberg [Pollack], Austrian extempore farce actor (Morn to Midnight), husband of operetta star Fritzi Massary, dies in air crash at 56
  • 1935-06-24 Carlos Gardel, French-Argentine singer-songwriter and prominent figure in the history of tango, dies in a plane crash at 44
  • 1935-08-15 Will Rogers, American humorist and actor (Judge Priest), dies in a plane crash in Alaska at 55
  • 1941-02-21 Frederick Banting, Canadian physician, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, dies in a plane crash at 49
  • 1941-10-20 Ken Farnes, English cricket fast bowler (15 Tests, 60 wickets, BB 6/96; Essex CCC, Cambridge University CC), dies in a plane crash during a WWII night-flying exercise at 30
  • 1942-01-16 Carole Lombard [Jane Alice Peters], American actress (My Man Godfrey; To Be or Not to Be), dies in a plane crash at 33
  • 1942-02-08 Fritz Todt, German construction engineer, Reich Minister for Armaments and Munitions Reichs minister and Head of the Organization Todt, dies in a plane crash at 50
  • 1942-10-23 Ralph Rainger [Reichenthal], American song and film composer (Thanks for the Memory; Love In Bloom), dies in a plane crash at 41
  • 1942-11-27 Arthur Langton, South African cricket medium pace bowler (15 Tests, 40 wickets), dies in a military air crash at 30
  • 1943-07-04 Władysław Sikorski, Polish World War II general and Prime Minister of Poland in exile (1939-43), killed in a plane crash at 62
  • 1944-03-23 O.C. Wingate, British General-Major (Burma), dies in air crash in India at 41
  • 1944-11-08 Walter Nowotny, Austrian-born fighter pilot ace (258 aerial victories for Luftwaffe), dies in a plane crash at 23
  • 1947-11-28 Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque, French general and WWII hero known as the "Liberator of Paris", dies in a plane crash at 44
  • 1949-10-27 Marcel Cerdan, French boxer (NBA, NYSAC, The Ring middleweight titles 1948-49), dies in a plane crash at 33
  • 1949-10-27 Ginette Neveu, French child prodigy and concert violinist, dies in a plane crash on São Miguel Island, Azores, Portugal at 30
  • 1953-10-29 William Kapell, American concert pianist and recording artist, dies in a plane crash at 31
  • 1954-10-12 George Welch, American World War II flying ace (Medal of Honor nominee) and test pilot, dies in a plane crash of his experiential F-100 Super Sabre at 36
  • 1956-11-24 Guido Cantelli, Italian conductor, dies in a plane crash at Orly Airport, Paris at 36
  • 1957-03-17 Ramon Magsaysay, 7th President of the Philippines, dies in a plane crash at 49
  • 1957-04-15 Pedro Infante, Mexican actor and ranchero singer, dies as co-pilot in a plane crash at 39
  • 1958-03-22 Michael "Mike" Todd [Avrom Goldbogen], American producer (Around the World in 80 Days) and 3rd husband of Elizabeth Taylor, dies in a plane crash at 48
  • 1959-02-03 Buddy Holly [Charles Holley], American rock and roll musician and songwriter ("Peggy Sue"; "That'll Be the Day"; "Words Of Love"), dies in a plane crash at 22
  • 1960-04-23 Cornelis Jan Bakker, Dutch nuclear physicist (Director of CERN), dies in a plane crash at 56
  • 1961-02-15 Maribel Vinson, American figure skater (9 time US National Champion) and coach, dies in a plane crash at 49
  • 1961-02-15 Laurence Owen, American figure skater (U.S. and North American champion), dies in a plane crash at 16
  • 1961-02-15 Maribel Yerxa Owen, American figure skater (U.S. Pairs champion, 1961), dies in a plane crash at 20
  • 1961-02-15 Dudley Richards, American figure skater (U.S. Pairs champion, 1961), dies in a plane crash at 29
  • 1961-09-18 Dag Hammarskjöld, Swedish public servant, 2nd Secretary-General of the United Nations (1953-61) and posthumous Nobel Peace Prize winner (1961), dies in a plane crash in Africa at 56
  • 1963-03-05 Harold "Hawkshaw" Hawkins, American country singer (Ozark Jubilee; "Lonesome 7-7203"), dies in a plane crash at 41
