Suffocating the people on the bottom from the sheer weight. Some blame it on the planes age and poor design, weighing in on its smaller fuselage and compact wingspan. I used my camera in my work. Victims were taken to the hospital in McComb, Mississippi by ambulances and other vehicles. Marc Frank remembers seeing complete and total despair. Ronnie Van Zant was just more than the bands main songwriter, frontman, and singer. Powell's version of events has been discounted by both Artimus Pyle and Judy Van Zant Jenness, who posted the autopsy reports on the band's website in early 1998 in order to set the record straight. He could see the circling helicopter from his back yard. Mote fired a warning shot in the air. A little after the two-hour mark, however, events started to unfold that would soon make history. Suffocating the people on the bottom from the sheer weight. He had been impaled by a part of the fuselage and it pushed through his body and projected out of his back. The flight was going good so far and other than Ronnie getting severely intoxicated while on the flight, all seemed to be setting up to be another routine flight. Cassie Gaines, Steve Gainess sister who were both bound for death in the crash, would routinely ride on the equipment bus rather than the plane. Wilkeson cheated death in 1977, surviving a crash of the band's chartered plane. She was famous for being part of the southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. It wasn't a Cessna; it was a Convair CV 240, a twin engine, 40-passenger plane that was down in heavy woods near Gillsburg. The pilots would have to make an emergency landing. Everyone was afraid of riding on this plane. That now legendary and near-mythical plane crash killed Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, Honkettes backup singer Cassie Gaines, assistant tour manager Dean Kilpatrick and the pilot and co-p I would like to think that only one grave robber was involved, but so many items were missing that I have to believe otherwise. It was as if they were back in Noahs time and all but a select few were stricken with greed of mankind and the chance to capitalize on an easy opportunity. The other band members Collins, Gary Rossington, Wilkeson, Powell, Artimus Pyle, and Hawkins, tour manager Ron Eckerman, and several road crew suffered . Ronnie Van Zant was just more than the bands main songwriter, frontman, and singer. It was the last flight of Lynyrd Skynyrd: Oct. 20, 1977, the night they . Photo: hu.wikipedia.com. Ultimate Classic Rock What Happened to the Survivors of the Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash? Cause of death: Car accident. Gary Rossington, one of the bands guitar players, had suffered two broken arms, a broken leg, a punctured stomach and liver. Everyone on the flight, except for Ronnie Van Zant, was feeling uneasy and restless. Billy had taken too long on his intro to the song Free Bird and that didnt set well with Ronnie. The official report of the crash read: "The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determines that the probable cause of this accident was fuel exhaustion and total loss of power from both engines due to crew inattention to the fuel supply. Even though she survived the actual crash, she eventually bled to death before the rescue team could reach her. She was brought up in Miami, Florida, alongside her brothers, Bob and Steve. Their lyrics were raw and fresh - honest and simple. If you look closely, Ronnie Van Zant and Steve Gaines (2 of 3 band members to die in the crash) are completely engulfed in flames, whereas the rest of the band is merely standing around in the streets of fire. Although Steven Tyler and Joe Perry had insisted that they charter the plane, ultimately it was not signed to the band. "I was well prepared with advanced trauma life support training," he said, "and (I was) a flight surgeon in the military. He then assembled a convoy of trucks and four-wheelers to locate the crash site and rescue the survivors. Powell's nose had been nearly ripped from his face after crashing head first through a table. But not all had the intentions of lending a helping hand. Violent, wild, and belligerent, Ronnie was a force to be reckoned with. Lynyrd Skynyrd stops for a shot in 1973. The crash killed singer/songwriter Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist/vocalist Steve Gaines, vocalist Cassie Gaines, assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, pilot Walter McCreary and co-pilot William Gray. Your IP: Marc Frank was beaten terribly and was also covered in lacerations and blood. Here Are Our Sources: Remembering Lynyrd Skynyrds Deadly 1977 Plane Crash, Jordan Runtagh, The Rolling Stones, What Happened To The Surviving Members Of The Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash?, Micheal Cristopher, Ultimate Classic Rock.com, Falling Free Bird: The Truth About The Infamous Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash Is Stranger Than Fiction, Phil Gibbons, Ranker.com, The Joplin Globe Steve and Cassie Gaines to be inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame. Gene Odom, Lynyrd Skynyrds bodyguard, recalls: They took my watch, my wallet, my ring, and my money as I lay bleeding on the ground. He hopes to publish in time for the 40th anniversary of the crash. Van Zant died instantly of blunt force trauma to the head. The reason is that just a few short days before some of the band members had reported seeing sparks a large as 10ft shooting out of the right engine. These things don't happen here. Rescue vehicles on the ground found no direct path in sight. The reason behind this? Ronnies mother Marion refused to make the flight, after seeing a horrific plane crash of her own that killed 9 people. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. As the small band of brothers grew, the conversation grew lively but stayed reverent. Steve Gaines was killed instantly upon impact and his sister Cassie Gaines perished as well. "Are you writing a book?" This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. As soon as it seemed that the worst of the flight was passing, the true nightmare was about to set in for Lynyrd Skynyrd and the crew aboard. Artimus Pyle emerged with several broken ribs, and bleeding everywhere you could. to gather a few more. She said her husband grabbed his .243 hunting rifle, ran out and fired a warning shot. In 1977, lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Stevie Gaines and Gaines' sister, Cassie Gaines, were killed in a plane crash. The cockpit, tail, and wings completely ripped apart and the remaining cab lay desolate, in the shape of an L. The plane was simply not built well enough to even remotely handle the impact from the pine trees at roughly 90 mph. His post noted that he and many others had made pilgrimages for years to the site to pay their respects. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. Cassie Gaines died on the 20 th of October, 1977 in a plane crash at Gillsburg, Mississippi when she was only 29 years old. Lead vocalist and founding member of the southern rock band, Ronnie Van Zant, also lost his life in the accident. Powell also claimed that Ronnie Van Zant's head had been smashed. The next morning I looked over them, made a few small prints and forgot about them. Through the woods, yet another seeker appeared. "May the free bird fly on," read one message. Deceased people hanging from trees, the other survivors moaning for help of any kind, and completely surrounded by a black swamp whose canopy is blocking the only light that is trying so desperately to shine through. According to an interview in the book Freebirds, Billingsley had dreamed of the plane crash and begged Allen Collins by telephone not to continue using the Convair. Lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines and singer Cassie Gaines were all killed in the crash, and the . He had already finished a film about the plane crash when Gary and several others stepped in and placed a lawsuit against the film to not be shown to the public. Marc Frank was beaten terribly and was also covered in lacerations and blood. I knew my camera had stories to tell. At the beginning of the flight, all was well, amid high tensions. We were all fans. Allen Collins kept moving on, eventually getting together with Gary Rossington to form the Rossington Collins Band. Sadly, the band would not make it to Baton Rouge and the plane had been pushed one flight too many. Cassie Gaines was born on January 9, 1948 and died on October 20, 1977. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a2fad0cc830fa72 Artimus Pyle emerged with several broken ribs, and bleeding everywhere you could. Collins and other band members were severely injured. At the time of her death, she was 29 years old. Skip to main content. The 22-year-old had been outside bailing hay in the twilight when he heard the crash in the distance, which he assumed was a car skidding in gravel. But after seeing helicopter searchlights, he started to assume it was a jailbreak instead. But a message on the group's official Web site said the summer tour will resume on Aug. 7, in Spokane, Wash. Tremendous physical pain overwhelmed the group as did mental exhaustion. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? We'd move one and there would be another one laying there." Allen's wife would bleed to death due to a miscarriage. Updated cover after plane crash, 1977The official NTSB accident report reads, "The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the probable cause of this accident was fuel exhaustion and total loss of power from both engines due to crew inattention to fuel supply. Steve Gaines was killed instantly upon impact and his sister Cassie Gaines perished as well. Photo: thetv.info. The Convair 240 itself had been inspected by members of Aerosmith's flight crew for possible use in the early summer of 1977, but was rejected because it was felt that neither the plane nor the crew were up to standards. Pyle claimed in a February 2007 appearance on Howard Stern's Sirius radio program that Mote had shot him; Mote has always denied shooting the drummer. Lynyrd Skynyrd reformed in 1987, and has been touring and recording steadily ever since with Johnny Van Zant, brother of the late Ronnie, as lead