Famous People Who Died in Aviation Accidents
1990s

Date/Time Person Location Aircraft Details Notes
Aug 27, 1990
01:00
Stevie Ray Vaughan
35, blues guitarist
Elkhorn, Wisconsin
Bell BHT-206B helicopter N16933
cn:023338
Crashed into terrain after taking off in fog. Pilot error. Failure of pilot to attain adequate altitude before flying over rising terrain. All 5 aboard killed.
details in
database
Mar 9, 1991 Jim Hardin
47, former Baltimore Orioles pitcher
Key West, Florida Beech 35-C33A
N4828J
Unable to maintain airspeed, stalled and went into a spin following propeller failure due to faulty maintenance procedures. All 3 aboard killed.  
Mar 16, 1991
01:41
Reba McEntire band
singing group

San Diego, California Hawker Siddeley DH-125-1A/522
N831LC  cn:25095
Seven members of the Reba McEntire band killed. Hit rising terrain at the top of a mountain after taking off. Pilot error. All 10 aboard killed. details in
database
Apr 4, 1991 H. John Heinz III
53, Pennsylvania Senator
Merion, Pennsylvania Piper Aerostar 601/
Bell 412SP
N3645D/N78S
While inspecting the nose gear of the Piper, helicopter blades struck the underside of the plane. All 5 aboard both planes killed. Two children in a school yard also killed. 

details in
database

Apr 5, 1991
14:51

John Tower
66, Texas Senator
Manley "Sonny" Carter Jr.
44, U.S. astronaut
Davis Love Sr.
professional golfer
Brunswick, Georgia Atlantic Southeast Airlines
Flight 2311
Embraer 120RT N270AS 
cn:120-218
While on approach the aircraft rolled left and crashed in a nose down attitude. Malfunction of the left engine propeller control unit. All 23 aboard killed. details in
database

Jul 31, 1991
 

Al Loquasto
48, race car driver
Fogelsville, Pennsylvania Piper PA28-236
N28568
The wings of the plane separated from the fuselage after the VFR rated pilot, Loquasto, flew into a violent thunderstorm. 2 aboard killed.  
Oct 25, 1991
Bill Graham
60, rock promoter
Vallejo, California Bell 206B helicopter
N3456M
The helicopter struck a transmission tower and exploded shortly after taking off into high winds and rain.  Pilot error. Graham, companion Melissa Gold and pilot Steve Kahn killed.

