He Didn’t Refuel
He may have thought there was enough fuel for a quick spin, but the aircraft’s design required the pilot to unbuckle and completely turn around to switch the secondary fuel tank valve. Denver reportedly declined the refueling offer, claiming that he would use autopilot to keep the plane level while turning the fuel selector valve. Experts believe he did so by extending his foot onto the right rudder pedal, causing the plane to turn downward.
He Didn’t Refuel
His Last Words
According to a National Transportation Safety Board representative, Denver did not give any emergency indication when he radioed into the Monterey airport control tower – a routine transmission – mere seconds before the crash. Denver had radioed the tower to say he was adjusting his transponder, which is a device that sends out signals to the tower so that air traffic controllers can see an aircraft on their screens. George Petterson, a safety board investigator, said, “He was sending the transponder signal.” Then he asked, “Do you have it now?” revealing John Denver’s final words.
His Last Words