| − | Died: April 3, 1996 - 34 victims. Air Force II, an Air Force T-43 jet aircraft (converted Boeing 737), crashed into a mountainside while approaching the Dubrovnik airport. The T-43 was carrying Commerce Secretary Ron Brown and 34 others, including 14 business executives on a trade mission to [[Croatia]]. Brown was under criminal investigation. Independent Counsel Daniel Pearson was seeking to determine whether Brown had engaged in several sham financial transactions with longtime business partner Nolanda Hill shortly before he became secretary of commerce. Indictments were imminent. Brown reportedly told a confidante that he would, "not go down alone." Days later, his plane crashed on approach to Dubrovnik airport. On the verge of being indicted and having stated publicly his willingness to make a deal with prosecutors, Ron Brown's death brought to an end his ability to testify. The official conclusion was that the plane was brought down by "the worst storm in a decade." However, the Dubrovnik airport weather office, just two miles from the crash site, could not confirm the existence of any such storm, nor did any other pilots in the area. [[Hillary Clinton]], [[Chelsea Clinton]] and [[Defense Secretary]] William Perry flew on the same plane just one week prior. According to the April 8, 1996, ''Aviation Week & Space Technology'', three separate radio links to the aircraft all quit while the aircraft was still seven miles from the crash, evidence that the plane suffered a total electrical failure in flight which was never investigated. Military forensics investigators were alarmed by what appeared to be a .45-caliber bullet hole in the top of Brown's head. This circular hole, with inward beveling, was found in the top of Ron Brown's head and X-rays revealed a shower of metallic fragments, a common signature of a bullet wound. The X-rays were reported missing, then were claimed never to have existed, but photos of the X-rays exist thus substantiating further speculation of foul play. The perfectly cylindrical hole in Ron Brown's skull never triggered an autopsy. The Air Force, in a 22-volume report issued in June 1996, confirmed its initial judgment that the crash resulted from pilot errors and faulty navigation equipment. After Ron Brown's death, his co-worker, Barbara Wise, was found locked in her office at the Department of Commerce, dead, bruised, and partially nude. Following Brown's death, John Huang's new boss at Commerce was Charles Meissner, who shortly thereafter died in yet another plane crash. Clinton had transferred authority to the Commerce Department to approve sensitive technological transfers under the guide of free trade, including the satellite deal to China said to compromised [[national security]]. Brown had stated publicly his willingness to make a deal with prosecutors, but before that would happen President Clinton sent him on this fatal mission. Ron Brown's death brought to an end the investigations into the Commerce Department. | + | Died: April 3, 1996 - 34 victims. Air Force II, an Air Force T-43 jet aircraft (converted Boeing 737), crashed into a mountainside while approaching the Dubrovnik airport. The T-43 was carrying Commerce Secretary Ron Brown and 34 others, including 14 business executives on a trade mission to [[Croatia]]. Brown was under criminal investigation. Independent Counsel Daniel Pearson was seeking to determine whether Brown had engaged in several sham financial transactions with longtime business partner Nolanda Hill shortly before he became secretary of commerce. Indictments were imminent. Brown reportedly told a confidante that he would, "not go down alone." Days later, his plane crashed on approach to Dubrovnik airport. On the verge of being indicted and having stated publicly his willingness to make a deal with prosecutors, Ron Brown's death brought to an end his ability to testify. The official conclusion was that the plane was brought down by "the worst storm in a decade." However, the Dubrovnik airport weather office, just two miles from the crash site, could not confirm the existence of any such storm, nor did any other pilots in the area. [[Hillary Clinton]], [[Chelsea Clinton]] and [[Defense Secretary]] [[William Perry]] flew on the same plane just one week prior. According to the April 8, 1996, ''Aviation Week & Space Technology'', three separate radio links to the aircraft all quit while the aircraft was still seven miles from the crash, evidence that the plane suffered a total electrical failure in flight which was never investigated. Military forensics investigators were alarmed by what appeared to be a .45-caliber bullet hole in the top of Brown's head. This circular hole, with inward beveling, was found in the top of Ron Brown's head and X-rays revealed a shower of metallic fragments, a common signature of a bullet wound. The X-rays were reported missing, then were claimed never to have existed, but photos of the X-rays exist thus substantiating further speculation of foul play. The perfectly cylindrical hole in Ron Brown's skull never triggered an autopsy. The Air Force, in a 22-volume report issued in June 1996, confirmed its initial judgment that the crash resulted from pilot errors and faulty navigation equipment. After Ron Brown's death, his co-worker, Barbara Wise, was found locked in her office at the Department of Commerce, dead, bruised, and partially nude. Following Brown's death, John Huang's new boss at Commerce was Charles Meissner, who shortly thereafter died in yet another plane crash. Clinton had transferred authority to the Commerce Department to approve sensitive technological transfers under the guide of free trade, including the satellite deal to China said to compromised [[national security]]. Brown had stated publicly his willingness to make a deal with prosecutors, but before that would happen President Clinton sent him on this fatal mission. Ron Brown's death brought to an end the investigations into the Commerce Department. |
| | *'''Captain Schic''' - Air Traffic Controller, Cilipi Airport, Dubrovnik, Croatia. He was in touch with Ron Brown's flight. Was claimed to have committed "suicide" after the crash of Ron Brown's plane. Control tower tapes that could shed light on the crash have vanished and the black boxes that had been recovered were later reported to have been identified as storage bins. The Pentagon claims that Air Force II did not have a Flight Data Recorder nor a Cockpit Voice Recorder. The Air Force canceled its investigation. | | *'''Captain Schic''' - Air Traffic Controller, Cilipi Airport, Dubrovnik, Croatia. He was in touch with Ron Brown's flight. Was claimed to have committed "suicide" after the crash of Ron Brown's plane. Control tower tapes that could shed light on the crash have vanished and the black boxes that had been recovered were later reported to have been identified as storage bins. The Pentagon claims that Air Force II did not have a Flight Data Recorder nor a Cockpit Voice Recorder. The Air Force canceled its investigation. |