News had spread about the crash and before too long an estimated 3,000 people had swarmed to the crash site. 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 had to cross a black water slew," he said. Willing to lend a hand and stick by his bandmates, he was hard to beat when standing by your side. Pilots Walter McCreary and William Gray were fully aware of a fuel shortage before the flight took off. I'd deal with that later. Sadly, the band would not make it to Baton Rouge and the plane had been pushed one flight too many. Skip to main content. 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. How did Cassie Gaines get in Lynyrd Skynyrd? Her brother was Skynyrd guitarist Steve Gaines. Rossington recalls saying It was always weird for Allen and me because we were up front in the plane. Where Did We Find This Stuff? This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. In the ensuing chaos, souvenir hunters took billfolds, jewelry, suitcases, band merchandise and even chunks of metal from the crash site. Powells nose had been nearly ripped from his face after crashing head first through a table. 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. "That solidified that idea. "Folks were all mashed together. The pilots were still in their seats, but were laying upside down in nearby trees. Pilot Walter McCrearey and co-pilot John Grey were killed on impact. 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 Don't look like they can afford a ticket. Artimus Pyle, drummer for the band, stops for a quick picture while en route to the next show. She was famous for being part of the southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. This year there were no red roses, but a freshly carved "R.J." stood out with red paint enhancement. And it left Teresa Gaines a widow. But there wasn't any gas on the ground because they ran out of gas.". 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. 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. Yen.com.gh shared an interesting piece on Bianca Lawson age, parents, husband, kids, net worth, and movies. So, with little hesitation I decided I should join the dance. Both brother and sister were killed in the airplane crash that also took the life of Lynyrd Skynyrd vocalist Ronnie Van Zant. 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. 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. I've not looked at them since. Artimus Pyle, drummer for the band, stops for a quick picture while en route to the next show. Wilkeson suffered severe internal injuries, including a punctured lung, and had most of his teeth knocked out. She said her husband grabbed his .243 hunting rifle, ran out and fired a warning shot. Guitarists Allen Collins and Steve Gaines, Honkette Leslie Hawkins, bassist Leon Wilkeson, Honkettes Cassie Gaines and JoJo Billingsley, and. We'd move one and there would be another one laying there." 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. 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. Here Are Our Sources: Remembering Lynyrd Skynyrds Deadly 1977 Plane Crash, Jordan Runtagh, The Rolling Stones, What Happened To The Surviving Members Of The Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash?, Micheal Cristopher, Ultimate Classic Rock.com, Falling Free Bird: The Truth About The Infamous Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash Is Stranger Than Fiction, Phil Gibbons, Ranker.com, The Joplin Globe Steve and Cassie Gaines to be inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame. 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. The album had a very controversial cover when released. Home; Memorials; Cemeteries; Famous; Contribute; Register; Sign In; Register; Sign In; . The site has drawn visitors over the years. On 20th October 1977, the Lynyrd Skynyrd boarded a chartered Convair CV-240 to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after their performance in Greenville, South Carolina. Photo: thetv.info. I knew I had no business going, and my wife told me so. Their lyrics were raw and fresh - honest and simple. Van Zant, Steve and Cassie Gaines, Kilpatrick and the pilots were laid in a temporary morgue at a local high school gymnasium. What happened to the Menendez brothers' money? On October 20, 1977, Cassie Gaines died of non-communicable disease. Ultimate Classic Rock What Happened to the Survivors of the Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash? Everyone was afraid of riding on this plane. The two men, for a while, were the only able-bodied persons present to help pull people from the wreckage. She was sick and would meet up with the band in Arkansas to continue the tour. Mote recalls the first thing he saw was a bloody hand sticking out from the wreckage. Some of the guys were playing poker. In 1986, his car ran off a road and crashed into a culvert, paralyzing him from the waist down and killing his girlfriend. 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.). 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. Cassie Gaines Wikipedia; Sponsored Links. They all died but we didnt. News had spread about the crash and before too long an estimated 3,000 people had swarmed to the crash site. The plane had completely disintegrated. I used my camera in my work. Although Steven Tyler and Joe Perry had insisted that they charter the plane, ultimately it was not signed to the band. When the group asked Ronnies father how he was, he simply replied Hes fine. Over the ridge, a World War II vintage Willis Jeep crawled down a dusty logging trail. Crying, praying, and counting the dead to see who they would never hug, play music with, and enjoy company with again. When he was sober, he was a fair and kind person. July 30, 2001 -- Leon Wilkeson, bass player and founding member of Lynyrd Skynyrd, is dead at age 49. Circa 1975, Singers Cassie Gaines , Leslie Hawkins and Jo Jo Billingsley of the American rock group, Lynyrd Skynyrd, 1970s. Turns out that Cassie didn't want to board that particular flight and had blatantly refused to travel on that plane. A costly mistake at 9,000ft or 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. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Lead vocalist and founding member of the southern rock band, Ronnie Van Zant, also lost his life in the accident. 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. Tangled by underbrush and the 20-foot creek, the rescue team had to act and think fast. Buker had noticed the flight crew passing around liquor bottles while aboard the plane. On the original pressing of the cover of Street Survivors was a photograph of the band engulfed in flames. For another crash scene veteran, this was also his first return visit in 38 years. He remembered seeing bodies everywhere. From left to right: Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant, And Gary Rossington. When the news broke that it was Lynyrd Skynyrd's tour plane, Nancy and I stared at each other. Then on the other side, it was Allen in the middle of Dean and Cassie. Cassie Gaines was a talented and committed backup singer for the Lynard Skynyrd music band until she died in a plane crash. One of them being completely decapitated. The reason behind this? The album had deeper meaning than most. 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. The pilots tried an emergency landing, but the plane crashed in the woods near Gillsburg in Mississippi. Artimus Pyle emerged with several broken ribs, and bleeding everywhere you could. 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. In an interview in the book Walk This Way, Aerosmith's assistant chief of flight operations Zunk Buker tells of seeing pilots McCreary and Gray trading a bottle of Jack Daniels back and forth while Buker and his father were inspecting the plane. 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. The reason behind this? Photo: Pinterest. 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. Cause of death: Car accident. 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. 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. The album would go through several cover changes and would mark a new era for the guys. She was born on 9th January 1948 in Missouri, USA. Rossington and keyboardist Billy Powell are now the only founding members in the band. The plane had completely disintegrated. It would also be the first album that guitarist Steve Gaines would be the sole guitar player on. 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. Marc Frank, a 24-year-old roadie traveling with the band, noticed what seemed to be fuel spewing from the right engine. 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. The medical examiner reported that Wilkeson suffered from liver and lung disease at the time of his death. But we were both enjoying it. "From there, we followed the lights of the helicopter," he said. Natural causes were to blame. He suffered a heart attack while on break from tour. But not all had the intentions of lending a helping hand. She was requested to join the band as a backing vocalist. Photo: obviousmag.org. Sadly, it would end all to soon. 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. We just had released an album that went gold almost overnight. No one that hit the ground alive died. "Steve was at the peak of his career. All reality had been broken and none of the surviving members would ever be the same or view life the same again. As the three marched on, feet soaking wet from the water, all odds seemed stacked against the trio. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. 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? Allen's wife would bleed to death due to a miscarriage. Unfortunately, their plane ran short of fuel. But I couldn't stand it any longer. Both Steve and Cassie Gaines were killed in the crash. The band buckled in. Almost as mysteriously, the full bottle is never seen again. Posted and no trespassing signs are prominently displayed. His first band recorded its debut at Sun Recording Studio in Memphis, and later bands included RIO Smokehouse and Rusty Day. He would eventually succumb to paralytic pneumonia while being treated in a hospital in 1990. He hopes to publish in time for the 40th anniversary of the crash. Even though she survived the actual crash, she eventually bled to death before the rescue team could reach her. to gather a few more. 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. A few minutes later I was talking my way past a Mississippi State trooper. Artimus Pyle emerged with several broken ribs, and bleeding everywhere you could. 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. Headline from a local newspaper reporting the crash. Especially Artimus, who had three broken ribs and multiple large cuts. It was Steve, and me, and Ronnie and I was in the middle of them. The band leased a new Convair CV-240 to help them get between shows easier. It is reported that the pilots whose eyes were full of terror, told them to go back to their seats and prepare for impact. He had been hospitalized since September. 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. After a shorter-than-normal day of bow hunting, he received a phone call about a plane crash in the area. 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. Ronnies mother Marion refused to make the flight, after seeing a horrific plane crash of her own that killed 9 people. It was there that he struck up a fractured conversation. