Senator Paul Wellstone Killed in Plane Crash
Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone was killed in a plane crash near Eveleth, MN late Friday morning.
The Senator, five other passengers, and the two crew members were all killed when the Beech A100 (N41BE), a twin-engined aircraft commonly known as a King Air, crashed just outside the Eveleth-Virginia Municipal Airport, about 175 miles north of Minneapolis.
At the time of the crash, light snow and freezing rain was reported in the area.
Both the NTSB and the FBI investigated the event. The NTSB determined that the probable cause of this accident was the flight crew’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which led to an aerodynamic stall from which they did not recover.
NTSB Accident Summary
NTSB Accident Report
NTSB Identification: DCA03MA008
Operator: Aviation Charter Inc.
Date: 26 October 2002
Location: near Eveleth, MN
Aircraft: Beech King Air
Other Noteworthy Fatal Events Involving U.S. Politicians
The following is a partial list of U.S. political figures who have been killed in aircraft events.
- 16 October 2000; Cessna 335; near St. Louis, Missouri:
The governor of Missouri, Mel Carnahan, along with two others were apparently killed in the crash of a small private plane about 25 miles (40 km) south of St. Louis.
The aircraft had departed from the St. Louis area about 7 p.m. local time and was transporting the governor to a campaign stop in New Madrid, Missouri.
The accident occurred at about 7:30 p.m., shortly after the pilot had reported a problem with one of the aircraft's instruments.
The accident occurred at night and there was rain and fog in the area.
This event did not involve an airline aircraft.
NTSB Accident Summary
NTSB Accident Report
CNN report of the accident - 2 April 1996; U.S. Air Force 737-T43; near Dubrovnik, Croatia:
The aircraft struck mountainous terrain while attempting to land at the airport under conditions of reduced visibility.
The flight crew was using an unapproved approach. All six crew members and 29 passengers were killed.
Among the passengers were a number of U.S. corporate executives and the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Ron Brown.
The aircraft is a military version of the 737 that was used to transport military and civilian VIPs.
737 fatal passenger events - 19 April 1993 - South Dakota Gov. George Mickelson and seven other occupants were killed a when the
aircraft crashed during a rainstorm in Iowa.
NTSB Accident Summary - 4 April 1991 -
Senator John Heinz, of Pennsylvania. was killed when
his plane collided with a helicopter over Merion, PA. The two crew members in his aircraft and the two crew members on the helicopter were also killed. Wreckage from the collision rained down on an elementary school, killing two children who were on the playground during noon recess.
NTSB Accident Summary - 13 August 1989 -
Representative Larkin Smith of Mississippi and his pilot were killed
when their aircraft crashed in the DeSoto National Forest in Mississippi.
NTSB Accident Summary - 7 August 1989 - Representative Mickey Leland of Texas was killed in a crash in Ethiopia.
- 1 September 1983; Korean Air Lines 747-200; near Sakhalin Island, Soviet Union: Representative Larry McDonald of Georgia was killed along with the 29 crew members and the other 239 passengers.
The aircraft was shot down by at least one Soviet air to air missile after the 747 had strayed into Soviet airspace.
International Committee for the Rescue of KAL 007 Survivors - 14 February 1975 - Representative Jerry Pettis of California was killed
when his single-engine plane crashes into a mountain
near Beaumont, CA.
NTSB Accident Summary - 8 December 1972; United Airlines 737-200; Midway Airport, Chicago:
Representative George W. Collins of Illinois, three of the six crew members, and 39 of the 54 other passengers were killed when the aircraft crashed during approach.
NTSB Accident Summary - 16 October 1972 - House Majority Leader Hale Boggs
of Louisiana and Representative Nick Begich of Alaska were lost over Alaska. The two congressmen, the pilot, and the aircraft were never found, and they are presumed to be dead.
NTSB Accident Summary
Additional Information
Recent Crashes Involving Celebrities
Other Fatal Events Involving Celebrities
http://www.airsafe.com/events/celebs/politics.htm -- Revised: 16 November 2007