2015 Event NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft ends its three-year orbit around Mercury with a planned crash into the planet's surface; originally, the probe was to orbit and collect data for one year, but fuel saving efforts extended its mission for two more years 2015 Event Clues in the crash of a Germanwings flight during clear weather Tuesday suggest that the co-pilot locked the pilot out of the cabin before deliberately downing the jet in the French Alps; investigations of the co-pilot, Andreas Lubitz, are ongoing 2015 Event TransAsia Airways suspends flights and begins retraining all its pilots in compliance with orders from Taiwan's Civil Aeronautics Administration after the crash of Flight 235 into the Keelung River three days ago 2014 Event CEO Richard Branson says that Virgin Galactic will first determine the cause of a recent test space flight crash before deciding whether to continue developing commercial space travel 2013 Event The LAM Mozambique Airlines Flight 470 that went off the radar Friday is discovered in Namibia's Bwabwata National Park; all 33 passengers died in the crash 2012 Event The failed Fobos-Grunt spacecraft is expected to re-enter the earth's atmosphere and crash into earth in the next week 2011 Event Iran refuses to return the RQ-170 Sentinel that Iran captured after it crash landed in the country; Iran reports they are extracting data from the aircraft 2011 Event A recent crash on the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway prompts a halt in service and an inspection of all sections of the track 2010 Event At last count, 76 people are dead while hundreds have disappeared after a train crash in the Republic of Congo caused the train to fall into a ravine 2010 Event Presidential elections take place in Poland after the death of President Lech Kaczynski in a plane crash April 10, 2010 2010 Event The transcript of the flight data recorders from the 2010 Polish Air Force Tu-154 crash that killed 96 Polish officials and intellectuals is published 2010 Event Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili dies in a fatal crash during a training run for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, hours before the opening ceremonies 2009 Event One person out of 183 passengers and crew survives the crash of Yemenia Flight 626 off the coast of Moroni, Comoros 2007 Death David Halberstam, dies in California, in a traffic crash, at 73 2002 Death Paul Wellstone, Senator-D-Minnesota 1991 - 2002, died in a plane crash in Minnesota at age 58 2002 Event China Airlines flight 611 crashes near Taiwan, killing 225, crash probably due to structural failure 2001 Event SAS flight 686 crashes near Milano-Linate, killing 114, crash caused by flight crew and tower confusion 2001 Death Aaliyah, actress, model, singer, appeared in film, 'Romeo Must Die', successful album, 'One in a Million', dies in Marsh Harbour, The Bahamas, at age 22, in a plane crash 2000 Event Alaska Airlines flight 261 crashes off coast of southern California, killing 88, crash caused by a bad stabilizer 1999 Death Greg Moore, promising Canadian racecar driver, competed in Indy Lights, CART World Series, fatally injured in violent car crash on the 10th lap of the CART season finale 1997 Event FBI says no evidence of foul play in 1996 TWA 800 crash 1997 Event Richard Gnida, Limo driver in Detroit Red Wings crash, pleads guilty 1997 Death John Denver, country star (Country Boy), dies in plain crash at 53 1997 Death Diana, Princess of Wales, first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, mother of Princes William and Harry, noted for philanthropy, dies in Paris, at age 36, killed in a car crash 1997 Death Jean-Claude Lauzon, director/writer (Leola), dies in air crash at 43 1997 Event Red Wings Vladimir Konstantinov and Slava Fetisov hurt in car crash 1997 Death Graham Kersey, cricket wicket keeper, dies in car crash 1996 Death Hellevi Rombin Schine, Miss Universe (1955), dies in plane crash at 64 1996 Death Walter Hyatt, singer, songwriter, founder, The Contenders, work includes album 'Some Unfinished Business', dies at 46 in a plane crash 1996 Death Jessica Dubroff, attempting to be youngest pilot, dies in crash at 7 1995 Death William Roerick, actor (Guiding Light), dies in car crash at 83 1995 Death Walter "Crash" Morgan, drummer, dies at 35 1995 Death Fabio Casartelli, raced with Ariostea team in 1993, won Olympic gold medal in 1992 Summer Olympics road race, died during 15th stage of the 1995 Tour de France, in a crash occurring on the descent of the Col de Portet d'Aspet in the Pyrenees 1995 Death Alan Barton, singer (Smokie, Black Lace), dies in a bus crash 1995 Death Eduardo Mata, Mexican conductor, dies in air crash at 52 1994 Event American Eagle ATR-72 crash down at Gary, Indiana: 68 killed 1994 Event Royal Air Maroc ATR-42 crash down at Agadir, 44 killed 1994 Event Train crash in Tbilisi Georgia, 24 killed 1994 Event Antonov-12 crash down at Boda, East-Siberia, 47 killed 1994 Event Train crash in Havana Cuba, 6 killed 1994 Event 37 dies in U.S. Air DC-9 crash in NC 1994 Event U.S. Air DC-9 crash in North Carolina, 37 killed 1994 Event Airbus A330 crash at Toulouse France, 7 killed 1994 Event Poison singer Bret Michaels gets into a car crash 1994 Death Ayrton Senna, Brazilian Grand prix driver, dies in crash at 34 1994 Death Frank Wells, president (Disney), dies in helicopter crash 1994 Event Oil tank/airship crash at Bosporus (huge fire/15+ killed) 1993 Event Chinese MD82 makes crash landing at Urumqi, 12 killed 1993 Event Train crash in tunnel at Vega de Anzo Spain, 12 killed 1993 Death Alfred Manessier, French painter (glass-in-lead), dies in car crash at 81 1993 Event British Aerospace 147 crash at Yinchuan, 55 killed 1993 Event Chinese B737 crash at Yinchuan, at least 66 killed 1993 Death Davey Allisson, race car drive, dies in a plane crash at 32 1993 Death George Mickelson, Governor of South Dakota, and 7 others, die in a plane crash 1993 Death Alan Kulwicki, stock car racer, dies in plane crash at 38 1993 Death Peter Bierdrager, Dutch Fokker's-test pilot, dies in air crash 1992 Event 2 C-141B Starlifters collide in Montana and crash, 13 die 1992 Death Jerome Brown, defensive tackle (Philadelphia Eagle), dies in car crash at 27 1992 Death Tony LeMans, singer/songwriter, dies in a car crash at 29 1992 Event California Angels, are involved in a bus crash, in New Jersey 1992 Event Plane crash at Perris Valley Airport California, kills 16 parachutists 1992 Death Robert F Clayton, drummer (Jody Grind), dies at 26 in a car crash 1992 Death Robert Paul Haynes, bassist (Jody Grind), dies at 26 in a car crash 1992 Death Sam Kinison, loud mouth comedian, dies in a car crash at 38 1992 Death Juanito, soccer star (Madrid Real 1977-87), dies at 37 in car crash 1991 Event Boeing 747-200F of China Airlines crash into mountain at Taipei 1991 Death Reynold Abel Dorris, (Broken Cord), dies at 23 in car crash 1991 Event 14 die in a Continental Express commuter plane crash near Houston 1991 Death Lino Brocka, director (Macho Dancer, Jaguar), dies in car crash at 51 1991 Death John Tower, Senator-R-Texas 1961 - 1985, dies in a plane crash at 65 1991 Death John Heinz