Violent, wild, and belligerent, Ronnie was a force to be reckoned with. The two men, for a while, were the only able-bodied persons present to help pull people from the wreckage. News had spread about the crash and before too long an estimated 3,000 people had swarmed to the crash site. The events before the plane crash are perhaps the most bone-chilling ones you'd ever hear. He suffered a heart attack . All reality had been broken and none of the surviving members would ever be the same or view life the same again. Get the news that matters from one of the leading news sites in Ghana, UN development chief sounds alarm over debt distress, Texas: Wind and solar stake claim to land of oil, Couple loses GH 300,000 on their wedding after guests don't show up: "So heartbroken", "Rest Well": Thomas Partey pays tribute to Christian Atsu as she scores in Arsenal's 3-2 win over Bournemouth, Hard guy dey cry: Sulley Muntari sheds tears at Christian Atsu's 1-week observance, Richard Kingston consoles him in sad video, 150+ Sad messages: ideas to express your deepest feelings in 2022, What happened to Jade Castrinos after Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, List of American foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner that you will love, 80+ Juice WRLD's quotes and lyrics about love, life, success and heartbreak. We were all fans. The whole scene tore him apart. Buker had noticed the flight crew passing around liquor bottles while aboard the plane. Photo: obviousmag.org. Ultimate Classic Rock What Happened to the Survivors of the Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash? 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. Four of the passengers were killed including bandleader and lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, Cassie Gaines and assistant tour manager Dean Kilpatrick. Ronnie Van Zant was just more than the bands main songwriter, frontman, and singer. Mike Rounsaville also arrived in the jeep with Dr. Lewis. The album had a very controversial cover when released. That farm belonged to a young dairy farmer named Johnny Mote. The fuselage turned sideways, and everybody was hurled forward.. Artimus Pyle and Gary Rossington are the only two members alive today from the crash. Where Did We Find This Stuff? The other band members Collins, Gary Rossington, Wilkeson, Powell, Artimus Pyle, and Hawkins, tour manager Ron Eckerman, and several road crew suffered . Cassie Larue Gaines was an American singer. The tree where the cockpit came to rest has long-since died. Pyle maintains in the Howard Stern interview that the fuel gauge in the older model plane malfunctioned and the pilots had failed to manually check the tanks before taking off. The pilots were still in their seats, but were laying upside down in nearby trees. She was sick and would meet up with the band in Arkansas to continue the tour. As he looked around the scene, his mind went back. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Cassie Gaines, a member of the backing vocal trio known as the Honkettes and sister of guitarist Steve Gaines, was so petrified that she nearly squeezed in the band's cramped equipment truck. Band members Artimus Pyle and Billy Powell entered the cockpit to get an idea of what was happening. Toxicology tests were also ordered to determine whether there were drugs in his system at the time. "I knew she was gone. Pyle, Frank, and Peden were met with hostility when they finally came up to Mote. Dwain Easley still lives on the east side of the crash site. Bianca is a force to be reckoned with in the American film industry. Video of a barechested Pyle at the 1979 Volunteer Jam does not show evidence of a gunshot wound. Collins entered the hospital with pneumonia symptoms and was in a coma the last few days, said longtime friend Ann Thompson. I knew I had no business going, and my wife told me so. The will to carry on was strong, however, Pyle being a US Marine, would live out the phrase Semper Fidelis which means always faithful. 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. In 1986, his car ran off a road and crashed into a culvert, paralyzing him from the waist down and killing his girlfriend. It was Dr. Hank Lewis, a month shy of 78-years-old. 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. But one thing I'm proud of. But we were both enjoying it. Everyone just stood there helpless. Mote was putting out square bales of hay for the cattle when he heard what sounded "like a car crash on a gravel road." Marc Frank remembers seeing complete and total despair. Van Zant, Steve and Cassie Gaines, Kilpatrick and the pilots were laid in a temporary morgue at a local high school gymnasium. 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. In the ensuing chaos, souvenir hunters took billfolds, jewelry, suitcases, band merchandise and even chunks of metal from the crash site. The site is hard to access. Thats when most of the sober members of the band saw that the right propeller was no longer working. The reason behind this? The crash killed Ronnie Van Zant, Steve and Cassie Gaines, assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, as well as pilot Walter McCreary and co-pilot William Gray. And then we heard voices. I'd deal with that later. Ronnies mother Marion refused to make the flight, after seeing a horrific plane crash of her own that killed 9 people. Photo: hu.wikipedia.com. It was there where he was found dead in his room on July 27. 