However, it is believed that the pilots were trying to transfer oil from one engine to another when they accidentally jettisoned the fuel instead. The two men, for a while, were the only able-bodied persons present to help pull people from the wreckage. Cassie Gaines Death: and Cause of Death. We had to cross a black water slew," he said. The plane finally slammed into the earth, and Billy Powell recalls saying, We hit the trees at approximately 90 mph. He was a walking treasure trove of names, facts and figures. He then assembled a convoy of trucks and four-wheelers to locate the crash site and rescue the survivors. He says he first came in the 80s after he graduated. "Folks were all mashed together. The tour is scheduled to run through mid-September. I put them all to work. Making the original release cover more valuable to collectors than the second cover released just a few weeks after the album hit the shelves. Pilot Walter McCrearey and co-pilot John Grey were killed on impact. Three crew members died in a plane crash just three days after the release of their 5th album. The band leased a new Convair CV-240 to help them get between shows easier. Several members of the band died in a plane crash that occurred on October 20, 1977, three days after the release of Street Survivors. I used my camera in my work. I'm really not sure anymore," he said. 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. Photo: Pinterest. Cassie Gaines Birthday and Date of Death. All he could think was that they must be from a recent a jailbreak," she said. How do they know? 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.". But not all had the intentions of lending a helping hand. Everyone just stood there helpless. "He (Mote) ran in the door saying, 'Ya'll get down on the floor, there's escaped convicts out there," Martin remembers. Gene Odom, Lynyrd Skynyrds bodyguard, recalls: They took my watch, my wallet, my ring, and my money as I lay bleeding on the ground. Powell's nose had been nearly ripped from his face after crashing head first through a table. All reality had been broken and none of the surviving members would ever be the same or view life the same again. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. Steve Gaines was killed instantly upon impact and his sister Cassie Gaines perished as well. Marc Frank was beaten terribly and was also covered in lacerations and blood. Home; Memorials; Cemeteries; Famous; Contribute; Register; Sign In; Register; Sign In; . 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. He suffered a heart attack while on break from tour. However, they were apparently talked into using it just one more time which happened to be their last ride. 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. I grabbed my camera and jumped in the car. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Without wanting to cause alarm he thought to himself that maybe the pilots were trying to transfer fuel from one engine to another. Bianca is a force to be reckoned with in the American film industry. Cassie was buried in Orange Park, Florida, together with her brother, Steve Gains. 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. The band regularly has different people sit in and play shows with them like Warren Haynes and Dicky Betts. 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. By then, a Coast Guard helicopter was hovering overhead. When he was sober, he was a fair and kind person. The single "What's Your Name" reached #13 on the single airplay charts in January of 1978. Photo: Pinterest. Ronnie Van Zant was just more than the bands main songwriter, frontman, and singer. 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. Mote fired a warning shot in the air. 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. One band member, JoJo Billingsly, was not on the flight. In addition to his fractured ribcage, Artimus Pyle was treated for numerous abrasions and contusions. Lead vocalist and founding member of the southern rock band, Ronnie Van Zant, also lost his life in the accident. read another typical message of mourning. The pilots would have to make an emergency landing. But soon, the helicopters that were heard and seen previously were on the scene. The reason behind this? Cassie was 29 years old at the time of death. For members Gary Rossington and Allen Collins, the weight of what happened seemed to push down on them the most. Ronnie Van Zant was just more than the bands main songwriter, frontman, and singer. Aerosmiths management passed on the opportunity to call this plane their own. Steve Gaines was killed instantly upon impact and his sister Cassie Gaines perished as well. Tremendous physical pain overwhelmed the group as did mental exhaustion. She began her career at a young age but has grown steadily over the years to become one of the best in Hollywood. Small and cramped, it still felt better than lift-off of the Convair CV-240. Lynyrd Skynyrd was known for their hard-rocking style, driven by powerful guitars. I threw it in reverse and plowed into my mother-in-law's car. Artimus Pyle emerged with several broken ribs, and bleeding everywhere you could. With that cue, Governor took the honors and introduced everyone as Gabel's mouth gaped in disbelief. She died from excessive bleeding as her throat had been cut from ear to ear. At least one member, background singer Cassie Gaines, had refused to board the flight, but was convinced against her better judgment. 