Part of the preparations required contacting landowners and securing permission to be there and a guide to lead me in. Birthday: January 9, 1948. I began the classic guitar lick. He could see the circling helicopter from his back yard. Collins and other band members were severely injured. 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. The tail section broke off, the cockpit broke off and buckled underneath, then both wings broke off. A costly mistake at 9,000ft or so. Cassie joined the team and became one of the three members of The Honkette's, a female gospel vocal trio of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Cassie Gaines cause of death The talented singer met her death at the young age of 29. At the end of the day, Ronnie and the boys are gone and we lost a rock n roll angel on October 20, 1977. Obviously it is hard to dictate the correct story when various opinions and recollections are thrown out, however, it seems to us as though the pilots were aware of the faulty issues of the plane, did not check to make sure that the plane had enough gas, and did not seem to make an attempt to alert the passengers of their timely death. Several members of the band died in a plane crash that occurred on October 20, 1977, three days after the release of Street Survivors. ", "There were plenty of old boys standing around here. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. I was a young graphic artist at the time. The singer died in the arms of the surviving band's keyboardist Billy Powell. The band has been on tour, and dates through the weekend have been cancelled. The plane had completely disintegrated. She was famous for being part of the southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. It was rumored that it was Ed Kings (original guitar player for Lynyrd Skynyrd) wife but it was not confirmed. Powell also claimed that Ronnie Van Zant's head had been smashed. 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. Performance & security by Cloudflare. 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. 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.). Thats when most of the sober members of the band saw that the right propeller was no longer working. Marc Frank was beaten terribly and was also covered in lacerations and blood. At the time of her death she survived by her large extended friends and family. Lewis was on emergency room call that night at McComb's Southwest Regional Medical Center. 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. He lifted one after another and shuffled them to others outside. 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. Pyle, Frank, and Peden were met with hostility when they finally came up to Mote. Mote recalls the first thing he saw was a bloody hand sticking out from the wreckage. Cassie Gaines Death: and Cause of Death. Billy had taken too long on his intro to the song Free Bird and that didnt set well with Ronnie. She was brought up in Miami, Florida, alongside her brothers, Bob and Steve. Even long after she is gone, her legacy as one of the most talented singers remains. [2] 2023 Getty Images. She is famous for starring in Saved by the Bell: The New Class, Goode Behavior, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and The Secret Life of the American Teenager. On several occasions, the latter shined through. "Seems like everyone is writing a book. As we talked, we heard a racket through the trees. 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. I had never seen anything like it before. Totaled, decimated, and left for dead. Was there a guest book?". Ronnie Van Zant enjoying a stog before a show. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, the pilot, and co-pilot Walter McCreary and William Gray also died. The events before the plane crash are perhaps the most bone-chilling ones you'd ever hear. 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. On October 20, 1977, they would board a flight bound for Louisiana that would crash in Gillsberg, Missippi and claim the lives of band members Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, Cassie Gaines, assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, along with Pilot Walter McCreary, and co-pilot William Gray. Photo: Pinterest. I knew I could take photographs if I could get there. Almost four decades later, I noticed a seemingly innocuous post on Facebook. She was requested to join the band as a backing vocalist. 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. Leslie Hawkins sustained a concussion, broke her neck in three places and had severe facial lacerations. "It was stuff I'd been trained to do," he said. He says he first came in the 80s after he graduated. 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. Mote fired a warning shot in the air. Its many hit songs include "Freebird," "Sweet Home Alabama," "Gimme Three Steps" and "Simple Man.". It was Steve, and me, and Ronnie and I was in the middle of them. Click to reveal 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. Skip to main content. We love you!!!" Lynyrd Skynyrd stops for a shot in 1973. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. "It was a lot wetter that night. Artimus Pyle was also notoriously outspoken against the plane and on several occasions would take buses to shows. I was not there to be a gawker or to get in the way. As a member of the Civil Air Patrol on that fateful night, he heard the report of a plane crash over the citizens band radio. The album would go through several cover changes and would mark a new era for the guys. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. Artimus Pyle emerged with several broken ribs, and bleeding everywhere you could. 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. It would take hours to remove the bodies of the dead and injured from the plane. "I saw the blond hair," he said. You have permission to edit this article. A costly mistake at 9,000ft or so. Band confidant, Gene Odum, is privately interviewed to share his story on what happened on this awful day in history. Mote fired a warning shot in the air. 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.". "He didn't want to talk about it for years.". Lynyrd Skynyrd disbanded after the airplane tragedy. It was the last flight of Lynyrd Skynyrd: Oct. 20, 1977, the night they . But one thing I'm proud of. Ronnies mother Marion refused to make the flight, after seeing a horrific plane crash of her own that killed 9 people. 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. Marc Frank, a 24-year-old roadie traveling with the band, noticed what seemed to be fuel spewing from the right engine. Collins began his rise to success as the lightning-fingered guitarist for the Jacksonville band formed in 1966 by a group of high school students. 5 album. 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. He was only 39, but was no rookie. Mote was putting out square bales of hay for the cattle when he heard what sounded "like a car crash on a gravel road." As we walked, Easely pointed to a towering pine. And to Brenda's point, he's writing a book. "From there, we followed the lights of the helicopter," he said. The plane finally slammed into the earth, and Billy Powell recalls saying, We hit the trees at approximately 90 mph. Sadly, it would end all to soon. Totaled, decimated, and left for dead. 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. With that cue, Governor took the honors and introduced everyone as Gabel's mouth gaped in disbelief. Cassie was buried in Orange Park, Florida, together with her brother, Steve Gains. 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. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Collins and other band members were severely injured. Pyle did confirm (from Pyle's interview on the The Howard Stern Show on Sirius Satellite Radio, Feb. 12, 2007) that Van Zant's cause of death was trauma to the head caused by equipment, such as Betamax tapes and Trinitrons, flying forward in the plane's cabin. Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash site draws a pilgrimage. He was known as Papa Ronnie. Suffocating the people on the bottom from the sheer weight. 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. Collins entered the hospital with pneumonia symptoms and was in a coma the last few days, said longtime friend Ann Thompson. My younger brother and I banged out "Freebird" on a cheap set of drums in our bedroom. 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. 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. Gary continues on the band with Ronnies brother, Johnny Van Zant, and guitarist Ricky Medlocke. Cassie Gaines Lynard Skynyrd plane crash was one of the band's most challenging moments. 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. I was just taken aback by it " but then his friend continued, "don't worry, Lynyrd made it out.". Both of which helped the album climb to the No. For another crash scene veteran, this was also his first return visit in 38 years. She performed as a backup singer in popular hits such as One More Time and That Smell. 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. Soon after the plane would begin to jerk and shake violently. Everyone just stood there helpless. "That solidified that idea. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. The band buckled in. Wilkeson would eventually be found dead in a hotel room in 2001 at age 49. The tree where the cockpit came to rest has long-since died. Pilots Walter McCreary and William Gray were fully aware of a fuel shortage before the flight took off. I threw it in reverse and plowed into my mother-in-law's car. Allen's wife would bleed to death due to a miscarriage. I knew I had no business going, and my wife told me so. 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. In addition to his fractured ribcage, Artimus Pyle was treated for numerous abrasions and contusions. Artimus Pyle was also notoriously outspoken against the plane and on several occasions would take buses to shows. His luck, however, was on the short end of the stick as he would have his throat slit while on the Lynyrd Skynyrd tour bus in the early 90s. Everyone was afraid of riding on this plane. Two of them were crew members, pilot Walter McReary and co-pilot William Gray, the rest were band members and roadies. He then assembled a convoy of trucks and four-wheelers to locate the crash site and rescue the survivors. 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. When the group asked Ronnies father how he was, he simply replied Hes fine. Cassie Larue Gaines was an American singer. We were all fans. The band would be marked for strife as just before their inaugural tour, Allens wife would bleed to death due to a miscarriage. What injuries did Cassie Gaines die from? I'd deal with that later. By then, a Coast Guard helicopter was hovering overhead. 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. In 1995, while on assignment in Phunket Thailand for the Times-Picayune's series "Oceans of Trouble," I boarded a small fantail fishing boat on the edges of the Andaman Sea with writer John McQuaid to photograph the disappearing mangroves. After claiming his deceased son, Lacy Van Zant went to visit the other members of the band at the hospital. We were shocked, as were most others hearing the news. Despite this faux pas, Powell has been on good terms with the remaining band members since the incident. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined 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. Steven Earl Gaines (September 14, 1949 - October 20, 1977) was an American musician. 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. He pulled the lifeless body of Cassie Gaines up by her belt. "Yes, your right," I said, slightly amused. Toxicology tests were also ordered to determine whether there were drugs in his system at the time. "They seemed to be chasing him, trying to flag him down. Gene Odom had been thrown from the plane and broke his neck, his skin badly burned and one eye blinded by phosphorus from a de-icing flare that had been aboard. 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. But we were both enjoying it. 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. His post noted that he and many others had made pilgrimages for years to the site to pay their respects. 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. Los Angeles, Billie Eilishs phone is now internet-free: Im like: Ew! The plane had a thinner fuselage and smaller wingspan than any of its kind at the time. 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. Both brother and sister were killed in the airplane crash that also took the life of Lynyrd Skynyrd vocalist Ronnie Van Zant. In 1977, lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Stevie Gaines and Gaines' sister, Cassie Gaines, were killed in a plane crash. Billy Powell would be in the new starting line-up of Lynyrd Skynyrd until his death in 2009. Ronnie had died instantly upon impact, his head slamming into a tree. 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. As the three marched on, feet soaking wet from the water, all odds seemed stacked against the trio. But not all had the intentions of lending a helping hand. Without wanting to cause alarm he thought to himself that maybe the pilots were trying to transfer fuel from one engine to another. Photo: Uncle Johns Bathroom Reader. "I've been coming for years," he said, "and I've never met anyone who was here that night. On 20th October 1977, the Lynyrd Skynyrd boarded a chartered Convair CV-240 to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after their performance in Greenville, South Carolina. In 1977, lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Stevie Gaines and Gaines sister, Cassie Gaines, were killed in a plane crash. "I'd never seen anything like that," he said. Crying, praying, and counting the dead to see who they would never hug, play music with, and enjoy company with again. Circa 1975, Singers Cassie Gaines , Leslie Hawkins and Jo Jo Billingsley of the American rock group, Lynyrd Skynyrd, 1970s. Truth be known, after 38 years, Martin is a little tired of talking about the whole thing. Minutes later he was guiding an ambulance through an overgrown trail. He suffered a heart attack while on break from tour. Ronnie Van Zant was just more than the bands main songwriter, frontman, and singer. Pilot Walter. Artimus Pyle emerged with several broken ribs, and bleeding everywhere you could. The pilots would have to make an emergency landing. Van Zant died instantly of blunt force trauma to the head. 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.". One of them being completely decapitated. 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. Original cover for Street Survivors, 1977Notably, the third member of The Honkettes, JoJo Billingsley, was not on the plane and in fact was home tending to a family member's illness. Lynyrd Skynyrd is a FANDOM Music Community. Wilkeson cheated death in 1977, surviving a crash of the band's chartered plane. It sounded great to us. Rock Musician. The band leased a new Convair CV-240 to help them get between shows easier. But not all had the intentions of lending a helping hand. 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.
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