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. In addition to his fractured ribcage, Artimus Pyle was treated for numerous abrasions and contusions. 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. 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. 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. There were 26 people on that fateful flight. Three crew members died in a plane crash just three days after the release of their 5th album. Ronnie Van Zant enjoying a stog before a show. "Yes, your right," I said, slightly amused. Photo: Uncle Johns Bathroom Reader. At the end of the day, Ronnie and the boys are gone and we lost a rock n roll angel on October 20, 1977. He would eventually succumb to paralytic pneumonia while being treated in a hospital in 1990. He lifted one after another and shuffled them to others outside. She was famous for being part of the southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. Cause of death: Car accident. 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. Gary Rossington, one of the bands guitar players, had suffered two broken arms, a broken leg, a punctured stomach and liver. 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. 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. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. I knew my camera had stories to tell. In the beginning, the singer was reluctant to board the aircraft and had already bought another commercial flight ticket. Mote recalls the first thing he saw was a bloody hand sticking out from the wreckage. Thats when most of the sober members of the band saw that the right propeller was no longer working. In this video you will see the true story behind the tragic passing of Ronnie Van Zant, Cassie Gaines, Dean Kilpatrick, and Steve Gaines on October 20, 1977. "Steve was at the peak of his career. Artimus Pyle, drummer for the band, stops for a quick picture while en route to the next show. I marked my calendar and made arrangements. She was requested to join the band as a backing vocalist. Their lyrics were raw and fresh - honest and simple. Laying on the ground, still alive for only a moment, to slowly bleed to death. Collins entered the hospital with pneumonia symptoms and was in a coma the last few days, said longtime friend Ann Thompson. Cassie Gaines mother was LaRue, while her father was Bud. Pyle used the couple's phone to call his wife. 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. He needed to use their darkroom to get his photos out. Violent, wild, and belligerent, Ronnie was a force to be reckoned with. But there wasn't any gas on the ground because they ran out of gas.". Rock Musician. The two men, for a while, were the only able-bodied persons present to help pull people from the wreckage. Both pilots were lost in the crash as well, however, a decent amount of fans seek the closure of their conviction of attempted manslaughter, even in death. Lynyrd Skynyrd is a staple on rock, classic rock, and southern radio stations. Last of the two surviving original member of the band, Gary Rossington, with Johnny Van Zant to his left and guitarist Rickey Medlocke to the right. Allen's wife would bleed to death due to a miscarriage. Natural causes were to blame. Thats when most of the sober members of the band saw that the right propeller was no longer working. At this point, for Artimus Pyle, Marc Frank, and Ken Peden, the only sensible thing left to do was to leave certain death at the crash site, for uncertainty in the swamp. Marc Frank recalled hearing both engines on the plane then within a matter of minutes, just air passing over the cabin. Ronnie Van Zant and Steve Gaines, along with backup singer Cassie Gaines (Steve's older sister), assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, pilot Walter McCreary, and co-pilot William Gray died. There have been several different theories as to the culprits of this . 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. ", "I expected to see all dead people looking at these woods. 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. All he could think was that they must be from a recent a jailbreak," she said. "I was well prepared with advanced trauma life support training," he said, "and (I was) a flight surgeon in the military. The band regularly has different people sit in and play shows with them like Warren Haynes and Dicky Betts. His wife, Lola, and my wife grew up together. It was Dr. Hank Lewis, a month shy of 78-years-old. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. But not all had the intentions of lending a helping hand. A small plane with 40 seats and two props the plane was anything but extraordinary. Steve Gaines was killed instantly upon impact and his sister Cassie Gaines perished as well. Suffocating the people on the bottom from the sheer weight. When the group asked Ronnies father how he was, he simply replied Hes fine. But not all had the intentions of lending a helping hand. He rushed to his truck and headed in. There is some speculation as to why the second engine had ultimately failed. Cassie Gaines was one of the band members who boarded the ill-fated flight. Security manager Gene Odom was seriously burned on his arm and face and lost the sight in one eye as a result of an emergency flare on board the plane that was activated during the crash. I'm from southern Thailand. Musician. The plane killed three band members (Ronnie Van Zant, Cassie, Steve Gaines) and Dean Kilpatrick (assistant road manager), Walter McCreary (pilot), and William Gray (co-pilot). Varying accounts have Mote either firing a warning shot into the air or actually shooting Pyle in the shoulder no report is completely reliable. memorial page for Cassie LaRue Hatfield Gaines (26 Nov 1926-15 Feb 1979), Find a Grave Memorial ID 37010431, citing Jacksonville Memory . 