List of people who died in aviation-related incidents

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of some well-known people who have died in aviation-related events. This list does not include victims of disasters who were not famous beyond their involvement in the accident, nor casualties of war.

This list is sectioned by occupation. For a list of aviation-related deaths by type of aircraft see a separate list of deaths by aircraft misadventure.

The year after the names of persons is the year of the aviation-related death. Within each section, people are listed in alphabetical order.

1 Aviation
2 Business
3 Entertainment
4 Politicians
5 Royalty
6 Sports
- 6.1 Individuals
- 6.2 Collective
7 Others
- 7.1 Kennedy family

[edit] Aviation

Milo Burcham, 1944, Lockheed test pilot
Richard Bong, 1945, US World War II fighter ace
Jorge Chávez, Peruvian pilot
Juan de la Cierva, inventor of the autogyro, on a fixed-wing plane
Bessie Coleman, first African-American woman pilot
Arthur Coningham RAF Air Marshal who disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle
Scott Crossfield, test pilot
Steponas Darius and Stasys Girenas, Lithuanian-American pilots
Geoffrey de Havilland Jr, test pilot and son of the de Havilland aircraft's founder
B.H. DeLay, 1923, stunt pilot, airport owner, aviation school owner
Jessica Dubroff, 1996, 7-year-old aspiring pilot
Amelia Earhart, 1937, pioneer woman pilot
Glen Edwards, test pilot, namesake of Edwards AFB
Richard E. Ellsworth, 1953, US Air Force Brigadier General
Eugene Ely, 1911, pioneer pilot in US naval aviation
Jeff Ethell, 1997, aviation writer
Yuri Gagarin, Russian cosmonaut and the first man to go into space
Guy Gibson, World War II pilot
Werner Mölders, World War II pilot
Richard E. Gray, test pilot
Mark Hanna, 1999, British display pilot
Amy Johnson, British pilot
Iven Carl Kincheloe, Jr., test pilot
Raymonde de Laroche, 1919, first woman to earn a pilot's licence
Frank Luke, 1918, World War I Ace, namesake of Luke AFB
Otto Lilienthal, 1896, German glider pioneer
Paul Mantz, 1965, racing and stunt pilot
William A. Moffett, 1933, US Navy admiral, in crash of airship USS Akron
Edward "Butch" O'Hare, American World War II pilot
Wiley Post, 1935, aviation pioneer
Gary Powers, 1977, American spy-plane pilot
Harriet Quimby, 1912, first licensed female pilot in the US
Jack Ridley, 1957, test pilot
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, writer and pilot
Thomas Selfridge, 1908, first military pilot to die in related crash, namesake of Selfridge Field
Art Scholl, 1986, aerobatic and stunt performer
Frank Tallman, 1978, stuntman
Joseph A. Walker, test pilot
George Welch, American World War II Pearl Harbor and test pilot
Space Shuttle Challenger, and Space Shuttle Columbia crews.

See also: List of space disasters

[edit] Business

John Bauer, 1998, CEO of Dynaweld.
Philip Don Estridge, 1985, IBM PC project manager, on Delta Air Lines Flight 191
Carl August Baron von Gablenz, CEO of Lufthansa.
Daniel Lewin, 2001, Founder and CTO of Akamai.
Alfred Lowenstein, 1928, Belgian entrepreneur and financier.
Frank Pocher, 1997, CFO of ImmunoGen.
Wes Vance, 2003, COO of Diebold.
Frank Wells, 1994, President and COO of The Walt Disney Company.
John Whitney, 1998, Founder of Gaymar.
Matthew Harding, 1996, Vice-Chairman of Chelsea Football Club.
Jack O'Harra, 1996, Executive Producer of ABC Sports, in TWA Flight 800
Charles Rolls ,1910, Co-Founder of Rolls-Royce Motors

