Why did John Denver’s plane crash?
IN October 1997, country superstar John Denver was killed in a tragic plane crash.
The singer was piloting an experimental plane and crashed into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California.
Who was John Denver?
Henry John Deutschendorf Jr., professionally known as John Denver, was an American singer-songwriter known for being a trailblazer in acoustic folk music.
He was born on December 31, 1943, in Roswell, New Mexico.
He was married twice, first to Annie Martell, with whom he adopted two children. He then married Australian actress Cassandra Delaney, and the two shared a daughter.
Denver was a force to be reckoned with in the music industry, having written the hit song Leaving On A Jet Plane for Peter, Paul and Mary.
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But his solo career was successful in its own right, earning a string of chart-topping tracks like Take Me Home, Country Roads, Sunshine On My Shoulders, and I'm Sorry.
Outside of music, he also dabbled in multiple acting projects, including the films Walking Thunder and Oh, God!
When was John Denver's plane crash?
John Denver's plane crash occurred on October 12, 1997.
According to a The Washington Post report at the time, he crashed the aircraft he was flying at 5:37pm, shortly after he left Monterey Peninsula Airport.
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The plane was reportedly 500 feet in the air "when it just sort of dropped unexpectedly into the ocean. When it hit the water, it broke into numerous parts," per Pacific Grove police Lt. Carl Miller.
While lifeguards were able to retrieve Denver's remains, identification took some time due to the extent of his injuries.
Authorities had to collect his fingerprints from his home in Colorado to confirm his identity.
What caused John Denver's plane to crash?
According to the National Transportation Safety Board, John Denver's plane was likely already running low on fuel when he took off from the airport.
While the aircraft had two gas tanks, switching from one to another proved to be difficult due to its design.
It required the pilot to turn around to make the switch.
Investigators concluded that Denver lost control of the plane while trying to tinker with the gas tanks.
There was also a report that Denver had tried to consult a mechanic to try and fix the tanks, but to no avail.
“They tried a pair of Vise-Grip pliers on the handle to extend the reach of the handle, but this did not work,” the report read.