Celebrities Who Survived Plane or Helicopter Crashes
Aviation accidents can change a life in an instant. For some well known names, a routine flight became the moment everything narrowed to survival, recovery, and a new chapter. The stories below focus on what happened, where and when it happened, and what came next for each person.
These accounts span private aircraft, commercial flights, and helicopters. You will find the key details on the aircraft involved, the location, and the injuries reported at the time. You will also see how each person continued with work or public life after the accident.
Harrison Ford
In March 2015 a vintage Ryan PT 22 lost power after takeoff from Santa Monica Airport and Ford made an emergency landing on a nearby golf course. He was taken to a hospital with injuries that included a head laceration and fractures.
Ford had earlier aviation incidents, including a helicopter training crash near Santa Clarita in 1999 in which both he and an instructor walked away, and a separate forced landing in 2000. He resumed acting and continued flying after recovering.
Travis Barker
In September 2008 a Learjet 60 overran the runway during an aborted takeoff at Columbia Metropolitan Airport in South Carolina. Barker survived with severe burns and underwent multiple surgeries.
The crash killed four people on board and led to a long rehabilitation for Barker. He later returned to touring and recording and has spoken about the medical treatment and recovery process that followed.
DJ AM
Also in September 2008 DJ AM, whose name was Adam Goldstein, survived the same Learjet 60 crash in South Carolina. He was treated for burns and other injuries after escaping the wreckage.
Following the accident he made several public appearances that referenced the event and recovery. He died the next year from unrelated causes, but his survival from the crash itself was widely reported at the time.
Ric Flair
In October 1975 a small passenger plane crashed near Wilmington in North Carolina during a flight carrying several wrestlers. Flair suffered a broken back and other injuries and was hospitalized.
After months of treatment he returned to the ring and continued his professional wrestling career. The crash has been documented in wrestling histories that cover the route, the aircraft, and the passenger list.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
In August 2019 a Cessna Citation Latitude crashed during landing at Elizabethton Municipal Airport in Tennessee and caught fire. Earnhardt Jr., his wife, their young daughter, their dog, and the two pilots evacuated the aircraft.
He was treated for minor injuries and took time away from broadcasting commitments. He returned to work later that year, and investigators released factual information about the approach, the runway excursion, and the post impact fire.
Sandra Bullock
In December 2000 a chartered business jet attempted to land at Jackson Hole Airport in Wyoming at night and ended up off the runway in snowy conditions. Bullock and the others on board were not injured.
Damage to the aircraft included wing and fuselage impacts reported by authorities at the scene. Bullock continued filming projects afterward and made scheduling adjustments while investigations reviewed the approach and airport lighting.
Patrick Swayze
In 2000 Swayze was flying a twin engine aircraft and made an emergency landing on a road near Prescott Valley in Arizona. He was uninjured and spoke with local authorities after the aircraft came to a stop.
Officials documented the condition of the plane and roadway along with statements about the flight. Swayze resumed work following the incident and continued to pilot aircraft in later years.
Howard Hughes
In July 1946 Hughes was test flying the experimental XF 11 over Los Angeles when a mechanical failure led to a crash in a residential area of Beverly Hills. He sustained serious injuries including burns and fractures.
He spent months in recovery and later returned to aviation and film projects. The crash prompted design changes and remains a major event in test flight history with detailed records of the aircraft and flight plan.
Ernest Hemingway
In January 1954 Hemingway and his wife were on a sightseeing flight in East Africa when their de Havilland aircraft crashed during an emergency landing. A second rescue flight the next day also ended with a crash on takeoff.
Hemingway suffered burns and internal injuries and received medical care locally before traveling onward. He returned to writing and travel after recuperation, and contemporary reports documented the routes and landing sites involved.
Jeff Bezos
In March 2003 Bezos was scouting property in West Texas when the helicopter he was riding in crashed during a hard landing. He and the others on board escaped with minor injuries and were checked by medical personnel.
The incident was attributed to wind and control issues during low altitude flight. Bezos went back to work without a long recovery period and later described the event in interviews that summarized the conditions and response.
Geri Halliwell
In 2000 Halliwell was a passenger in a helicopter that crashed during landing at a rural site in England. She was uninjured and exited the aircraft after it came to rest.
Authorities inspected the helicopter and reviewed pilot statements about approach and rotor contact with the ground. Halliwell returned to scheduled appearances and recording after the incident.
Bobby Charlton
On February 6, 1958 British European Airways Flight 609 crashed during a takeoff attempt at Munich Riem Airport. Charlton survived with injuries that required treatment and a period of recovery.
He returned to play for Manchester United and later for England, adding league and international honors in the years that followed. Official reports documented runway conditions, aircraft performance, and the sequence of the takeoff attempts.
Harry Gregg
Gregg also survived the Munich air disaster in February 1958. He assisted other passengers after the crash before receiving medical attention for his own injuries.
He resumed his goalkeeping career with Manchester United and Northern Ireland and later received recognition for his actions at the scene. Investigations into the crash recorded the weather, the aircraft type, and the survivors’ locations on board.
Artimus Pyle
On October 20, 1977 a Convair CV 240 carrying members of Lynyrd Skynyrd crashed in Mississippi after running out of fuel. Pyle survived and made his way to seek help near the crash site.
He was treated for injuries and later joined tribute and reunion performances. Accounts of the accident outline the flight path, the fuel state, and the exact rural location where the aircraft came down.
Gary Rossington
Rossington was also on the Lynyrd Skynyrd flight in October 1977 and survived with serious injuries that required surgeries and rehabilitation. He later returned to the stage.
The band’s later lineups included Rossington as a key member. Records from the crash describe the passenger seating, the structural breakup of the aircraft, and the medical care provided to survivors.
Ben Cauley
On December 10, 1967 a twin engine plane carrying Otis Redding and members of the Bar Kays crashed into Lake Monona near Madison, Wisconsin. Trumpeter Ben Cauley survived after clinging to wreckage in cold water.
Cauley was rescued by local authorities and hospitalized for exposure. He went on to perform and record in later years, and reports of the crash detail the weather, the descent, and the recovery efforts on the lake.
Juliane Koepcke
On December 24, 1971 LANSA Flight 508 broke apart over the Peruvian rainforest after a lightning strike. Koepcke fell to the jungle still strapped to a seat and survived the descent with injuries.
She navigated through the rainforest for days following streams until she reached help. She later studied biology and appeared in documentaries that revisited the crash route, the search effort, and the medical treatment she received.
Alan Ruschel
On November 28, 2016 LaMia Flight 2933 crashed near Medellín while carrying the Brazilian club Chapecoense. Ruschel survived with spinal and other injuries and was transported to a hospital in Colombia.
He returned to training the next year and eventually played again in competitive matches. Official updates described his surgeries and rehab milestones along with details of the flight and terrain where the aircraft impacted.
Jakson Follmann
Follmann also survived the Chapecoense crash in November 2016. Doctors amputated part of his right leg due to injuries sustained in the accident and treated additional trauma.
He later became a club ambassador and pursued music and motivational speaking. Medical bulletins and team statements outlined his treatment timeline and the support he received from the football community.
Clint Eastwood
In 1951 Eastwood was a passenger on a military aircraft that ditched off the California coast after engine trouble. He swam to shore through cold water and reached safety on land.
He completed his service period and went on to an acting and directing career. The incident has been described in interviews that note the aircraft type, the approximate location off Point Reyes, and the distance he covered in the water.
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