[edit] Entertainment

Aaliyah, 2001, actress, singer, model & dancer
Anna Jantar, 1980, Polish singer
Audie Murphy, 1971, actor
B.H. DeLay, 1923, aviator actor
Berry Berenson, 2001, actress, photographer, and widow of actor Anthony Perkins; passenger aboard American Airlines Flight 11 on September 11, 2001.
Bill Graham, 1991, rock impresario
Bob Collins, 2000, WGN (AM) radio personality
Bruce Geller, 1978, TV producer/creator, Mission: Impossible
Buddy Clark, 1949, singer
Buddy Holly, 1959, singer
Carlos Gardel, 1935, Argentinian singer
Carole Lombard, 1942, actress
Cassie Gaines, 1977, musician, Lynyrd Skynyrd
David Angell, 2001, TV producer, Cheers, Frasier ; passenger aboard American Airlines Flight 11 on September 11, 2001.
Dean Paul Martin, 1987, actor, singer and son of Dean Martin
Eve Meyer, 1977 Actress, Playboy Centerfold June 1955
Fanny Cano, 1983, Mexican actress, during collision of Iberia and Aviaco jetliners, Barajas International Airport, Madrid
Ginette Neveu, 1949, French classical violinist
Glenn Miller, 1944, Big Band leader
Grace Moore, 1947, opera singer
Graham "Shirley" Strachan, 2001, singer, Skyhooks
Guido Cantelli, 1956, orchestral conductor
Jacques Thibaud, 1953, French classical violinist
Jim Croce, 1973, singer
Jim Reeves, 1964, country music singer
John Denver, 1997, singer, songwriter, actor
Jud Strunk, 1981, singer, songwriter, comedian
Keith Green, 1982, contemporary Christian musician
Kyu Sakamoto, 1985, Japanese singer, on board Japan Airlines Flight 123
Larry Shue, 1985, playwright
Leslie Howard, 1943, actor
Mamonas Assassinas, 1996, Brazilian rock band
Marcel Dadi, 1996, French musician on TWA Flight 800
Melanie Thornton, 2001, singer
Mike Todd, 1958, film producer
Otis Redding, 1967, singer
Pablo Santos, 2006, Mexican actor
Patsy Cline, 1963, country music singer
Pedro Infante, 1957, Mexican singer and actor
Peter Tomarken, 2006, former game show host, Press Your Luck
Philippa Schuyler, 1967, American, musician
Randy Rhoads, 1982, Rock and classical guitarist
Renny Ottolina, 1978, Venezuelan TV producer and entertainer
Ricky Nelson, 1985, actor and singer
Ritchie Valens, 1959, singer
Ronnie VanZant, 1977, member of Lynyrd Skynyrd
Soundarya, 2004, Actress
Stan Rogers, 1983, Canadian singer
Steve Gaines, 1977, musician, Lynyrd Skynyrd
Stevie Ray Vaughan, 1990, guitarist and singer
The Big Bopper, (Jiles Perry [J.P.] Richardson, Jr.), 1959, singer
Vic Morrow, 1982, actor
Will Rogers, 1935, actor, humorist, singer
William Gardner Knight, 1998, actor
William Kapell, 1953, American classical pianist

[edit] Politicians

A. P. Hamann, 1977, City Manager of San Jose, California, during the Tenerife disaster
Abdul Rahim Ghafoorzai, 1997, prime minister of the anti-Taliban government of northern Afghanistan
Abdul Salam Arif, 1966, President of Iraq
Ahmed Ould Bouceif, 1979, Prime Minister of Mauritania
Alexander Lebed, 2002, Russian politician, governor of Krasnoyarsk
Amaro da Costa, 1980, Portugal
Arvid Lindman, 1936, Prime Minister of Sweden
Barthélemy Boganda, 1959, President of the Central African Republic
Boris Trajkovski, 2004, President of Macedonia
Camilo Cienfuegos, October 28, 1959, Cuban revolutionary
Bronson M. Cutting, 1935, US Senator from New Mexico
Carlos Menem Jr., 1995, first son of former Argentine president Carlos Menem.
Lord Thomson, 1930, British Secretary of State for Air, in the R101 disaster
Cyprien Ntaryamira, 1994, President of Burundi
Dag Hammarskjöld, 1961, Secretary-General of the United Nations
de Lesseps Story Morrison, 1964, former Mayor of New Orleans
Donald Nutter, 1962, Governor of Montana
Džemal Bijedić, 1977, Premier of Yugoslavia
Earl Snell, 1947, Governor of Oregon
Edward Moss, 1964, aide of senator Ted Kennedy, who was also injured during accident
Ernest Lundeen, 1940, US Senator from Minnesota
Francisco Sá Carneiro, 1980, Prime Minister of Portugal
Ganti Mohana Chandra Balayogi, 2002, 12th & 13th Speaker of the Lok Sabha, India
George S. Mickelson, 1993, Governor of South Dakota
George W. Collins, 1972
Guadalupe Larriva, 2007, Defence minster of Ecuador.
Hale Boggs, 1972, US Congressman from Louisiana
Igor Farkhutdinov, 2003, Russian politician, governor of Sakhalin
Jaime Roldós Aguilera, 1981, President of Ecuador
James Waltermire, 1988, Secretary of State of Montana
Jerry Litton, 1976
Jerry Pettis, 1975, Representative from California
Joel Rakotomalala, 1976, Prime Minister of Madagascar
John Garang, 2005, Vice President of Sudan
John Heinz, 1991, US Senator from Pennsylvania
John Kristensen Brostuen, 1938, member of the North Dakota Senate
John Purroy Mitchell, 1918, former Mayor of New York City. First politician to die in an aviation-related accident.
John Tower, 1991, former US Senator from Texas
Juvénal Habyarimana, 1994, President of Rwanda
Larry McDonald, 1983, U.S. Congressman, aboard Korean Air Flight KAL-007
Leo Ryan, 1978, US Congressman from California, while attempting to flee Jim Jones' cult Peoples Temple at Jonestown, Guyana
Lin Biao, 1971, politician and military commander, number two man under Mao Zedong in the People's Republic of China, while fleeing after a failed coup attempt.
Madhavrao Scindia, 2001, Indian politician
Maurice Connolly, 1921, former US Congressman from Iowa.
Mel Carnahan, 2000, Governor of Missouri
Mickey Leland, 1989
Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, 1988, President of Pakistan
Nick Begich, 1972, US Congressman from Alaska
Omar Torrijos, 1981, Panamanian dictator
Paul Wellstone, 2002, US Senator from Minnesota
Ramón Magsaysay, 1957, president of the Philippines
Quirico Abeto, 1960, former Secretary of Justice of the Philippines
René Barrientos, 1969, President of Bolivia
Ron Brown, 1996, US Secretary of Commerce with over 30 others in Croatia
Samora Machel, 1986, President of Mozambique
Sanjay Gandhi, 1980, son of Indira Gandhi
Subhash Chandra Bose, 1945, leader of the Indian Congress
Thaddeus C. Sweet, 1928, US Congressman from New York.
William D. Byron, 1941, US Congressman from Maryland.
William Kirk Kaynor, 1929, US Congressman from Massachusetts.
Władysław Sikorski, 1943, Prime Minister of Poland

