John F. Kennedy, Jr. airplane crash /

On July 16, 1999, John F. Kennedy, Jr. died when the Piper Saratoga light aircraft he was piloting crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. His wife, Carolyn Bessette, and sister-in-law, Lauren Bessette, were also killed. His flight originated from Essex County Airport (CDW) in Fairfield Township, Essex County, New Jersey. The intended flight path was along the coastline of Connecticut and across Rhode Island Sound to its final destination of Martha's Vineyard Airport (MVY). The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) declared the crash was caused by: "the pilot's failure to maintain control of his airplane during a descent over water at night, which was a result of spatial disorientation". The NTSB and other aviation professionals also cited numerous interrelated factors that may have contributed to the crash. Hazy conditions existed on the night of the crash. Especially at night, haze can lead to spatial disorientation for pilots. Although the weather was officially listed as VFR (Visual Flight Rules), allowing Kennedy to fly his airplane that night despite his lack of an IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) rating, the visibility was poor