Editing John Denver (section)

==Death==
[[File:NOAA-Long-EZ.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|A Long-EZ two-seater [[Canard (aeronautics)|canard plane]]]]
Denver died on the afternoon of October 12, 1997, when his light [[homebuilt aircraft]], a [[Rutan Long-EZ]] with [[Aircraft registration|registration number]] N555JD, crashed into [[Monterey Bay]] near [[Pacific Grove, California]], while making a series of [[touch-and-go landing]]s at the nearby [[Monterey Regional Airport|Monterey Peninsula Airport]].<ref name="AVW" /> He was the plane's only occupant.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Kligman |first1=David |title=John Denver dies in crash // Singer's experimental plane falls into ocean |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4413095.html |journal=Chicago Sun-Times |access-date=July 17, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140610055804/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4413095.html |archive-date=June 10, 2014 |date=October 13, 1997}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rockmine.com/Archive/Vault/DeaCert/Denver.html |title=Archive : Vault : Death Certificates: John Denver |publisher=Rockmine |access-date=August 25, 2015}}</ref> The official cause of death was [[blunt trauma|multiple blunt force trauma]] resulting from the crash.<ref>https://www.autopsyfiles.org/reports/deathcert/denver,%20john_dc.pdf</ref>

Denver was a pilot with more than 2,700 hours of experience. He had [[Pilot licensing and certification|pilot ratings]] for single-engine land and sea, multi-engine land, glider and instrument. Denver also held a [[type rating]] in his Learjet. He had recently purchased the Long-EZ aircraft, made by someone else from a kit,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-jun-23-mn-62708-story.html|title=John Denver Plane Crash Inquiry Ends|agency=Associated Press|date=June 23, 1998|newspaper=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> and had taken a half-hour checkout flight with the aircraft the day before the crash.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.check-six.com/Crash_Sites/John-Denver-N555JD.htm |title=Denver's Long-EZ |publisher=Check-six.com |access-date=August 25, 2015}}</ref><ref name="urlwww.ntsb.gov">{{cite press release|url=https://www.ntsb.gov/news/1999/990126.htm |title=NTSB Determines John Denver's Crash Caused by Poor Placement of Fuel Selector Handle Diverting His Attention During Flight|publisher=National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) |access-date=December 7, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120724010104/https://www.ntsb.gov/news/1999/990126.htm|archive-date=July 24, 2012}}</ref>

Denver was not legally permitted to fly at the time of the crash because of his previous arrests for [[Driving under the influence|driving under the influence of alcohol]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/John-Denver-dies-in-crash-3095382.php |title=John Denver dies in crash |date= October 13, 1997 |work=[[San Francisco Chronicle]] |first1=Zachary |last1=Coile |first2=Emily |last2=Gurnon |first3=Larry D. |last3=Hatfield |access-date=September 26, 2016}}</ref> In 1996, nearly a year before the crash, the FAA learned that Denver had failed to maintain sobriety by not refraining entirely from [[Alcoholic beverage|alcohol]] and revoked his medical certification.<ref name="AVW" /><ref name="NTSB" /> However, it was determined that the crash was not caused or influenced by alcohol use; an autopsy found no signs of alcohol or other drugs in Denver's body.<ref name="AVW" />

The post-crash investigation by the [[National Transportation Safety Board]] (NTSB) showed that the leading cause of the crash was Denver's inability to switch fuel tanks during flight. The quantity of fuel had been depleted during the plane's flight to Monterey and in several brief practice takeoffs and landings Denver performed at the airport immediately before the final flight. His newly purchased amateur-built Rutan aircraft had an unusual fuel tank selector valve handle configuration. The handle had originally been intended by the plane's designer to be between the pilot's legs. The builder instead put it behind the pilot's left shoulder. The fuel gauge was also placed behind the pilot's seat and was not visible to the person at the controls.<ref name="AVW" /><ref name="NTSB" /> An NTSB interview with the aircraft mechanic servicing Denver's plane revealed that he and Denver had discussed the inaccessibility of the cockpit fuel selector valve handle and its resistance to being turned.<ref name="AVW" /><ref name="NTSB" />

Before the flight, Denver and the mechanic had attempted to extend the reach of the handle using a pair of [[Locking pliers|Vise-Grip pliers]], but this did not solve the problem, and the pilot still could not reach the handle while strapped into his seat. NTSB officials' post-crash investigation showed that because of the fuel selector valve's positioning, switching fuel tanks required the pilot to turn his body 90 degrees to reach the valve. This created a natural tendency to extend one's right foot against the right rudder pedal to support oneself while turning in the seat, which caused the aircraft to [[Aircraft principal axes|yaw]] \nose right and pitch up.<ref name="AVW" /><ref name="NTSB" />

The mechanic said that he told Denver that the fuel sight gauges were visible only to the rear cockpit occupant. Denver had asked how much fuel was shown. The mechanic responded that there was "less than half in the right tank and less than a quarter in the left tank". He then provided Denver with an inspection mirror so as the pilot he could look over his shoulder at the fuel gauges. The mirror was later recovered from the wreckage. Denver said that he would use the autopilot in flight to hold the airplane level while he turned the fuel selector valve. Denver had turned down an offer to refuel the aircraft, saying that he would only be flying for about an hour.<ref name="AVW" /><ref name="NTSB" />

The NTSB interviewed 20 witnesses about Denver's last flight. Six of them had seen the plane crash into the bay near Point Pinos.<ref name="AVW" /><ref name="NTSB" /> Four said the aircraft was originally heading west. Five said that they saw the plane in a steep bank, with four saying that the bank was to the right (north). Twelve described seeing the aircraft in a steep nose-down descent. Witnesses estimated the plane's altitude between {{convert|350 and 500|ft}} when heading toward the shoreline. Eight said they heard a "pop" or "backfire" accompanied by a reduction in the engine noise level just before the plane crashed into the sea.{{cn|date=January 2025}}

In addition to Denver's failing to refuel and his subsequent loss of control while attempting to switch fuel tanks, the NTSB determined other key factors that led to the crash. Foremost among these was his inadequate transition training on this type of aircraft and the builder's decision to put the fuel selector handle in a hard-to-reach place.<ref name="AVW" /><ref name="NTSB" /> The board issued recommendations on the requirement and enforcement of mandatory training standards for pilots operating home-built aircraft. It also emphasized the importance of mandatory ease of access to all controls, including fuel selectors and fuel gauges, in all aircraft.{{cn|date=January 2025}}