On August 16 , 1987 , Suns center Nick Vanos and his fiancee Carolyn Cohen were among 156 killed in the Northwest Airlines Flight 255 crash . Vanos and Cohen , who had spent four days on vacation in Michigan , were returning to Phoenix when the flight crashed after takeoff due to pilot error . Separate lawsuits were filed against Northwest Airlines by the Suns and Vanos ' parents . The team filed a property damage suit against the airline , due to the three years remaining on Vanos ' five-year contract , claiming the center to be " irreplaceable " . Nick 's parents , Peter and Josie , filed a wrongful death suit seeking $ 13.85 million in damages
Northwest Airlines Flight 255
Northwest Airlines Flight 255
1987–88 Phoenix Suns season