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. 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. Billy Powell, the bands keyboardist, received extensive facial lacerations and a broken right knee. Truth be known, after 38 years, Martin is a little tired of talking about the whole thing. Sang background vocals (one of the Honkettes) for Lynyrd Skynyrd. There is some speculation as to why the second engine had ultimately failed. Don't look like they can afford a ticket. She said her husband grabbed his .243 hunting rifle, ran out and fired a warning shot. It was rumored that it was Ed Kings (original guitar player for Lynyrd Skynyrd) wife but it was not confirmed. Its many hit songs include "Freebird," "Sweet Home Alabama," "Gimme Three Steps" and "Simple Man.". Freebird, Lynyrd Skynyrd, 10/20/77 and a notebook-sized rebel flag are deeply etched into the old bark. And to Brenda's point, he's writing a book. A Convair CV-240, similar to the one in the crash. memorial page for Cassie LaRue Hatfield Gaines (26 Nov 1926-15 Feb 1979), Find a Grave Memorial ID 37010431, citing Jacksonville Memory . Powells nose had been nearly ripped from his face after crashing head first through a table. Allen Collins kept moving on, eventually getting together with Gary Rossington to form the Rossington Collins Band. Johnny Mote and his ragtag team were first on the crash site. 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. It was Steve, and me, and Ronnie and I was in the middle of them. 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. Despite this faux pas, Powell has been on good terms with the remaining band members since the incident. According to the bands autobiography, Zunk Buker, Aerosmiths chief of flight operations manager, was inspecting the plane and the crew before they pulled the trigger. Soon after the plane would begin to jerk and shake violently. Artimus Pyle emerged with several broken ribs, and bleeding everywhere you could. Ronnie had died instantly upon impact, his head slamming into a tree. In the ensuing chaos, souvenir hunters took billfolds, jewelry, suitcases, band merchandise and even chunks of metal from the crash site. Some of the guys were playing poker. Artimus Pyle emerged with several broken ribs, and bleeding everywhere you could. Aerosmiths band management at the time was looking at a Convair CV-240. 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. Steve Gaines was killed instantly upon impact and his sister Cassie Gaines perished as well. 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. We always wondered why, you know. The surviving members would grapple with this throughout their days. Victims were taken to the hospital in McComb, Mississippi by ambulances and other vehicles. But sadly when he drank, which was quite often, his demeanor and character qualities changed drastically. When he was sober, he was a fair and kind person. Check your inbox to be the first to know the hottest news. 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. 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 aircraft crashed in a heavily wooded area during an attempted emergency landing. He suffered a heart attack while on break from tour. 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. 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. Headline from a local newspaper reporting the crash. The only thing left was a trail of debris and people. He would eventually succumb to paralytic pneumonia while being treated in a hospital in 1990. Street Survivors became the band's second platinum album, and was the #5 top selling album on the U.S. album chart. Thats when most of the sober members of the band saw that the right propeller was no longer working. Tuesday October 20, 2015 marked the 38th anniversary and drew several veterans from the night of the crash. The band was reaching fever pitch with its fans across the South and the nation. Pyle, Frank, and Peden were met with hostility when they finally came up to Mote. Suffocating the people on the bottom from the sheer weight. 137.184.228.194 There is some speculation as to why the second engine had ultimately failed. No discernable landmarks remained, save the creek bed. Contributing to the fuel exhaustion were inadequate flight planning and an engine malfunction of undetermined nature in the right engine which resulted in higher-than-normal fuel consumption." The album had two notable songs: Whats your name and That Smell. Musician. Collins recovered and began performing again, eventually forming the Allen Collins Band. On hearing of the accident, Billingsley was so shaken that some of her hair fell out. When the news broke that it was Lynyrd Skynyrd's tour plane, Nancy and I stared at each other. Before long, he noticed three men emerge from the dense woods along the pasture. July 30, 2001 -- Leon Wilkeson, bass player and founding member of Lynyrd Skynyrd, is dead at age 49. Brenda Martin, 17 at the time, lived with her husband, Johnny Mote (now divorced) in their mobile home on the north side of the crash site. Other band members were injured, some very seriously. Gary continues on the band with Ronnies brother, Johnny Van Zant, and guitarist Ricky Medlocke. Rudge chartered three planes for loved ones to identify the bodies. Rossington and keyboardist Billy Powell are now the only founding members in the band. Everyone knows him as "Governor." Artimus has had many ups and downs since then, several incarcerations, and a huge falling out with Gary. 