III, Senator-R-Pennsylvania 1977 - 1991, dies in a plane crash at age 52 1991 Event 7 of Reba McEntire band members are killed in a plane crash 1991 Death 7 members of Reba McIntire's band, killed in a plane crash 1990 Death Bill Vukovich, Indie 500 driver, dies in crash at 27 1990 Death Stevie Ray Vaughan, blues guitarist, dies in a helicopter crash at 35 1989 Event 2 hot-air balloon crash at Alice Springs Australia, 13 killed 1989 Death Mickey Leland, Representative-D-Texas 1979 - 1989, and 15 others die in plane crash in Ethiopia 1989 Death Stanley David Griggs, astronaut (STS-51-D), dies plane crash at 59 1989 Event Former baseball player and manager Leo Durocher injured in a car crash 1989 Death Joe Spinell, actor (Maniac, Star Crash, Strike Force), dies at 51 1988 Event Actor Gary Busey critically injured in motorcycle crash 1988 Event Mexican radio station erronously reports Mike Tyson dies in car crash 1988 Event 70 killed in crash of 3 Italian AF fighters at air show in Germany 1988 Death Alexandr V Shchukin, Russian cosmonaut, dies in SU-26 crash at 42 1988 Death Mohammad Zia Ul-Haq, President of Pakistan (1978-88), dies in crash at 64 1988 Death Mohammed Zia ul-Haq, President of Pakistan, killed in plane crash 1988 Event Train crash in Zeeland, Netherlands, kills 2 1988 Death Carrie Baxter, Best Bodybuilder (1983-85), dies in car crash at 42 1988 Death David Prater, U.S. singer (Sam and Dave-Soul Man), dies in car crash at 50 1988 Death Dave Prater, rocker (Sam and Dave), dies in a car crash at 50 1988 Death Lois Wilson, actress (Crash, Deluge, Bright Eyes), dies 1987 Event Dona Paz ferry sinks after crash with oil tanker Vector, 4386 die 1987 Event 43 die in Pacific Southwest Airline crash in California (man shot pilots) 1987 Event 28 of 82 aboard Continental Airlines DC-9, die in crash at Denver 1987 Death Dean Paul Martin, musician/tennis pro, killed in plane crash at 29 1987 Event 16 die in a train crash in Chase Md 1986 Death Samora Machel, president of Mozambique, dies in air crash at 53 1986 Death Stephen D Thorne, Lieutenant Commander USN/astronaut, dies in a plane crash at 33 1985 Event 248 U.S. soldiers and 8 crew members die in Arrow Air charter crash 1985 Event 7 die in a car and train crash in San Jose, California 1985 Event Train crash at Flaujac, France: 35 killed 1985 Event 5 die in a train crash in Westminster, Colorado 1985 Event 4 die in a car and train crash in Buda Ill 1984 Event Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen loses his arm in a car crash 1984 Death June Preisser, dancer/actress (Babes in Arms), dies in car crash at 61 1984 Event 5 die in a train crash in Williston, Vermont 1983 Event 4 die in a train crash in Marshall Texas 1982 Death Grace Kelly, princess of Monaco, dies in a car crash at 52 1982 Death Grace, Princess of Monaco, dies at 52 in a car crash 1982 Event Train crash at Aalter Belgium, 5 killed 1982 Death Randy Rhoads, rocker, guitarist, songwriter, producer, studied classical guitar, member of Quiet Riot, played with Ozzy Ozbourne, dies in an air crash at 25 1982 Death Bert Oosterhuis, Dutch motor racer (Paris-Dakar), dies in race crash 1981 Death Bui Thanh Liem, Vietnam, cosmonaut, dies in Mig-21 crash at 32 1981 Death General Omar Torrijos, leader of Panama, dies in plane crash 1981 Death Harry Chapin, folk vocalist (Taxi), dies in car crash at 38 1981 Death Jaime Roldos Aguilera, President of Ecuador, dies in air crash 1980 Death Darby Crash, rocker, dies at 22 1980 Death Francisco Sa Carneiro, Prime Minister of Portugal 1980, dies in air crash 1980 Event Train crash at Winsum, 9 die 