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 years after the crash would be difficult in its own right for surviving members, most of which would experience tragedy and early death themselves. The band got its name as a way of mocking Leonard Skinner, a gym coach at Robert E. Lee High School known for punishing his long-haired students specifically band co-founders Gary Rossington and Bob Burns. Mother of Lynyrd Skynyrd members Cassie Gaines and Steve Gaines. I told him that it was the strongest thing I had seen a man do.. The band had just released their biggest album to date and was riding off of a good high. He was only 39, but was no rookie. Through the woods, yet another seeker appeared. ", But with no experience he morphed from a dairy farmer to a rescuer. Collins recovered and began performing again, eventually forming the Allen Collins Band. I quickly maneuvered free of a crumpled bumper and sped off. Mote fired a warning shot in the air. "That solidified that idea. Ronnie Van Zant was just more than the bands main songwriter, frontman, and singer. Van Zant, Steve and Cassie Gaines, Kilpatrick and the pilots were laid in a temporary morgue at a local high school gymnasium. Several members of the band died in a plane crash that occurred on October 20, 1977, three days after the release of Street Survivors. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. According to Powell, Cassie Gaines' final moments were particularly painful as she bled to death in his arms and that her throat had been cut from ear to ear, which gave more indications of execution than an accident. You have permission to edit this article. "I saw the blond hair," he said. 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. He had known Easley Creek since his youth. Wilkeson would play in both Rossington Collins Band and the Allen Collins band. Among them were Lacy Van Zant, Ronnies Father, and .38 Specials Guitarist Dan Barnes. Steve Gaines was killed instantly upon impact and his sister Cassie Gaines perished as well. Turns out that Cassie didn't want to board that particular flight and had blatantly refused to travel on that plane. Cassie Gaines was born on January 9, 1948 and died on October 20, 1977. Contributing to the fuel exhaustion were inadequate flight planning and an engine malfunction of undetermined nature in the engine which resulted in higher than normal fuel consumption.". Assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, the pilot, and co-pilot Walter McCreary and William Gray also died. They were directing him to the property next to his family's farm. Bianca is an American actress. He knew those woods well. I knew my camera had stories to tell. "They seemed to be chasing him, trying to flag him down. But I loved the bonding. It would take hours to remove the bodies of the dead and injured from the plane. The plane was produced from 1947-1954. The sky is the limit for the talented actress. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. Cassie joined the team and became one of the three members of The Honkette's, a female gospel vocal trio of Lynyrd Skynyrd. What injuries did Cassie Gaines die from? Stinky! Aerosmiths management passed on the opportunity to call this plane their own. Gene Odom, Lynyrd Skynyrds bodyguard, recalls: They took my watch, my wallet, my ring, and my money as I lay bleeding on the ground. So on the prow of this small boat, plowing the coastal water on the other side of the world, he and I abandoned inhibition with an unabashed air guitar jam. He smiled broadly and said, "Turn it up! A few minutes later I was talking my way past a Mississippi State trooper. On 20th October 1977, the Lynyrd Skynyrd boarded a chartered Convair CV-240 to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after their performance in Greenville, South Carolina. Without wanting to cause alarm he thought to himself that maybe the pilots were trying to transfer fuel from one engine to another. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. But as my wife and I watched the news bulletins flash on TV, it was a big deal. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. And it left Teresa Gaines a widow. It was suggested on the VH-1 Behind The Music profile on Skynyrd that this was the case, or that the pilots, panicking when the right engine failed, accidentally dumped the remaining fuel. 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. We love you!!!" When the news broke that it was Lynyrd Skynyrd's tour plane, Nancy and I stared at each other. At the beginning of the flight, all was well, amid high tensions. A tragic scene no person would ever wish to see or soon forget. As the small band of brothers grew, the conversation grew lively but stayed reverent. Dean Kilpatrick, the bands manager, lay dead and covered in blood. "He (Mote) ran in the door saying, 'Ya'll get down on the floor, there's escaped convicts out there," Martin remembers. 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. "I was well prepared with advanced trauma life support training," he said, "and (I was) a flight surgeon in the military. 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. Coincidence? Ronnie Van Zant, drunk and laying in the middle of the aisle, simply pulled himself together, sat up, and quietly chose a seat up front. 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. 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.). It is possible that the damaged magneto fooled the pilots into creating an exceptionally rich fuel mixture, causing the Convair to run out of fuel. Photo: Uncle Johns Bathroom Reader. 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 However, it is believed that the pilots were trying to transfer oil from one engine to another when they accidentally jettisoned the fuel instead. He claims that Artimus Pyle, drummer for Lynyrd Skynyrd, survived scathe-less and crawled into the bushes watching Ronnie and the others die in this horrid fiery crash. It was Steve, and me, and Ronnie and I was in the middle of them. It felt like being hit with baseball bats in a steel garbage can with the lid on. Some of the guys were playing poker. We'd move one and there would be another one laying there." Martin said she then, "called 911, or 0, or whatever we called back then.". I used my camera in my work. Here are 10 facts about Lynyrd Skynyrd and their fateful end. Its many hit songs include "Freebird," "Sweet Home Alabama," "Gimme Three Steps" and "Simple Man.". Losing daylight, the pilots desperately looked for an open field or some kind of saving grace. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. He was known as Papa Ronnie. Marc Frank recalled hearing both engines on the plane then within a matter of minutes, just air passing over the cabin. But soon, the helicopters that were heard and seen previously were on the scene. 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. A design that would most likely lead to the infamous crash. 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. Steven Earl Gaines (September 14, 1949 - October 20, 1977) was an American musician. Shining from what seemed to be a small house on a dairy farm. We always wondered why, you know. The surviving members would grapple with this throughout their days. Even though she survived the actual crash, she eventually bled to death before the rescue team could reach her. There have been several different theories as to the culprits of this . In a separate interview, revealing the story of sound man Paul Welch who suffered traumatic injuries in this crash and was sent into a coma, shares that the plane that was utilized during this trip was already catching fire around the engine area and Lynyrd Skynyrd had requested to cease using it. "Seems like everyone is writing a book. The band has sold an estimated 35 million records. 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. Where Did We Find This Stuff? Artimus Pyle emerged with several broken ribs, and bleeding everywhere you could. He then assembled a convoy of trucks and four-wheelers to locate the crash site and rescue the survivors. Aerosmith's touring family was also relieved because the band, specifically Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, had been trying to pressure their management into renting that specific plane. No discernable landmarks remained, save the creek bed. Both brother and sister were killed in the airplane crash that also took the life of Lynyrd Skynyrd vocalist Ronnie Van Zant. Photo: Uncle Johns Bathroom Reader. MCA Records, out of courtesy, withdrew the sleeve and replaced it with a cover of the band striking a similar pose against a plain black background. I worked the scene for about 30 minutes before a veteran photographer approached me and asked if I knew where the local paper "The Enterprise Journal" was located. Ronnies mother Marion refused to make the flight, after seeing a horrific plane crash of her own that killed 9 people. Rock Musician. A medical examiner said on Sunday that Wilkeson suffered from chronic liver and lung disease, and most likely died of natural causes. Mote fired a warning shot in the air. Four of the passengers were killed including bandleader and lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, Cassie Gaines and assistant tour manager Dean Kilpatrick. In 1982 he would form the Allen Collins band but shortly after would wreck his new Ford Thunderbird, killing his then girlfriend and paralyzing Collins. Cause of death: Car accident. Even long after she is gone, her legacy as one of the most talented singers remains. Be the first to get hottest news from our Editor-in-Chief, Check your email and confirm your subscription. Allen Collins kept moving on, eventually getting together with Gary Rossington to form the Rossington Collins Band. Almost four decades later, I noticed a seemingly innocuous post on Facebook. In 1982 he would form the Allen Collins band but shortly after would wreck his new Ford Thunderbird, killing his then girlfriend and paralyzing Collins. A tragic scene no person would ever wish to see or soon forget. 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. 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. Wilkeson would eventually be found dead in a hotel room in 2001 at age 49. Artimus Pyle and Gary Rossington are the only two members alive today from the crash. Wilkeson would play in both Rossington Collins Band and the Allen Collins band. she asked me as we talked. The only thing left was a trail of debris and people. "I had expertise on what to do and growing up in Amite County, Mississippi didn't hurt. Allen Collins, another guitar player for the group, had cracked two vertebrae, and the cut to his right arm was so severe, that it almost required amputation. The guys hit the dirt and yelling out with what they had left Hey! The pilots tried an emergency landing, but the plane crashed in the woods near Gillsburg in Mississippi. Small and cramped, it still felt better than lift-off of the Convair CV-240. He drove down from his home in Oakland, Miss. "It was a lot wetter that night. 