The August 25, 2001 plane crash that killed pop singer Aaliyah has spurred a criminal investigation into the plane's owner, Gilbert Chacon. Agents with the U.S Department of Transportation's Office of Inspector General are investigating claims that Chacon may have lied to authorities about his connection to the crash.
A November 9 search warrant affidavit alleges that Chacon may have destroyed documents that would incriminate his company, Blackhawk International Airways. Chacon claims he had leased the twin-engine Cessna 402B to the plane's pilot, Luis Morales, an act that would clear Chacon of any charges. But authorities have yet to find any documents relating to the lease or papers concerning the plane's maintenance history. Chacon claims he gave the plane's maintenance logs to Morales before the crash.
Morales' father says his son did not have enough money to lease the airplane. Investigators have also discovered documents filed by Morales with Bahamian Customs that list Blackhawk International Airways as the plane's owner. Chacon insists, though, that a lease existed and that the fatal crash was "not my flight."
The Cessna crashed shortly after takeoff from Marsh Harbour in the Bahamas where Aaliyah was filming a music video.