  • 1963-03-05 Patsy Cline [Virginia Henlsey], American country singer ("Crazy"; "I Fall To Pieces"; "Walkin' After Midnight"), dies in a plane crash at 30
  • 1963-03-05 Lloyd "Cowboy" Copas, American country singer ("Candy Kisses"; "Alabam"), dies in a plane crash at 49
  • 1964-10-31 Theodore Freeman, American astronaut (1st NASA astronaut fatality), dies in a T-38 jet air crash at 34
  • 1966-04-13 Abdul Salam Arif, Iraqi politician & President of Iraq (1963-66), killed in a plane crash at 45
  • 1966-06-08 Joseph A. Walker, American experimental physicist, World War II and NASA test pilot (1st spaceplane flights to edge of outer space), dies in an aircraft collision at 45
  • 1966-07-24 Tony Lema, American golfer (British Open 1964), dies in a plane crash at 32
  • 1967-12-10 Otis Redding, American soul singer-songwriter ("(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay"; "Respect"), dies in a plane crash in Lake Monona, Wisconsin at 26
  • 1969-08-31 Rocky Marciano, American boxer (undefeated world heavyweight champion 1952-56), dies in a plane crash at 45
  • 1970-05-09 Walter P. Reuther, American worker's union leader & president of the CIO, dies in a plane crash at 62
  • 1971-05-28 Audie Murphy, American soldier who was among the most decorated in WW II with 33 medals and actor (To Hell and Back, Whispering Smiths), killed in a plane crash at 46
  • 1971-09-13 Lin Biao, Chinese Communist Marshal during the Civil War and party leader, dies in a plane crash at 63, possibly while fleeing from a botched coup against Mao
  • 1972-10-16 (Thomas) Hale Boggs, American politician (US Representative from Louisiana, 1947-73), presumed killed in a plane crash at 58
  • 1972-12-31 Roberto Clemente, Puerto Rican Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder (15 x MLB All Star; World Series 1960, 71 [MVP]; Pittsburgh Pirates), dies in a plane crash at 38
  • 1973-09-20 Jim Croce, American singer-songwriter ("Time in a Bottle"; "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown"), dies in a plane crash at 30
  • 1973-09-20 Maurice T. "Maury" Muehleisen, American musician and songwriter (Jim Croce), dies in a plane crash at 24
  • 1974-08-09 Bill Chase, American jazz-rock trumpet player and bandleader (Chase), dies in a plane crash at 39
  • 1974-08-31 William Pershing Benedict, American World War II fighter pilot in both the RCAF and U.S. Army Air Forces, killed in a plane crash while firefighting in California at 56
  • 1977-03-27 Eve Meyer, X actress (Immoral Mr Teas), dies in a plane crash at 46
  • 1977-10-20 Cassie Gaines, American rock singer (Lynyrd Skynyrd), dies in a plane crash at 28
  • 1977-10-20 Ronnie Van Zant, American rock musician (Lynyrd Skynyrd), dies in a plane crash at 29
  • 1977-10-20 Steve Gaines, American rock vocalist and guitarist (Lynyrd Skynyrd), dies in a plane crash at 28
  • 1979-08-02 Thurman Munson, American baseball catcher (MLB All-Star 1971, 73–78; World Series 1977, 78; AL MVP 1976; NY Yankees), dies in a plane crash at 32
  • 1980-06-23 Sanjay Gandhi, Indian politician, dies in a plane crash at 33
  • 1981-10-05 Jud Strunk, American singer and comedian (Laugh-In), dies in a plane crash at 48
  • 1982-03-19 Randy Rhoads, American heavy metal guitarist (Quiet Riot), dies in an air crash at 25
  • 1985-12-31 (Eric) "Ricky" Nelson, American pop-rock star ("Hello Mary Lou"; "It's Late"; "Garden Party") and actor (The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet), dies in a plane crash at 45
  • 1986-05-24 Stephen D Thorne, Lt Cmdr USN/astronaut, dies in a plane crash at 33
  • 1986-10-20 Samora Machel, President of Mozambique, dies in air crash at 53
  • 1989-08-13 Larkin Smith, American politician (Rep-R-Mississippi 1989), dies in a plane crash at 45
