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Quiz about Death in the Air
Quiz about Death in the Air

Death in the Air Trivia Quiz


Unfortunately, many many celebrities have died on a plane; usually due a plane crash. Here are just ten of those tragic days.

A multiple-choice quiz by salami_swami. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Author
salami_swami
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
324,571
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
6 / 10
Plays
1408
Awards
Top 20% Quiz
Last 3 plays: Guest 174 (7/10), Fiona112233 (6/10), DeepHistory (9/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. This actress died on 16th January 1942 when her plane crashed near Las Vegas, Nevada USA. Her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is at 6930 Hollywood Blvd. She's been in several movies, including "My Man Godfrey" (1936). Who was this 33 year old actress? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. On 3rd February 1959 a plane crash took the lives of three famous musicians: Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper. It was known as the "Day the Music Died". But what was the name of the 21 year old pilot, who also died on that day? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. A plane crashed in Tennessee on 5th March 1963. Along with Cowboy Copas and Hawkshaw Hawkins, this crazy lady died on this day. What is peculiar about her death was that several months before, she was talking about how she "had a feeling" that she would die soon. She even gave away her possessions to her friends and wrote a will on a plane ride. She was right; imagine that! Which country music singer died that day? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. On 11th May 1996 a plane crashed in the Florida Everglades. All 110 people on board were killed, including a running back for the NFL. He had played for both the Colts and the Chargers. Due to an early death, he only played for four seasons. Who was this "fast food" American footballer? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. On 1st June 1943, this actor died in a plane crash. The plane didn't just crash because of bad weather, or a broken wing, or anything like that. It was actually shot down by a German aircraft! This actor died in the plane on that day, over the Bay of Biscay. He had played in "Gone With the Wind" (1939), "Pygmalion" (1938) and "Scarlet Pimpernel" (1935). Who was this actor? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. Jim Reeves died in a plane crash on 31st July 1964. En route to Nashville, Tennessee from their starting location in Arkansas, he was piloting a small plane that was caught in a thunderstorm. He later crashed. With Reeves was his pianist, who also died in the crash. Who was his backup band's pianist? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. On 12th August 1942 an actor who had appeared in 44 movies over a ten year span died on a plane. It was no accident, however. It was during WWII and this actor had joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. He collided with another plane in mid-air, and died from the impact. This actor has acted in "Great Expectations" (1934), "An American Tragedy" (1931) (how fitting), and "Broken Lullabye" (1932). Who is this actor? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. On 20th September 1973, Jim Croce died on a plane. The plane crashed due to pilot error. Now for something a little different; who did NOT die on the plane that fateful day? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. On 20th October 1977 a member of Lynyrd Skynyrd died from a plane crash. He was a guitarist and songwriter for the band. The plane crash also killed his older sister, a backup singer for the band, as well as Ronnie Van Zant. Which young member of Lynyrd Skynyrd was this? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. On 10th December 1967, Otis Redding died in a plane crash. Along with him, his manager and 4 of the 6 band members died. Ben Cauley survived the crash, and since the plane could only hold seven people, James Alexander was on a different plane. Which band lost four members on that day in December? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. This actress died on 16th January 1942 when her plane crashed near Las Vegas, Nevada USA. Her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is at 6930 Hollywood Blvd. She's been in several movies, including "My Man Godfrey" (1936). Who was this 33 year old actress?

Answer: Carole Lombard

Carole Lombard was born in 1908 as Jane Alice Peters in Fort Wayne, Indiana. She had been in several movies, including her first "A Perfect Crime" (1921), and her last "To Be or Not to Be" (1942).
2. On 3rd February 1959 a plane crash took the lives of three famous musicians: Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper. It was known as the "Day the Music Died". But what was the name of the 21 year old pilot, who also died on that day?

Answer: Roger Peterson

Roger Peterson was born in 1937, and was the pilot on the "Day the Music Died". The crash killed not only himself, but also that of the Big Bopper, J. P. Richardson, Charles Hardin Holley, or Buddy Holly, and Ritchie Valenzuela, or Ritchie Valens. Buddy Holly was 22, the Big Bopper was 28, and Ritchie Valens was only 17.
3. A plane crashed in Tennessee on 5th March 1963. Along with Cowboy Copas and Hawkshaw Hawkins, this crazy lady died on this day. What is peculiar about her death was that several months before, she was talking about how she "had a feeling" that she would die soon. She even gave away her possessions to her friends and wrote a will on a plane ride. She was right; imagine that! Which country music singer died that day?

Answer: Patsy Cline

Patsy Cline was born in 1932, and died when she was just 30 years old. She sung the songs "Crazy" and "Imagine That". Other well known songs include "Walkin' After Midnight" and "I Fall to Pieces". As Patsy Cline boarded the plane that killed her, a friend, Dottie West, was reluctant and even begged Cline to drive home in the car with her. Patsy Cline then said that if it was her time to go, it was her time to go.