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. He didn't know who the victims were. As the three marched on, feet soaking wet from the water, all odds seemed stacked against the trio. . The plane finally slammed into the earth, and Billy Powell recalls saying, We hit the trees at approximately 90 mph. Totaled, decimated, and left for dead. He could see the circling helicopter from his back yard. Van Zant himself "loathed flying," as Rolling Stone. I dont know who you think we are but we were on a plane and the plane crashed out there on the other side of that cow pasture. Mote instantly connected the dots to the sound he heard earlier and the men that lay before him. They all died but we didnt. Guitarists Allen Collins and Steve Gaines, Honkette Leslie Hawkins, bassist Leon Wilkeson, Honkettes Cassie Gaines and JoJo Billingsley, and. He is best known as a guitarist and backing vocalist with rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd from 1976 until his death in the October 1977 airplane crash that claimed other band members and crew. [2] He had hunted squirrels along that very ridge. It was going to be the replacement for Douglas C3s with a pressurized cabin that was then just being mandated as a rule for commercial airlines. The band enjoyed national fame in the 1970s with such hits as Gimme Three Steps and Sweet Home Alabama.. Ronnie Van Zant enjoying a stog before a show. Lynyrd Skynyrd is a staple on rock, classic rock, and southern radio stations. Photo: Pinterest. Three crew members died in a plane crash just three days after the release of their 5th album. When the group asked Ronnies father how he was, he simply replied Hes fine. Powell's nose had been nearly ripped from his face after crashing head first through a table. However, other band members convinced her otherwise. No one that hit the ground alive died. Totaled, decimated, and left for dead. He remembered seeing bodies everywhere. Gabel says he's been to the site 15 or more times. At the beginning of the flight, all was well, amid high tensions. Cassie was 29 years old at the time of death. Wilkeson would eventually be found dead in a hotel room in 2001 at age 49. I marked my calendar and made arrangements. He later caused a controversy by giving a lurid account of Cassie Gaines' final moments on a VH1 Behind The Music special about the band, claiming that the backing singer's throat was cut from ear to ear and that she bled to death in his arms. The guys hit the dirt and yelling out with what they had left Hey! We had a friendly translator whose command of the English language was poor at best. The band has been on tour, and dates through the weekend have been cancelled. 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.". One band member, JoJo Billingsly, was not on the flight. I dont know who you think we are but we were on a plane and the plane crashed out there on the other side of that cow pasture. Mote instantly connected the dots to the sound he heard earlier and the men that lay before him. Photo: obviousmag.org. He says he first came in the 80s after he graduated. Cassie Gaines Death: and Cause of Death. Ronnie had died instantly upon impact, his head slamming into a tree. At least one member, background singer Cassie Gaines, had refused to board the flight, but was convinced against her better judgment. The years after the crash would be difficult in its own right for surviving members, most of which would experience tragedy and early death themselves. The album would go through several cover changes and would mark a new era for the guys. Performance & security by Cloudflare. It was known that the right engine's magneto a small power generator that provides spark and timing for the engine had been malfunctioning (Powell, among others, spoke of seeing flames shooting out of the right engine on a trip just prior to the accident), and that pilots McCreary and Gray had intended to repair the damaged part when the travelling party arrived in Baton Rouge. McDaniel was eager to join me. Lynyrd Skynyrd did not plan on keeping the plane for long. Pilots Walter McCreary and William Gray were fully aware of a fuel shortage before the flight took off. But not all had the intentions of lending a helping hand. On one occasion after a show, he approached Billy Powell who was the bands keyboard player, and punched him so hard in the mouth he knocked his two front teeth out. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a2fad0cc830fa72 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 His only help at that moment was his neighbor, Dwain Easley. Violent, wild, and belligerent, Ronnie was a force to be reckoned with. 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. For another crash scene veteran, this was also his first return visit in 38 years. Marc Frank was beaten terribly and was also covered in lacerations and blood. Dean Kilpatrick, the bands manager, lay dead and covered in blood. Collins and other band members were severely injured. If a band couldn't play Skynyrd, they didn't get hired for the school dance. As the three marched on, feet soaking wet from the water, all odds seemed stacked against the trio. It sounded great to us. "Live on my brother. The rest of the group had no idea at the time that they would never see the face of Ronnie again. Part of the preparations required contacting landowners and securing permission to be there and a guide to lead me in. When Aerosmith's crew heard of Skynyrd's misfortune, they were shocked, but not necessarily surprised. Posted and no trespassing signs are prominently displayed. "The first thing I saw was a bloody hand reaching out from the debris. Headline from a local newspaper reporting the crash. Cassie Gaines Birthday and Date of Death. 1 on iTunes Charts, 36 songs, no apologies: Morgan Wallen delivers more (much more) of what made him countrys king, David Lindley, guitarist best known for work with Jackson Browne, dies at 78, Desperate mountain residents trapped by snow beg for help; We are coming, sheriff says, Look up: The 32 most spectacular ceilings in Los Angeles, Winter storms ease drought conditions in California, report shows, 19 cafes that make L.A. a world-class coffee destination, Best coffee city in the world? Billy Powell, the bands keyboardist, received extensive facial lacerations and a broken right knee. He pulled the lifeless body of Cassie Gaines up by her belt. Born Steven Earl Gaines, the son of Cassie Hatfield and Earl Gaines. There are just too few physical landmarks. "Are you writing a book?" Van Zant, Steve and Cassie Gaines, Kilpatrick and the pilots were laid in a temporary morgue at a local high school gymnasium.