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. Over the ridge, a World War II vintage Willis Jeep crawled down a dusty logging trail. The tour is scheduled to run through mid-September. Headline from a local newspaper reporting the crash. How do they know? 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 album had a very controversial cover when released. But as my wife and I watched the news bulletins flash on TV, it was a big deal. Who died in the Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash? Birth Name: Cassie LaRue Gaines Occupation: Rock Singer Place Of Birth: Missouri Date Of Birth: January 9, 1948 Date Of Death: October 20, 1977 Cause Of Death: N/A Ethnicity: White Nationality: American Cassie Gaines was born on the 9th of January, 1948. An old high school friend, Bobby McDaniel, posted a photo and a comment about a name-carved tree from the crash site. Shining from what seemed to be a small house on a dairy farm. But soon, the helicopters that were heard and seen previously were on the scene. Cassie was buried in Orange Park, Florida, together with her brother, Steve Gains. He didn't know who the victims were. I put them all to work. There were 26 people on that fateful flight. Cassie Gaines was born on January 9, 1948 and died on October 20, 1977. Ronnie had died instantly upon impact, his head slamming into a tree. The band has sold an estimated 35 million records. Laying on the ground, still alive for only a moment, to slowly bleed to death. "Why, yes I do," I said, thinking about my roots, my old buddies and the high school dances. Guitarists Allen Collins and Steve Gaines, Honkette Leslie Hawkins, bassist Leon Wilkeson, Honkettes Cassie Gaines and JoJo Billingsley, and. "He didn't want to talk about it for years.". Be the first to get hottest news from our Editor-in-Chief, Check your email and confirm your subscription. The famous music band Lynyrd Skynyrd is considered to have one of the most gruesome band histories after losing several people in an aerial accident. Where Did We Find This Stuff? Two of them were crew members, pilot Walter McReary and co-pilot William Gray, the rest were band members and roadies. McDaniel was eager to join me. "That solidified that idea. Photo: Pinterest. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. Allen Collins kept moving on, eventually getting together with Gary Rossington to form the Rossington Collins Band. 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. Before joining the music band, she was an original cast member of a school play under Hairspray. As medical personnel triaged the scene, he helped carry the litters of the injured and the dead across the creek to a waiting 4-wheel-drive pickup truck. 2023 Getty Images. That farm belonged to a young dairy farmer named Johnny Mote. In 1977, lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Stevie Gaines and Gaines sister, Cassie Gaines, were killed in a plane crash. 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 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. She began her career at a young age but has grown steadily over the years to become one of the best in Hollywood. As the bulletins continued, they became more descriptive: "Tractors were pulling ambulances across a creek" was one exaggerated quote I remember so well. The fuselage turned sideways, and everybody was hurled forward.. But a message on the group's official Web site said the summer tour will resume on Aug. 7, in Spokane, Wash. The three injured men hiked some distance from the crash site, through swampy woods, and finally flagged down farmer Johnny Mote, who had come to investigate. Van Zant, Steve and Cassie Gaines, Kilpatrick and the pilots were laid in a temporary morgue at a local high school gymnasium. Ronnie had died instantly upon impact, his head slamming into a tree. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. Allen Collins kept moving on, eventually getting together with Gary Rossington to form the Rossington Collins Band. They were scheduled to perform at the Louisiana State University. She was brought up in Miami, Florida, alongside her brothers, Bob and Steve. She was born on 9th January 1948 in Missouri, USA. No discernable landmarks remained, save the creek bed. You are already subscribed to our newsletter! There is some speculation as to why the second engine had ultimately failed. And then we heard voices. Powell's nose had been nearly ripped from his face after crashing head first through a table. Wilkeson would eventually be found dead in a hotel room in 2001 at age 49. We'd move one and there would be another one laying there." Circa 1975, Singers Cassie Gaines , Leslie Hawkins and Jo Jo Billingsley of the American rock group, Lynyrd Skynyrd, 1970s. Marc Frank remembers seeing complete and total despair. Both brother and sister were killed in the airplane crash that also took the life of Lynyrd Skynyrd vocalist Ronnie Van Zant. Pilots Walter McCreary and William Gray were fully aware of a fuel shortage before the flight took off. Johnny headed for the crash site to see if he could help. Artimus Pyle emerged with several broken ribs, and bleeding everywhere you could. He could see the circling helicopter from his back yard. Marc Frank remembers seeing complete and total despair. Crying, praying, and counting the dead to see who they would never hug, play music with, and enjoy company with again. The plane had a thinner fuselage and smaller wingspan than any of its kind at the time. Violent, wild, and belligerent, Ronnie was a force to be reckoned with. And to Brenda's point, he's writing a book. 