October 12, 1997

On this day in 1997, John Denver, an avid amateur pilot, was the victim of a fatal plane crash. The airplane he was flying had a fuel selection valve behind the pilot’s head, forcing him to balance on the right rudder in order to switch tanks. That day, Denver left the airport with less fuel than he should have. He hit the right rudder when attempting to switch tanks, causing him to spiral into the Pacific Ocean.