details in
database
Apr 1, 1993
21:28
Alan Kulwicki
39, race car driver
Blountville, Tennessee Fairchild SA227-TT
N500AK
cn:TT-527
The Hooters restaurant private plane crashed while attempting to land. Pilot error. Failure of pilot to follow anti-icing procedures. All 4 aboard killed. details in
database
Apr 19, 1993
George Mickelson
52, South Dakota Governor
Zwingle, Iowa
Mitsubishi MU-2B-60
N86SD
cn:765SA
Crashed into silo. Fracture of the propeller hub resulted in separation of the propeller blade and damage to the engine, leading to loss of control.  All 8 aboard killed. details in
database
Apr 27, 1993 Zambian national soccer team Off Libreville, Gabon Zambia Air Force
de Havilland Buffalo
# 319
Crashed into the sea after an engine fire. All 30 aboard including 18 members of the team killed. details in
database
Jul 12, 1993
14:55
David "Davey" Allison
30, race car driver
Talladega, Alabama Hughes 369HS helicopter 
N9116F
cn:720396S
The helicopter piloted by Allison, crashed while attempting  to land in the infield of Talladega Speedway.  Pilot's failure to properly compensate for the tailwind condition, coupled with the pilot's lack of experience in the airframe. 1 killed. details in
database
Aug 3, 1993
Dr. Alwyn Gentry
48, botanist
Theodore Parker III
40, ornithologist
Near Guayaquii, Ecuador Private plane The aircraft crashed into a cloud covered mountain peak while performing an aerial reconnaissance survey for Conservation International. 4 of 7 aboard killed.  
Dec 15, 1993
Rich Snyder
41, president of the In-N-Out Hamburger chain
Santa Ana, California Charter plane
Israel Aircraft Industries 1124A
N309CK
The aircraft followed in a Boeing 757 for landing, became caught in its wake turbulence, rolled into a deep descent and crashed. All 5 onboard killed.  
Mar 23, 1994 Robert Richards
KSDK TV weatherman
Chesterfield, Missouri Piper PA-23-180
N3365R
Committed suicide by taking off and deliberately diving the plane vertically into the ground.  He was despondent over news media accounts of an extra marital affair and attempted suicide twice prior to the suicide. 1 killed.  
Apr 3, 1994 Frank Wells
62, president of Disney
Beverly Johnson
46, documentary film maker
Lamoille, Nevada Bell 206-B2 helicopter
N27736
The accident occurred while on a skiing trip. The helicopter lost engine power while attempting to take off crashing in the Ruby Mountains.  Snow accumulation in the engine while on the ground resulting in a flameout.  4 of 5 aboard killed.  
Apr 6, 1994 Cyprien Ntaryamira
president of Burundi
Juvenal Habyarimana
president of Rwanda
Kigali, Rwanda Dassault Facon 50
9XR-NN
Shot down by a missile while on approach to the Kigali airport. details in database
Sep 18, 1994 Omalie Aimuanmwosari
Nigerian soccer player
Tamanrasset, Algeria Oriental Airlines
BAC One-Eleven 
5N-IMO
cn:229
After circling for almost an hour and a half and aborting four landing attempts in adverse weather conditions, the aircraft ran out of fuel and crashed.  5 of 39 aboard killed.  
Oct 25, 1994 Lt. Kara Hultgren
first female fighter pilot
Off San Diego, California F-14 Tomcat Killed while attempting to land her fighter jet on the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln. 1 killed.  
Dec 13, 1994 Bryan Kerchalt
23, Bass Masters Classic winner
Morrisville, North Carolina American Eagle
Jetstream 3201
N918AE cn: 918
After a suspected engine flameout the pilot attempted a go-around, stalled the plane and crashed.  Pilot error.  15 of 20 aboard killed.
details in database
Jan 4, 1995 Eduardo Mata
52, Mexican conductor and composer
Cuernavaca, Mexico Piper Aerostar Piloted by Mata, the small plane crashed shortly after taking off from Cuernavaca Airport after an engine failed. 2 killed.  
Mar 14, 1995
11:45
Silvio Oltra
Argentine race car driver
Carlos Menem Jr.
son of the president of Argentina
San Nicholas, Argentina Bell 206-B3 Helicopter
LV-WFZ
Struck power lines while taking off.  Menem was piloting the helicopter. 2 killed.  
Apr 27, 1995 Sylvester J. "Steve" Wittman
91, aircraft designer and racer
Stevenson, Alabama Wittman O&O
N41SW  cn:13
Crashed after aileron wing flutter caused Wittman to lose control of the aircraft. The flutter was caused by the separation of fabric on the wing as a result of improper installation. Wittman and his wife both killed.  
Mar 2, 1996 Mamonas Assassinas
Brazilian rock group
São Paulo, Brazil Learjet 25
PT-LSD  cn:25D-243
All eight aboard, including five members of the band were killed.  
Mar 22, 1996
12:30
Robert Overmyer
59, U.S. astronaut
Duluth, Minnesota Cirrus VK30 experimental
N44VK
Lost control, rolled inverted and crashed while flying a small test plane for Cirrus Design Corp. He was not able to free himself in time to use his parachute. 1 killed.  
Apr 3, 1996
c 13:00
Ron Brown
55, U.S. Secretary of Commerce
Near Dubrovnik, Croatia Boeing 737-T43
73-1149
cn:720396S
Strayed off course and hit a hill 16 kms SE of Dubrovnik in poor weather. Crew used unapproved approach procedure. All 35 aboard killed.

details in
database
Apr 11, 1996
08:24
Jessica Dubroff
7, trainee pilot
Cheyenne, Wyoming Cessna 177B Cardinal
N35207
Stalled after taking off into a thunderstorm and deteriorating weather. Engaged in transcontinental record. Overloaded. Pilot error. 3 killed.