  • 1991-03-16 7 members of Reba McIntire's band, killed in a plane crash
  • 1991-04-04 John Heinz, American businessman and Republican politician (Senator from Pennsylvania, 1977-1991), dies in a plane crash at 52
  • 1991-04-05 John Tower, American politician (US Senator (R)-Texas), dies in a plane crash at 65
  • 1993-03-05 Peter Bierdrager, Dutch Fokker's-test pilot, dies in air crash
  • 1993-04-19 George Mickelson, American politician (Governor of South Dakota 1987-93), dies in a plane crash at 52
  • 1993-07-13 Davey Allison, American auto racer (Daytona 500 1992), dies in a plane crash at 32
  • 1994-03-22 Igor Aleinikov, Russian director (tractors, air crash), dies at 32
  • 1995-01-04 Eduardo Mata, Mexican conductor (Improvisaciones), dies in air crash at 52
  • 1996-04-03 Ron Brown, American politician (US Secretary of Commerce, 1993-96; Democratic Party Chairman, 1989-93), dies in an air crash approaching Dubrovnik, Croatia, at 54
  • 1996-05-11 Walter Hyatt, American singer-songwriter (Uncle Walt's Band), dies in a plane crash in the Florida Everglades at 46
  • 1996-07-21 John Kevin Moorhouse, British test pilot, dies in a plane crash during an air show at 50
  • 1997-08-10 Jean-Claude Lauzon, director/writer (Leola), dies in air crash at 43
  • 1999-07-16 John F. Kennedy Jr, American magazine publisher (George), lawyer and son of JFK, dies in a plane crash at 38
  • 1999-10-25 Payne Stewart, American golfer (US Open 1991, 99; PGA 1989), dies in a plane crash at 42
  • 2001-08-25 Aaliyah [Haughton], American singer and actress, dies in a plane crash in the Bahamas at 22
  • 2001-09-11 Todd Beamer, American passenger and hero on United Airlines Flight 93, dies at 32 in a plane crash trying to stop the 9/11 terrorists
  • 2001-11-24 Melanie Thornton, American pop-dance singer (La Bouche - "Be My Lover"), dies in a plane crash near Zürich, Switzerland, at 34
  • 2002-06-01 Hansie Cronje, South African cricket batsman and captain (68 Tests, 3,714 runs, 43 wickets; 188 ODIs; life ban for match-fixing 2000), dies in a plane crash at 32
  • 2002-10-25 Paul Wellstone, American politician (Sen-D-Minnesota 1991-2002), dies in a plane crash at 58
  • 2004-10-24 Randy Dorton, American race car engine builder (Director of Engine Operations Hendrick Motorsports; 9 x NASCAR C'ships), dies in a plane crash at 50
  • 2007-07-28 Jim LeRoy, American aerobatics pilot, dies in a plane crash at the Dayton airshow at 46
  • 2012-12-09 Jenni Rivera, Mexican-American singer-songwriter (Jenni, 2008), dies in a plane crash at 43
  • 2015-03-24 Maria Radner, German operatic contralto, specializing in Wagner, dies in a plane crash at 33
  • 2015-06-22 James Horner, American Academy Award-winning film composer (Titanic; Apollo 13; Avatar), dies in a plane crash at 61
  • 2016-10-13 Jim Prentice, Canadian politician, Premier of Alberta (2014-15), dies in a plane crash at 60
  • 2016-12-07 Junaid Jamshed, Pakistani singer (Vital Signs 1), dies in a plane crash at 52
  • 2016-12-25 Valery Khalilov, Russian military conductor and composer, dies in a plane crash in the Black Sea, near Sochi, at 64
  • 2018-05-05 Aaron D. Panken, American rabbi, dies in a plane crash at 53
  • 2019-09-15 Mike Stefanik, American auto racer (9 NASCAR Modified Championships), dies in a plane crash at 61
  • 2019-12-28 Carley Ann McCord, American sports reporter (Cox Sports TV; in-game host New Orleans Pelicans, New Orleans Saints), dies in a plane crash at 30
  • 2021-04-23 Bill Whittington, American auto racer (24 Hours of Le Mans 1979), dies in a plane crash at 71
  • 2021-11-05 Marília Mendonça, Brazilian Sertaneja singer-songwriter, dies in a plane crash at 26
  • 2023-08-23 Yevgeny Prigozhin, Russian oligarch and mercenary leader (Wagner Group), killed in a plane crash at 62

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