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In the wake of Kobe Bryant’s tragic death, we have been reminded of unfortunate stories of notable celebrities who have been killed in air crashes over the last century. Here is a list of some of the most notable tragedies. Please note that the list is not in any particular order.
Kobe Bryant, 2020
Bryant was known to use a helicopter for travel. As a Los Angeles Laker, he was known for commuting from Newport Beach to the Staples Center in his Sikorsky S-76 chopper. The six-time NBA champion and perennial All-Star, was killed along with his daughter.
John F. Kennedy Jr, 1999
John Jr., his wife Carolyn and Carolyn’s sister Lauren were killed in a private plane crash near Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. He was an American lawyer, journalist, and magazine publisher. He was a son of President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, and a younger brother of Caroline Kennedy.
Jenni Rivera, 2012
The American singer, songwriter, actress, television producer, spokesperson, philanthropist and entrepreneur died was involved in a crash shortly after takeoff on December 9, 2012.
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.
She was known as the Diva of Banda with more than 20 million albums sold worldwide and once named one of People En Español‘s 25 most powerful women.
James Horner, 2015
Academy Award-winning composer James Horner, perhaps best known for scoring "Titanic," died in 2015 after the small plane he was piloting crashed in central California. Horner had been nominated for 10 Academy Awards, winning two for 1997's best picture, "Titanic." He composed the film's score and its enduring theme song, "My Heart Will Go On," sung by Celine Dion.
His scores for "Alien," ''Apollo 13," ''Field of Dreams," ''Braveheart," ''A Beautiful Mind," ''House of Sand and Fog" and "Avatar" also earned Oscar nods, as did his original song, "Somewhere Out There," from "An American Tail."
Aaliyah, 2001
The ‘Princess’ of R&B was just 22 when her life was cut short after a music video shoot in the Bahamas.
She was among nine people who were killed when a private plane crashed soon after take-off in 2001. According to reports, the plane was believed to be significantly overloaded, and the pilot, Luis Morales, had received probation for cocaine possession less than two weeks before the flight.
In May 2002, Aaliyah’s parents filed a lawsuit against several companies, including Virgin Records and Blackhawk International Airways Corp, for culpability in the crash, settling for an undisclosed sum the following year.