details in
database
Apr 16, 1996 Charlie Hillard
62, aerobatic champion
Lakeland, Florida Hawker Siddeley FB-60
N222CH
Veered off the runway and nosed over while attempting to land in a crosswind.  Pilot's improper use of brakes and ailerons while landing in crosswind. 1 killed.  
Apr 18, 1996
14:30
Brook Berringer
22, University of Nebraska quarterback
Raymond, Nebraska Piper J3C-65 Cub
N6510H
cn:19696
Crashed into an alfalfa field.  Loss of engine power due to fuel starvation due to a partially closed fuel lever.  Pilot error. Berringer was piloting the plane. 2 killed.  
May 11, 1996
14:15
Walter Hyatt
46, singer, songwriter
Rodney Culver
26, San Diego Chargers running back
Near Miami, Florida ValuJet
Flight 592
DC-9-32
N904VJ  cn:47377
An in-flight fire caused by illegally transported oxygen generators lacking safety caps caused an uncontrollable fire and loss of control of the aircraft. The plane crashed into a swamp in the Everglades.   All 110 aboard killed.

details in database
Jul 17, 1996
20:31
Marcel Dadi
45, French country and western guitarist
Sylvain Delange
35, French artist
Rico Puhlmann
62, photographer
Off East Moriches, New York Trans World AL
Flight 800
Boeing 747-131
N93119  cn:20083
An explosion in the center fuel tank of the aircraft caused the plane to break-up in mid-air and crash into the Atlantic Ocean. All 230 aboard killed.
details in
database
Nov 23, 1996
15:15
Mohamed "Mo" Amin
53, famous Kenyan photographer
Off Moroni, Comoros Ethiopian Airlines
Flight 961
Boeing B-767
ET-AIZ cn:23916/187
Three drunken hijackers caused the plane to run out of fuel and crash 500 yards off shore. 127 of 175 people aboard were killed. details in
database
Mar 2, 1997 Lars Bergstrom
62, sailboat, sailplane designer
Near Sarasota, Florida Windex 1200
Home-built experimental motorized sailplane
Bergstrom was killed while he was performing stall tests in preparation for an air show. 
 
Jun 6, 1997 Jeffrey Ethell
49, aviation writer
Tillamook, Oregon P-38
N7973
Ethell, who was piloting the plane failed to maintain minimum control speed after loss of power in one engine, which resulted in a loss of aircraft control and collision with terrain. 1 killed.  
Aug 10, 1997
13:30
Marie-Soleil Tougas
27, French Canadian movie actress
Jean-Claude Lauzon
43, French Canadian film director
Near Kuujjuaqn, Quebec Canada Cessna 180K
C-GIGK
cn:18053048
Flew into a mountainside in strong winds and rain while returning from a fishing trip. Cause unknown.  2 killed. details in
database

Oct 12, 1997
17:28
John Denver
53, singer
Monterey Bay near Pacific Grove, California Rutan Long EZ experimental
N555JD  cn:54
Piloted by Denver. Lost control and went into a dive while reaching behind to turn a fuel  transfer switch. 1 killed.