She boarded the plane, which headed "home" straight through stormy weather. The plane crashed at 6:20 pm that night, according to Cline's broken wrist watch.
4. On 11th May 1996 a plane crashed in the Florida Everglades. All 110 people on board were killed, including a running back for the NFL. He had played for both the Colts and the Chargers. Due to an early death, he only played for four seasons. Who was this "fast food" American footballer?

Answer: Rodney Culver

Rodney Culver was born in 1969, and died at the young age of 26. In his 43 games he had played in his entire career, Culver rushed nearly 700 yards and ran for 12 touchdowns. The plane he died on was traveling from Miami, Florida to Atlanta, Georgia.
Bobby Wendy, Leslie Arby, and John Popeye do not exist. I simply wanted more "fast food" names (Culver's, Wendy's, Arby's, Popeye's).
5. On 1st June 1943, this actor died in a plane crash. The plane didn't just crash because of bad weather, or a broken wing, or anything like that. It was actually shot down by a German aircraft! This actor died in the plane on that day, over the Bay of Biscay. He had played in "Gone With the Wind" (1939), "Pygmalion" (1938) and "Scarlet Pimpernel" (1935). Who was this actor?

Answer: Leslie Howard

Leslie Howard Steiner was born in 1893, and died at the age of 50. The plane he was in was shot down over the Bay of Biscay on Howard's trip from Portugal to Britain. He played Ashley Wilkes in "Gone With the Wind" in 1939.
6. Jim Reeves died in a plane crash on 31st July 1964. En route to Nashville, Tennessee from their starting location in Arkansas, he was piloting a small plane that was caught in a thunderstorm. He later crashed. With Reeves was his pianist, who also died in the crash. Who was his backup band's pianist?

Answer: Dean Manuel

Dean Manuel was Jim Reeves' pianist from his backup band, The Blues Boys. Both Dean Manuel and Jim Reeves (age 40) died in the crash, while over Brentwood, Tennessee. Interestingly, both Jim Reeves and Randy Hughes (the man flying Patsy Cline's plane that crashed) were trained by the same instructor. Peculiar, isn't it?
Fun fact: Jim Reeves was bigger than Elvis in South Africa.
7. On 12th August 1942 an actor who had appeared in 44 movies over a ten year span died on a plane. It was no accident, however. It was during WWII and this actor had joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. He collided with another plane in mid-air, and died from the impact. This actor has acted in "Great Expectations" (1934), "An American Tragedy" (1931) (how fitting), and "Broken Lullabye" (1932). Who is this actor?

Answer: Phillips Holmes

Phillips Holmes was born in 1907, and died at the age of 35. Between 1928 and 1938 he had appeared in 44 movies, which gave him a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His father was Taylor Holmes, a stage star. Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective, and his brother, Mycroft, is also a fictional detective.
8. On 20th September 1973, Jim Croce died on a plane. The plane crashed due to pilot error. Now for something a little different; who did NOT die on the plane that fateful day?

Answer: Tommy West

Jim Croce was born in 1943, and died at the age of 30. He sang "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" and "Time in a Bottle". Muehleisen, a songwriter, died at only 24. The pilot was blamed for the incident, because he had suffered from a heart attack, because of his severe coronary artery disease, but flew the plane anyway.

There was one tree in the vicinity of the plane, for hundreds of yards, a pecan tree, and the pilot did not get enough altitude to clear the tree, thus hitting it. All on board died instantly. Tommy West was Croce's record producer.
9. On 20th October 1977 a member of Lynyrd Skynyrd died from a plane crash. He was a guitarist and songwriter for the band. The plane crash also killed his older sister, a backup singer for the band, as well as Ronnie Van Zant. Which young member of Lynyrd Skynyrd was this?

Answer: Steve Gaines

Steve Gaines was born in 1949 and died when he was just 28. In 1977, Lynyrd Skynyrd's plane ran out of fuel, and crashed in a forest in Mississippi. Three band members died on impact, and the others suffered serious injuries. However, they survived. Of these was Gary Rossington, the longest lasting original member of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Steve Gaines' older sister, Cassie, a backup singer for the band, also died in the crash.
10. On 10th December 1967, Otis Redding died in a plane crash. Along with him, his manager and 4 of the 6 band members died. Ben Cauley survived the crash, and since the plane could only hold seven people, James Alexander was on a different plane. Which band lost four members on that day in December?

Answer: The Bar-Kays

Otis Redding was only 26 years old when he died on the plane, along with his band, the Bar-Kays. The four members of the band that died were Jimmy King, Ronnie Caldwell, Phalon Jones, and Carl Cunningham. The two band members that did not die, Cauley and Alexander, reformed the band, which continued to perform until 1988. For three years they were inactive, and they came back in 1991 to perform again.
Source: Author salami_swami

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
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