Button, Craig David, 1964-1997

Craig David Button (24 November 1964 – 2 April 1997) was a United States Air Force pilot who died when he crashed a Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft under mysterious circumstances on 2 April 1997. During the incident, Captain Button inexplicably flew hundreds of miles off-course without radio contact, appeared to maneuver purposefully and did not attempt to eject before the crash. His death is regarded as a suicide because no other hypothesis explains the events. His aircraft carried live bombs which were never recovered. It took three weeks to find the crash site. During that time, there was widespread public speculation about Button's intentions and whereabouts.