details in
database
Jan 9, 1998
17:56
Richard Graff
winemaker, co founder of Chalone Wine Group
Salinas, California Cessna 182P
N8158M
Crashed while attempting to make an emergency landing at Salinas Airport after loosing engine power.  Loss of power was due to a missing valve keep (maintenance error). 1 killed.  
Mar 15, 1998 Tal Shmuel Eldar
45, Israeli Brigadier General
Off Jerusalem, Israel Cobra attack helicopter Crashed into the Mediterranean Sea after the tail began to shake violently and separated from the aircraft during a training flight. 2 killed.  
Jul 26, 1998 Lt. General David
McCloud
51, U.S. Air Force
Anchorage, Alaska Yakovlev Yak-54
N354AM
McCloud just completed a loop and four-step corkscrew turn when his plane went down in a near-vertical position into a small grove of trees. The pilot's inadequate remedial action to recover from an inverted spin, while performing aerobatics. 2 killed.  
Sep 2, 1998
22:30
Jonathan Mann
52, AIDS researcher
Joseph LaMotta
49, noted chef, son of boxing champ Jake LaMotta.
Off Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia Swissair
Flight 111
MD-11
HB-IWF  cn:48448
Crashed into the Atlantic after the crew reported smoke in the cockpit and cabin. A major fire broke out near the cockpit.  All 229 aboard killed. 
details in database
Nov 21, 1998
17:43
William Gardner Knight 
56, movie actor
Edgewater, Maryland Burgess RV-6
experimental
N956DB
The plane, piloted by Knight, failed to clear trees while attempting to land in the dark and crashed into Beard's Creek. 1 killed.
details in
database
Dec 20, 1998
18:30
Phil Stubbs
36, ocean rowing champion
Auckland, New Zealand Piper PA-18
ZK-BTX
cn:18-7309
Piloted by Stubbs, the plane took off, turned to the right and nose-dived into Karekare Beach. 2 aboard 1 killed.
Apr 2, 1999 Michael Bell
33, New Zealand boxer
Tuatapere, New Zealand South West Helicopters
Aerospatiale AS 350B
ZK-HBH  cn 1283
Flew into trees in Rowallan forest, while en route on a hunting trip from Clifden to Fiordland. Possible pilot incapacitation. All 5 aboard killed.  
May 19, 1999
17:25
Juergen Staudte
61, inventor of the quartz crystal for digital watches
Near Tucumcari, New Mexico Piper PA-23E-250
N54263
cn:27-7554049
After losing power in one engine during takeoff, the pilot attempted to return to land. When it was discovered the gear was not down a go-around was initiated.  Soon after, the plane entered a left bank, stalled and crashed to the ground. 2 killed.  

Jul 16,1999
21:39

John F. Kennedy Jr.
38, son of President Kennedy
Off Martha's Vineyard,
Massachusetts
Piper Saratoga II 
N9253N
cn:3213100
Piloted by Kennedy, the aircraft went out of control and spiraled into into the Atlantic Ocean SW of Martha's Vineyard. Kennedy, not IFR qualified, lost reference with the ground.  His wife and sister-in-law also killed. VFR flight into IFR conditions. All 3 aboard killed. details in
database
Sep 18, 1999
16:05
Gary Levitz
61, champion air racer
Reno, Nevada P-51R experimental
N57LR
cn:87-1002
Crashed during the Reno National Championship Air Races after his plane suffered structural failure. 1 killed.  
Sep 25, 1999 Stephen Canaday
55, former member of singing group Ozark Mountain Daredevils
Nashville, Tennessee North American
T-6-SNJ5
N23ZH
The vintage WW II plane he was riding in, rolled inverted and crashed into a tree. The pilot failed to maintain speed which resulted in a stall. Impairment of the pilot due to the use of drugs. 2 killed  
Sep 25, 1999
Mark Hanna
40, preserver of vintage aircraft
Sabadell, Spain Hispano Buchon Hanna was part of a large flying display when his plane crashed and burst into flames while attempting to land.  Hanna died of his injuries a day later.  
Oct 25, 1999
11:20
Payne Stewart
42, pro golfer
Aberdeen, South Dakota Gates Learjet 35
N47BA
cn:060
The aircraft flew out of control on autopilot for 1,500 miles before crashing in a field . Pressurization failure. All six aboard killed.
details in database
Oct 31, 1999
Claude Masson
58, Canadian journalist
Off Nantucket Island, Massachusetts EgyptAir
Flight 990
Boeing 767
SU-GAP
cn:24542/282
After attaining an altitude of 33,000 ft. the aircraft made several dives before breaking apart and crashing into the Atlantic Ocean. All 217 aboard killed.
details in database
 Dec 12, 1999
16:45
Peter La Haye Sr.
59, inventor of implant lenses for cataract patients
Gouldsboro, Pennsylvania Westwind 24 turbojet
N50PL
The aircraft impacted trees and crashed into woods while attempting to land.  The accident was caused by improper assembly of the horizontal stabilizer trim actuator unit by maintenance personnel.  All 3 aboard killed.  

 

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