1980 Event Ringo and Barbara Bach are involved in a car crash 1980 Death Alf Sjoberg, dir (Fadern, Oen, Domaren), dies in a car crash at 76 1980 Event Elevator in Vaal Reef South Africa gold mine crash 1900m down (23 die) 1980 Event Polish airliner crash kills all 87 aboard (22 are U.S. amateur boxers) 1979 Death Claudia Jennings, playmate (Nov, 1969), dies in car crash at 29 1979 Event Train crash at Nijmegen, 7 die 1979 Death Thurmon Munson, New York Yankee, killed in a plane crash at Akron Oh at 32 1978 Death Chris Bell, rock guitarist (Big Star), dies at 27 in car crash 1977 Event 14 University of Evansville basketball players die in plane crash 1977 Death Stevie Gaines, guitarist (Lynyrd Skynyrd Band), killed in plane crash 1977 Death Cassie Gaines, rocker (Lynyrd Skynyrd), dies in a plane crash at 28 1977 Death Ronnie Van Zant, rocker (Lynyrd Skynyrd), dies in a plane crash at 29 1977 Death Steve Gaines, rock guitarist (Lynyrd Skynyrd), dies in air crash 1977 Death Marc Bolan, rock vocalist and guitarist (T Rex), dies in a car crash at 29 1977 Event 583 die in aviation's worst disaster KLM-Pan Am 747 crash on Tenerife 1977 Death Eve Meyer, actress and pin-up model, dies in a plane crash at 46 1976 Death Ray "Crash" Corrigan, cowboy (Crash Corrigan's Ranch), dies at 74 1976 Death Michael V. Love, U.S. test pilot, X-24, dies in F-4 crash at 37 1975 Event Robert Plant is involved in a car crash in Rhodes 1974 Death Karen Silkwood, killed in a car crash under suspicious circumstances 1974 Birthday Ryan Phillippe, born in New Castle, Delaware, actor, appeared in 'One Life to Live' soap opera, films include, 'Cruel Intentions', 'Crash' 1973 Death Jim Croce, vocalist (Time in a Bottle), dies in a plane crash at 30 1973 Event Butch Trucks drummer of Allman Brothers, breaks leg in a car crash 1973 Event Stevie Wonder involved in car crash, goes into a 4 day coma 1973 Event Jordan Air crash at Kano, Nigeria kills 176 Moslem pilgrims 1972 Death Roberto Clemente, slugger (Pitts Pirate), dies in a plane crash at 38 1972 Event 16 plane crash survivors rescued after 70d, survived by cannabalism 1972 Death George Collins, (Rep-Ill), dies at 47, in airplane crash 1972 Death Berry Oakley, U.S. rock bassist (Allman Bro), dies in car crash at 24 1972 Event 45 die in a train crash in Chicago, Illinois 1972 Death Brandon De Wilde, actor (Jamie), dies at 30 in a car crash 1972 Event Rock fall inside Vierzy Tunnel (France) causes 2 train crash; 107 die 1971 Event Soviet Mars 2 becomes 1st spacecraft to crash land on Mars 1971 Event 11 die in a train crash in Salem, Illinois 1971 Event Train crash at Duivendrecht, Netherlands, 5 die 1971 Death Audie Murphy, WW II hero/actor (Sierra), killed in plane crash at 46 1971 Event U.S.S.R. launches Mars 2, 1st spacecraft to crash land on Mars 1969 Event Blues artist Muddy Waters involved in a car crash that kills 3 1969 Death Rocky Marciano, former heavyweight champ, dies in a plane crash at 45 1969 Event John and Yoko are hospitalized after a car crash 1968 Death Jan Johansson, composer, pianist, infused traditional European folks tunes with jazz, avant garde style, dies at 37 in a car crash in Jonkoping, Sweden 1968 Death Yuri Gagarin, 1st man to orbit Earth, and Seryogin, in plane crash at 34 1967 Death Carl Cunningham, rocker (Bar-kays), killed in a plane crash 1967 Death Jimmy King, rocker (Bar-kays), dies in a plane crash 1967 Death Otis Redding, singer (Dock of Bay), dies in plane crash at 26 1967 Death Phalin Jones, rocker (Bar-kays), dies in plane crash 1967 Death Ron Caldwell, rocker (Bar-kays), dies in a plane crash 1967 Death