singer. he said, barely able to get his English to suit his thoughts. Without wanting to cause alarm he thought to himself that maybe the pilots were trying to transfer fuel from one engine to another. And then we heard voices. Before long, he noticed three men emerge from the dense woods along the pasture. With the tree tops approaching fast and just eight miles short of the air strip, the plane was headed for a Mississippi swamp and nothing could be done to save them now. But soon, the helicopters that were heard and seen previously were on the scene. Leon Wilkeson, their bass player, had arguably the most harrowing recovery; as he faced many internal injuries, dislodged teeth, and a broken left arm and leg, and his heart stopped twice on the operating table while doctors frantically struggled to keep him alive. Pilot Walter. Artimus Pyle once said they were flying in a plane that he believed belonged to the Clampett family (they were the family from the Beverly Hillbillies, a family notorious for using pieced together equipment.). But soon, the helicopters that were heard and seen previously were on the scene. Almost as mysteriously, the full bottle is never seen again. I put them all to work. Cassie Gaines cause of death The talented singer met her death at the young age of 29. she asked me as we talked. On several occasions, the latter shined through. The Vintage News Aerosmith Said No, Lynyrd Skynyrd Said Yes To The Plane. It Crashed, Killing 3 Members, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Drinking, Fighting, Hell-Raising: The Classic Skynyrd Lineup In Pittsburgh, Associate Press Mississippi Road Signs For Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash Site, Hollywood Reporter Appeals Court Reverses Ban on Lynyrd Skynyrd Movie, Ronnie Van Zant Of Lynyrd Skynyrd Predicted His Own Death, Groove History, 1977 Missippi Convair CV-240 Plane Crash, Wikipedia, History Collection The Deadliest Plane Crash in Canada Killed 248 Soldiers in 1985, History Collection A Plane Crashed into the Empire State Building (1945). The band has sold an estimated 35 million records. You all just better get some rest. Dan Barnes recalls saying This man had just been to the funeral home and seen his son dead and decided to keep that to himself for these guys to heal. Cassie joined the team and became one of the three members of The Honkette's, a female gospel vocal trio of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Street Survivors was released just three days before the crash and would quickly become a hit. As he looked around the scene, his mind went back. I didn't know where this was going. A chartered Convair 240, N55VM, carrying the band between shows from Greenville, South Carolina to LSU in Baton Rouge, Louisiana crashed near a forest in McComb, Mississippi. A costly mistake at 9,000ft or so. Gabel says he's been to the site 15 or more times. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. A little after an hour of trudging through a creek and at one point burrowing underneath a barbed wire fence they found themselves staring at a small, dim light in the distance. Home; Memorials; Cemeteries; Famous; Contribute; Register; Sign In; Register; Sign In; . He says he first came in the 80s after he graduated. Sit down. The plane had taken off with a faulty gasoline gauge that fooled the pilots into thinking that the plane was equipped with the appropriate amount of gas to reach their destination. Artimus Pyle emerged with several broken ribs, and bleeding everywhere you could. When he was sober, he was a fair and kind person. Allen Collins suffered two cracked vertebrae in his neck, and both Collins and Leon Wilkeson nearly had arms amputated as a result of crash injuries. She died from excessive bleeding as her throat had been cut from ear to ear. That farm belonged to a young dairy farmer named Johnny Mote. Here are 10 facts about Lynyrd Skynyrd and their fateful end. My college roommate was a young photojournalist. It was rumored that it was Ed Kings (original guitar player for Lynyrd Skynyrd) wife but it was not confirmed. Willing to lend a hand and stick by his bandmates, he was hard to beat when standing by your side. I've not looked at them since. "We didn't know how much gas was on the ground. Yen.com.gh shared an interesting piece on Bianca Lawson age, parents, husband, kids, net worth, and movies. Apparently, Artimus had been quoted saying that Ronnie got up, went to the back of the plane and gave him a hippy handshake but Gene was quite persistent on the fact that it was complete bull. Allen Collins, who lost fellow members of the rock group Lynyrd Skynyrd in a 1977 plane crash and was paralyzed four years ago in a drunken driving accident, died Tuesday of pneumonia. Lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines and singer Cassie Gaines were all killed in the crash, and the band stopped performing and recording. He drove down from his home in Oakland, Miss. I marked my calendar and made arrangements. How do they know? He then assembled a convoy of trucks and four-wheelers to locate the crash site and rescue the survivors. Laying on the ground, still alive