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). At the beginning of the flight, all was well, amid high tensions. It sounded great to us. On October 20, 1977, Cassie Gaines died of non-communicable disease. With the dust settled from a plane crash that would make a small Mississippi town famous, everything that surrounded the few conscious and able survivors were completely horrific and getting darker by the second. 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. With a newly-released album, "Street Survivors," they were flying from a concert in Greenville, S.C. to the next night's show at LSU in Baton Rouge in a substandard charter plane. Everyone just stood there helpless. "I saw the blond hair," he said. He remembered seeing bodies everywhere. Billy Powell, the bands keyboardist, received extensive facial lacerations and a broken right knee. He smiled broadly and said, "Turn it up! He had been impaled by a part of the fuselage and it pushed through his body and projected out of his back. The only thing left was a trail of debris and people. Photo: obviousmag.org. He then assembled a convoy of trucks and four-wheelers to locate the crash site and rescue the survivors. On several occasions, the latter shined through. The will to carry on was strong, however, Pyle being a US Marine, would live out the phrase Semper Fidelis which means always faithful. Click to reveal He obtained his first guitar at about age 14. Marc Frank was beaten terribly and was also covered in lacerations and blood. Rossington recalls saying It was always weird for Allen and me because we were up front in the plane. Road crew member Steve Lawler, who suffered severe contusions and facial lacerations, was taken to the hospital in a pickup with a camper top. What injuries did Cassie Gaines die from? Artimus has had many ups and downs since then, several incarcerations, and a huge falling out with Gary. After claiming his deceased son, Lacy Van Zant went to visit the other members of the band at the hospital. July 30, 2001 -- Leon Wilkeson, bass player and founding member of Lynyrd Skynyrd, is dead at age 49. When the news broke that it was Lynyrd Skynyrd's tour plane, Nancy and I stared at each other. However, it is believed that the pilots were trying to transfer oil from one engine to another when they accidentally jettisoned the fuel instead. Sadly, it would end all to soon. Several members of the band died in a plane crash that occurred on October 20, 1977, three days after the release of Street Survivors. But we were both enjoying it. She was sick and would meet up with the band in Arkansas to continue the tour. 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. "New Orleans is a southern city. A Convair CV-240. The singer was approached by artist JoJo Billingsley, sent by the band's head and lead vocalist, Ronnie Van Zant. Sadly, the band would not make it to Baton Rouge and the plane had been pushed one flight too many. Wilkeson suffered severe internal injuries, including a punctured lung, and had most of his teeth knocked out. As we walked, Easely pointed to a towering pine. he said, barely able to get his English to suit his thoughts. The aircraft crashed in a heavily wooded area during an attempted emergency landing. It was there where he was found dead in his room on July 27. Collins and other band members were severely injured. Lynyrd Skynyrd is no doubt an American staple in music and southern rock culture. Skip to main content. I admired his ability to tell gripping stories with his camera, so I began considering a career change. The band buckled in. But sadly when he drank, which was quite often, his demeanor and character qualities changed drastically. It would take hours to remove the bodies of the dead and injured from the plane. We just had released an album that went gold almost overnight. The pilots tried an emergency landing, but the plane crashed in the woods near Gillsburg in Mississippi. ", Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? I'm really not sure anymore," he said. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. 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. I threw it in reverse and plowed into my mother-in-law's car. She was planning to join the tour in Little Rock on October 23, three days after the crash. Marc Frank, a 24-year-old roadie traveling with the band, noticed what seemed to be fuel spewing from the right engine. All reality had been broken and none of the surviving members would ever be the same or view life the same again. Sang background vocals (one of the Honkettes) for Lynyrd Skynyrd. Don't look like they can afford a ticket. Two of them were crew members, pilot Walter McReary and co-pilot William Gray, the rest were band members and roadies. Cassie Larue Gaines was an American singer. I was just taken aback by it " but then his friend continued, "don't worry, Lynyrd made it out.". Cassie Gaines Death: and Cause of Death. There are just too few physical landmarks. 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. He, like me, was 21-years-old at the time. Dean Kilpatrick, the bands manager, lay dead and covered in blood. A little after the two-hour mark, however, events started to unfold that would soon make history. For another crash scene veteran, this was also his first return visit in 38 years. The plane had completely disintegrated. 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. 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. 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. 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.
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