Politicians, entertainers, and athletes are premier frequent flyers. Perhaps not surprisingly many such prominent people have lost their lives in airplane crashes, including legendary Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne in 1931, actress Carole Lombard in 1942, baseball player Roberto Clemente in 1972, country singer John Denver in 1997, and Minnesota senator Paul Wellstone in 2002.

Another particularly tragic crash occurred on February 3, 1959. Rock star Buddy Holly was just 22 when the Beechcraft Bonanza he was riding in went down in a winter storm near Clear Lake, Iowa. Also killed were the Big Bopper (J.P. Richardson, 29), the hit singer of "Chantilly Lace," budding Mexican American singer Ritchie Valens, 17, and the pilot, Roger Peterson.

One of the most highly publicized crashes in recent years claimed the lives of John F. Kennedy Jr., 38, son of the late president John F. Kennedy; John Jr.'s wife, Carolyn Bessette...