Michael James Adams, USAF pilot (X-15), dies in X-15 crash at 37 1967 Death June Thorburn, actress (Tom Thumb), dies in plane crash at 36 1967 Death Clifton C Williams, Jr., astronaut, dies at 35, in T-38 jet crash 1967 Event Train crash at Arnhem, Netherlands, kills 5 1967 Event Train crash at Beesd, 2 die 1967 Death Jayne Mansfield, actress (Female Jungle), dies in a car crash at 34 1967 Death Edward G Givens, Jr., Major USAF/astronaut, dies in an car crash at 47 1967 Death Roger Babson, entrepreneur, business theorist, attended MIT, predicted Wall Street Crash of 1929, published Babson's Reports, oldest investment newsletter in U.S., dies at age 91, in Lake Wales, Florida 1966 Event 13 die in a train crash in Everett Mass 1966 Death Johnny Kidd, rocker (Johnny Kidd and Pirates), dies at 26 in a car crash 1966 Death Claudette Orbison, wife of singer Roy, dies in a motorcyle crash 1966 Event 6 French fighters crash above Spain 1966 Event 75 MPH air currents causes BOAC 707 crash into Mount Fuji, 124 die 1966 Death Charles A Bassett II, astronaut, dies at 34, in a crash of T-38 jet 1966 Death Elliot McKay See, Jr., astronaut, dies at 38 in T-38 jet crash 1966 Event B-52/KC-135 tankers crash near Spanish coast at Palomares, 7 die 1965 Event U.S.S.R. launches Luna 7; crash lands on Moon 1964 Death Theodore C Freeman, astronaut, dies at 34 in a T-38 jet air crash 1964 Death Jim Reeves, U.S. country singer, dies in air crash at 39 1964 Death Glenn "Fireball" Roberts, biggest NASCAR money winner, dies in crash 1964 Death Ken Hubbs, 2nd baseman for the Chicago Cubs, dies in plane crash at 22 1963 Event 3 fuel tanks explodes when jetliner is struck by lightning crashing near Elkton, Maryland-Only case of lightning caused crash, 81 die 1963 Event Train crash in Japan, kills 164 1963 Event 450 die in a coal-dust explosion and 160 die in train crash (Japan) 1963 Event 1st Lockheed A-12 to crash, CIA pilot Ken Collins ejects safely 1963 Death Patsy Cline, country singer (Crazy), dies in a plane crash at 30 1962 Event 19 die in a train crash in Steelton, Pennsylvania 1962 Event 69 killed in bus crash (Ahmedabad India) 1962 Event Ranger 4 crash lands on (backside of) Moon 1962 Event U.S. Ranger spacecraft crash lands on Moon 1962 Death Ernie Kovacs, comedian, dies in a car crash in West LA, at 42 1962 Death Ernie Kovacs, comedian (Ernie Kovacs Show), killed in auto crash at 42 1961 Death Dag Hammarskjold, United Nations Secretary General, dies in an air crash over Congo at 56 1961 Death Belinda Lee, actress (Joseph and his Brethren), dies in car crash at 25 1961 Event Entire U.S. figure skating team of 18, dies in Belgian Sabena 707 crash 1960 Event Disaster on U.S.S.R. (Baikonoer) launch pad, kills missile expert Nedelin and team (165 die-unconfirmed); U.S.S.R. claims killed in plane crash 1960 Event 16 California Poly football team members die in plane crash in Toledo 1960 Death Eddie Cochran, rocker, dies at 21 in a car crash 1960 Event 14 die in a train crash in Bakersfield California 1960 Death Jesse Belvin, rocker, dies at 26 in a car crash 1959 Death O'Neil Gordon Collie Smith, WI cricket all-rounder, dies in car crash 1959 Death Big Bopper, rocker, dies in plane crash at 28 1959 Death Buddy Holly, rocker (That'll be the Day), dies in a plane crash at 22 1959 Death Richie Valens, rock vocalist (Donna), killed in plane crash at 17 1958 Event 48 die in a train crash in Elizabethport, New Jersey 1958 Death Michael Todd, film magnate, killed in an New Mexico air crash 1958 Event 7 members on Manchester United football team die in an air crash 1957 Event Passenger