for only a moment, to slowly bleed to death. The cockpit, tail, and wings completely ripped apart and the remaining cab lay desolate, in the shape of an L. The plane was simply not built well enough to even remotely handle the impact from the pine trees at roughly 90 mph. Rudge chartered three planes for loved ones to identify the bodies. With that cue, Governor took the honors and introduced everyone as Gabel's mouth gaped in disbelief. At least one member, background singer Cassie Gaines, had refused to board the flight, but was convinced against her better judgment. The original cover was restored after the 30th anniversary of the album. The fuselage turned sideways, and everybody was hurled forward.. The aircraft crashed in a heavily wooded area during an attempted emergency landing. I knew I could take photographs if I could get there. . So, we're both southerners.". I can't remember," he said. Also Known As: Cassie LaRue Gaines Died At Age: 29 Family: mother: Cassie LaRue Gaines Died Young Rock Singers Died on: October 20, 1977 place of death: Gillsburg, Mississippi, United States U.S. State: Oklahoma Cause of Death: Plane Crash Recommended Lists: American Celebrities Film & Theater Personalities American Women Women Singers Tremendous physical pain overwhelmed the group as did mental exhaustion. Totaled, decimated, and left for dead. Ronnie Van Zant enjoying a stog before a show. The band would be marked for strife as just before their inaugural tour, Allens wife would bleed to death due to a miscarriage. It would also be the first album that guitarist Steve Gaines would be the sole guitar player on. David Bowie Reveals His Favorite Songwriters, Michael Jacksons Daughter Release New Song, Fans Wants To Cancel Roger Waters Concerts, Ozzy Osbourne Give Update On Possible Touring, Why Keith Richards Was Jealous Of The Beatles, Dave Grohl Reveals His Favorite Paul McCartney Track. The only thing left was a trail of debris and people. One of them being completely decapitated. It would take hours to remove the bodies of the dead and injured from the plane. It was there that he struck up a fractured conversation. Assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, the pilot, and co-pilot Walter McCreary and William Gray also died. She was hesitant because she had seen a small fire in one of the engines the previous day. He was a walking treasure trove of names, facts and figures. "I'd never seen anything like that," he said. Soon after the plane would begin to jerk and shake violently. According to a Billboard report, he died of natural causes in his sleep. Mote hopped into his pick-up to get back to his house, told his wife to get back in the house, then proceeded to grab his gun and stand guard. The choppers belonged to the Coast Guard, National Guard and Forrest County General Hospital, who were doing their best to ferry people in, and illuminate the crash site. A plane crash left lead singer Ronnie Van Zandt, lead guitarist Steve Gaines and backup singer Cassie Gaines dead. From left to right: Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant, And Gary Rossington. Musician. Most of the 20 survivors were taken to Southwest Regional Medical Center in McComb, where the lobby had been transformed into a makeshift emergency treatment center to quickly deal with the onslaught of plane crash victims. "I had expertise on what to do and growing up in Amite County, Mississippi didn't hurt. Lynyrd Skynyrd is a FANDOM Music Community. Since Cassie was not aware of the band's existence at that time, Jojo offered her a copy of Lynyrd Skynyrd's first two albums to make her acquainted with the band's work. Gary continues on the band with Ronnies brother, Johnny Van Zant, and guitarist Ricky Medlocke. Ben Gabel, of Denham Springs, is a former surveyor, and navigated to the scene from the official NTSB report, which includes the latitude and longitude. On 20th October 1977, the Lynyrd Skynyrd boarded a chartered Convair CV-240 to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after their performance in Greenville, South Carolina. Ronnie had died instantly upon impact, his head slamming into a tree. 100+ love and trust messages for her to rekindle the passion, 100+ miss you sister quotes, messages, and texts to show your love, EU parliament chief urges Ukraine membership talks this year, UN chief condemns rich countries 'vicious' tactics against poor, Meet Empress Esi the 13-year-old GH girl building schools and giving joy to the needy through her foundation, Christian Atsu's family releases date, venue and other details about his final funeral rites, "Beauty and talent": Gorgeous young lady displays exceptional drumming skills in church, viral video melts hearts, What teams have never been to the super bowl. Thats when most of the sober members of the band saw that the right propeller was no longer working. Lynyrd Skynyrd pose for a portrait circa 1976. You are already subscribed to our newsletter! They were directing him to the property next to his family's farm. This year there were no red roses, but a freshly carved "R.J." stood out with red paint enhancement. What injuries did Cassie Gaines die from? I dont like that, The Weeknd is getting mocked for his response to Rolling Stones The Idol expos, Daisy Jones & the Six review: Riley Keough fronts a rock soap opera, Aaron Carters mom posts awful photos from death scene, pushes for homicide inquiry, Wayne Shorter, influential jazz saxophonist and composer, dies at 89. 