[edit] Royalty

[edit] Sports

[edit] Individuals

"Ace" Garnet Bailey, September 11, 2001, NHL player (passenger on the second plane to hit the World Trade Center)
Al Holbert, 1988, 24 Hours of Le Mans winner
Alan Kulwicki, 1993, NASCAR driver
Bill Barilko, 1951, NHL player
Bill McAfee, 1958, MLB player
Bo Rein, 1980, LSU Tigers football coach
Brook Berringer, 1996, Nebraska Cornhuskers, college football quarterback
Bruce Borland, 1999, golf course designer
Carlos Cruz, 1970, Dominican world boxing champion
Carlos Pace, 1977, Formula One driver
Charles Peete, 1956, MLB player
Cory Lidle, 2006, MLB player
Davey Allison, 1993, NASCAR driver (helicopter crash)
Duncan Edwards, 1958, Manchester United English Football player
Fred C. Miller, 1954, Milwaukee Brewers director
Graham Hill, 1975, English racing driver and former Formula One world champion
Hansie Cronje, 2002, South African Cricket captain
Harald Ertl, 1982, Motoring journalist and Formula One driver
Irv Medlinger, 1975, MLB player
Jim Harding, 1991, MLB player
Ken Hubbs, 1964, MLB player
Knute Rockne, 1931, Notre Dame Fighting Irish football coach
Lucho DeCastro, 2006, Touring car driver
Marcel Cerdan, 1949, French world boxing champion
Néstor Chávez, 1969, Venezuelan MLB player
Nick Vanos, 1987, NBA player, Phoenix Suns
Nile Kinnick, 1943, American football player
Payne Stewart, 1999, champion golfer
Rafael Osuna, Mexican tennis player
Roberto Clemente, 1972, Puerto Rican MLB player
Rocky Marciano, 1969, former world boxing champion
Ron Flockhart, 1962, 24 Hours of Le Mans winner
Thurman Munson, 1979, MLB player
Tom Gastall, 1956, MLB player
Tony Bettenhausen, Jr, 2000, CART driver/owner
Tony Lema, 1966, champion golfer
Wilbur Shaw, 1954, three-time Indianapolis 500 winner

[edit] Collective

Cuban National Fencing Team, 1976 all team, trainers and coach, terrorist attack, bomb exploded on a DC-8 of Cubana de Aviación, Barbados (see Cubana Flight 455)
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo football players, 1960, 16 members of the team and six others
Czechoslovak national ice hockey team members, 1949, 6 players, English Channel
Embassy Hill Formula One team, 1975, 5 people including personnels, team owner Graham Hill, driver Tony Brise and designer Andy Smallman.
University of Evansville basketball team, 1977, 29 players, staff and fans
Hendrick Motorsports NASCAR team, 2004, 10 people associated with the team, including family, team crew, and pilots (see October 2004 Martinsville plane crash)
Italian A.C. Torino football squad, 1949, almost the entire team (see Superga air disaster)
Manchester United football club, 23 players, staff and associates, 1958 (see Munich air disaster)
Marshall University football team, 1970, 35 players, eight coaches, and 25 boosters (see Southern Airlines Flight 932)
Oklahoma State University, 2001, ten people associated with men's basketball team (including two players)
Pakhtakor professional football club, 17 players, 1979, on air above Dniprodzerzhynsk.
Puerto Rico national women's volleyball team, 1970, most members of the team (on the same flight as Carlos Cruz)
Surinam professional football team, fourteen players of an ad hoc, at Zanderij airport, Paramaribo (see Surinam Airways Flight PY764)
Uruguay's Stella Maris rugby team, 1972, 29 of 45 team members (see Andes flight disaster)
USAC, April 1978, eight series officials, returning from auto race in Trenton, New Jersey
US Olympic boxing team, 1980, all team members except for Bobby Czyz, Marvis Frazier and Lee Roy Murphy
US figure skating entire team, 1961, on Sabena Flight 548
Orfeon Universitario, 1976, the entire Choral Group of Venezuelan Central University, at Azores Island, Portugal
Wichita State University, 1970, 31 players, coaches and supporters, at Colorado
Zambia national football team members, 1993