train and oil train crash in Gambar West Pakistan, 300 die 1957 Death Judy Tyler, actress (Princess-Howdy Doody), dies at 23 in car crash 1957 Event 12 die in a train crash in Vroman, Colorado 1957 Event Ramon Magsaysay, president of Philipines dies in a plane crash 1956 Death Milburn Apt, in X-2 rocket plane reaches 3370 kph, but, dies in crash 1956 Event 20 die in a train crash in Springer NM 1956 Event 13 die in a train crash in Swampscott Massachusetts 1956 Event 30 die in a train crash in Los Angeles 1955 Death James Dean, actor (Rebel Without a Cause), dies in car crash at 24 1955 Birthday Janice Long, British radio host, Crash FM 1953 Event 2 fast express trains crash head-on killing 103 (Czechoslovakia) 1953 Event Betty Jack Davis, singer (w/Skeeter Davis), killed in car crash 1953 Event 21 die in a train crash in Conneaut Ohio 1951 Event 17 die in a train crash in Woodstock Ala 1951 Event 17 die in a train crash in Woodstock Ala 1950 Event 79 die in a train crash in Richmond Hills NY 1950 Event 33 die in a train crash in Coshocton, Ohio 1950 Event 2 Air France DC-4s crash near Bahrain, about 100 die 1950 Event 31 die in a train crash in Rockville Center, New York 1949 Event Air crash at Turijn (whole Torino-soccer team survives) 1948 Event 4 Duluth Minnesota Dukes (St. Louis Cardinals Class C farm team) die in crash 1947 Event 24 die in a train crash in Gallitzin Pa 1947 Death Gustav Adolf, crown prince of Sweden, dies in air crash 1946 Event 9 Spokane baseball players (Western League), die in a bus crash 1945 Death George S Patton, U.S. General (Sicily/Normandy), dies in car crash at 60 1944 Death Aristide Maillol, French sculptor/graphic artist, dies in car crash at 82 1944 Death O C Wingate, British general-major (Burma), dies in air crash 1943 Death Grigori Yakovlevich Bakhchivangi, test pilot (BI-1), killed in crash 1942 Death Carole Lombard, actress, (Bolero), and mom killed in plane crash at 32 1940 Birthday Billy "Crash" Craddock, born in Greensboro, North Carolina, singer 1939 Event Sabotage suspected in crash of 'City of San Francisco' 1938 Death James Weldon Johnson, black leader (NAACP), dies in car crash at 67 1937 Death Bessie Smith, singer, dies of injuries sustained in car crash at 43 1937 Death Walter Mittelholzer, Swiss aviation pioneer, dies in crash at 43 1935 Death Wiley Post, aviation pioneer, killed in plane crash in Alaska at 36 1935 Death Will Rogers, humoprist, killed in plane crash in Alaska at 55 1935 Death Thomas E. Lawrence, Lawrence of Arabia, dies in a motorcycle crash 1934 Death Max Pallenberg, Austria actor (Brave Suender), dies in air crash at 56 1933 Event Train crash in Eastern Paris; 230 die 1931 Death Knute Rockne, football player and coach, dies in a plane crash at 43 1929 Event "Black Thursday," start of stock market crash, Dow Jones down 12.8% 1919 Death John Alcock, pilot (1st non-stop over Atlantic), dies in crash at 27 1913 Event Train crash in Liverpool during "Black Week" 1910 Event 2 trains crash in snow storm in Wellington Washington, 118 die 1908 Death Thomas E Selfridge, earlier U.S. aviator, 1st to die in an air crash 1902 Birthday Ray "Crash" Corrigan, Milwaukee, cowboy, Crash Corrigan's Ranch 1893 Event Great stock crash on New York stock exchange 1893 Event Panic of 1893: Great crash on New York Stock Exchange 1876 Event 11 passenger cars crash in a ravine near Ashtabula Ohio, 92 die 1875 Birthday Roger Babson, born in Gloucester, Massachusetts, entrepreneur, business theorist, attended MIT, predicted Wall Street Crash of 1929, published Babson's Reports, oldest investment newsletter in U.S.