5 album. Everyone knows him as "Governor." So, with little hesitation I decided I should join the dance. Pilot Walter McCrearey and co-pilot John Grey were killed on impact. Over the weekend, the message boards on the official Web site were flooded with messages of lament for the "living legend," "free bird," and simple man.". All he could think was that they must be from a recent a jailbreak," she said. He didn't know who the victims were. Three crew members died in a plane crash just three days after the release of their 5th album. But one thing I'm proud of. Another 20 were injured, which included keyboardist Billy Powell, guitarists Gary Rossington and Allen Collins, drummer Artimus Pyle and bassist Leon Wilkeson. The will to carry on was strong, however, Pyle being a US Marine, would live out the phrase Semper Fidelis which means always faithful. The whole scene tore him apart. You all just better get some rest. Dan Barnes recalls saying This man had just been to the funeral home and seen his son dead and decided to keep that to himself for these guys to heal. Johnny Mote and his ragtag team were first on the crash site. And the hardest-working rock 'n' roll band in America was about to run out of gas. Born Steven Earl Gaines, the son of Cassie Hatfield and Earl Gaines. I couldn't stand it. Steven Earl Gaines (September 14, 1949 - October 20, 1977) was an American musician. As the Houston Press reports, the crash took Van Zant's life, as well as the lives of band member Steve Gaines and his sister, backup singer Cassie; and Dean Kilpatrick, the assistant road manager. "Live on my brother. "Seems like everyone is writing a book. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. He was best known for being a Rock Singer. Steve Gaines was killed instantly upon impact and his sister Cassie Gaines perished as well. [2] That's when Mote connected the dots with the noise he had heard earlier. Lewis was on emergency room call that night at McComb's Southwest Regional Medical Center. Artimus Pyle, drummer for the band, stops for a quick picture while en route to the next show. Artimus Pyle and Gary Rossington are the only two members alive today from the crash. Lynyrd Skynyrd is no doubt an American staple in music and southern rock culture. Ultimate Classic Rock What Happened to the Survivors of the Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash? Willing to lend a hand and stick by his bandmates, he was hard to beat when standing by your side. However, it is believed that the pilots were trying to transfer oil from one engine to another when they accidentally jettisoned the fuel instead. Collect, curate and comment on your files. "New Orleans is a southern city. Photo: Pinterest. Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash site draws a pilgrimage. Bianca is an American actress. Terror soon engulfed the cabin of the plane and the pilots were frantically trying to radio local Houston Air Traffic Control, stating they had a fuel issue and were most likely going to have to make a emergency landing. Photo: Pinterest. Minutes later he was guiding an ambulance through an overgrown trail. Photo: obviousmag.org. Especially Artimus, who had three broken ribs and multiple large cuts. He was the New Orleans-based photographer for the Associated Press Jack Thornell, known for his Pulitzer Prize winning photo of civil rights leader James Meredith. "Steve was at the peak of his career. Identification was completely hindered as there had been a poker game going on during the flight, and everyones wallets and purses had been strewn throughout the swamp. As the three marched on, feet soaking wet from the water, all odds seemed stacked against the trio. It felt like being hit with baseball bats in a steel garbage can with the lid on. Leon Wilkeson and Billy Powell would both go on to pursue other musical ventures and both have a hand in several Lynyrd Skynyrd re-boots. She was planning to join the tour in Little Rock on October 23, three days after the crash. Here Are Our Sources: Remembering Lynyrd Skynyrds Deadly 1977 Plane Crash, Jordan Runtagh, The Rolling Stones, What Happened To The Surviving Members Of The Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash?, Micheal Cristopher, Ultimate Classic Rock.com, Falling Free Bird: The Truth About The Infamous Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash Is Stranger Than Fiction, Phil Gibbons, Ranker.com, The Joplin Globe Steve and Cassie Gaines to be inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame. I threw it in reverse and plowed into my mother-in-law's car. As they, too, were succumbing to the sub-par standards of the plane and crew. On another occasion, while reportedly on a drunken rage, he even slashed the hands of Gary Rossington, his best friend and guitarist, with a broken beer bottle.