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. Lewis was on emergency room call that night at McComb's Southwest Regional Medical Center. Over the ridge, a World War II vintage Willis Jeep crawled down a dusty logging trail. You have permission to edit this article. Both Steve and Cassie Gaines were killed in the crash. . Things were going so well. Steve Gaines was killed instantly upon impact and his sister Cassie Gaines perished as well. Pilots Walter McCreary and William Gray were fully aware of a fuel shortage before the flight took off. Collins and other band members were severely injured. Cassie Larue Gaines was an American singer. My younger brother and I banged out "Freebird" on a cheap set of drums in our bedroom. McDaniel was eager to join me. Collins and other band members were severely injured. I had a small studio, making a living mostly painting signs for local businesses. "Sweet Home Alabama" became the southern anthem for millions. Lynyrd Skynyrd did not plan on keeping the plane for long. He smiled broadly and said, "Turn it up! All of the seats were ripped from the frame of the plane, landing in the front section of the crash. She was hesitant because she had seen a small fire in one of the engines the previous day. Thats when most of the sober members of the band saw that the right propeller was no longer working. Easley knows he wasn't the first on the site, but he was there early. The band buckled in. Medical personnel arrived and began to ferry out the injured and the dead. He remembered seeing bodies everywhere. Laying on the ground, still alive for only a moment, to slowly bleed to death. 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. Pilot Walter. It would also be the first album that guitarist Steve Gaines would be the sole guitar player on. The pilot and co-pilot also died; 20 others aboard lived. Marc Frank recalled hearing both engines on the plane then within a matter of minutes, just air passing over the cabin. His wife, Lola, and my wife grew up together. This year there were no red roses, but a freshly carved "R.J." stood out with red paint enhancement. But a message on the group's official Web site said the summer tour will resume on Aug. 7, in Spokane, Wash. Allen's wife would bleed to death due to a miscarriage. The whole scene tore him apart. One guy standing near the wreckage lit a cigarette and I tackled him," he said. That farm belonged to a young dairy farmer named Johnny Mote. We always wondered why, you know. The surviving members would grapple with this throughout their days. (Photo by Ted Jackson). 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. The pilots were still in their seats, but were laying upside down in nearby trees. 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. I knew my camera had stories to tell. Two of them were crew members, pilot Walter McReary and co-pilot William Gray, the rest were band members and roadies. Losing daylight, the pilots desperately looked for an open field or some kind of saving grace. 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. She was famous for being part of the southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. 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. Varying accounts have Mote either firing a warning shot into the air or actually shooting Pyle in the shoulder no report is completely reliable. In 1975, his sister, Cassie, whose group had been hired to sing back. Laying on the ground, still alive for only a moment, to slowly bleed to death. 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. Photo: Pinterest. However, it is believed that the pilots were trying to transfer oil from one engine to another when they accidentally jettisoned the fuel instead. The singer died in the arms of the surviving band's keyboardist Billy Powell. Cassie Gaines died on the 20 th of October, 1977 in a plane crash at Gillsburg, Mississippi when she was only 29 years old. ", "I never cared about flying in an airplane," he said. He hopes to publish in time for the 40th anniversary of the crash. 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. A few minutes later I was talking my way past a Mississippi State trooper. Ronnies mother Marion refused to make the flight, after seeing a horrific plane crash of her own that killed 9 people. Shining from what seemed to be a small house on a dairy farm. Johnny headed for the crash site to see if he could help. In 1977, lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Stevie Gaines and Gaines' sister, Cassie Gaines, were killed in a plane crash. 