He died of a blow to the head mid-flight at the hands of the pilot and a passenger after attempting to take control of an aircraft he had chartered.

In 1934, Koenecke joined the Brooklyn Dodgers, where in his first season he hit 14 home runs, 73 RBIs and set a National League fielding record with a percentage of .994.

[6][8] In order to avoid a crash, Koenecke was hit over the head with a fire extinguisher by both the pilot, William Joseph Mulqueeney, who had left his controls, and the other passenger, Irwin Davis.

[5][6][9] Now lost in Canadian airspace, Mulqueeney made an emergency landing at Long Branch Racetrack in Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada where it was found that Koenecke had died of a cerebral hemorrhage.

[13] Koenecke's death was referenced in season 5, episode 7 of the animated TV series Archer, "Smuggler's Blues".