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 could see the circling helicopter from his back yard. A little after the two-hour mark, however, events started to unfold that would soon make history. One such silent witness has found a way to talk. Toxicology tests were also ordered to determine whether there were drugs in his system at the time. Yen.com.gh shared an interesting piece on Bianca Lawson age, parents, husband, kids, net worth, and movies. Be the first to get hottest news from our Editor-in-Chief, Check your email and confirm your subscription. Collins entered the hospital with pneumonia symptoms and was in a coma the last few days, said longtime friend Ann Thompson. Van Zant himself "loathed flying," as Rolling Stone. I told him that it was the strongest thing I had seen a man do.. Band members Artimus Pyle and Billy Powell entered the cockpit to get an idea of what was happening. Bianca is an American actress. She was planning to join the tour in Little Rock on October 23, three days after the crash. Everyone was afraid of riding on this plane. While the site is duly remembered, it is on private property and is not open to the public. 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? He was only 39, but was no rookie. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. 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. At the beginning of the flight, all was well, amid high tensions. At the beginning of the flight, all was well, amid high tensions. It would be another hour before I heard the big news. Road crew member Steve Lawler, who suffered severe contusions and facial lacerations, was taken to the hospital in a pickup with a camper top. Where Did We Find This Stuff? 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. Gary Rossington, one of the bands guitar players, had suffered two broken arms, a broken leg, a punctured stomach and liver. TBS - Movies for Guys Who Like Movies Bumper - The Jerk - 1996, TBS - Dinner & A Movie - Urban Cowboy Promo - 1995, TBS - Movies for Guys Who Like Movies - Running Scared Promo - 1995. At the time of her death, she was 29 years old. 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. On several occasions, the latter shined through. ", "There were plenty of old boys standing around here. Mote fired a warning shot in the air. Artimus Pyle and Gary Rossington are the only two members alive today from the crash. But we were both enjoying it. Any debris left on the ground has long been buried. She was brought up in Miami, Florida, alongside her brothers, Bob and Steve. 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. "You like Lynyrd Skynyrd?" There have been several different theories as to the culprits of this . He pulled the lifeless body of Cassie Gaines up by her belt. ", "He came home covered in blood," said his wife, Lola. Cassie Gaines cause of death The talented singer met her death at the young age of 29. The album had a very controversial cover when released. Band confidant, Gene Odum, is privately interviewed to share his story on what happened on this awful day in history. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. The rest of the group had no idea at the time that they would never see the face of Ronnie again. Gabel says he's been to the site 15 or more times. 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. It was Steve, and me, and Ronnie and I was in the middle of them. The death of Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, and Cassie Gains of the southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd was a massive blow to many. Small and cramped, it still felt better than lift-off of the Convair CV-240. Born Steven Earl Gaines, the son of Cassie Hatfield and Earl Gaines. Cassie Gaines was a talented and committed backup singer for the Lynard Skynyrd music band until she died in a plane crash. The official cause of death will be announced after toxicology test results come back in two to three weeks. It felt like being hit with baseball bats in a steel garbage can with the lid on. The band has sold an estimated 35 million records. On October 20, 1977, a Convair CV-240 carrying the band between shows from Greenville, South Carolina to Baton Rouge, Louisiana crashed outside of Gillsburg, Mississippi. "We didn't know how much gas was on the ground. 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 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. The band buckled in. The events before the plane crash are perhaps the most bone-chilling ones you'd ever hear. He was known as Papa Ronnie. I'm from southern Thailand. You are already subscribed to our newsletter! As we walked, Easely pointed to a towering pine. 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. to gather a few more. Marc Frank remembers seeing complete and total despair. 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. Suffocating the people on the bottom from the sheer weight. 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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. I've not looked at them since. 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. 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.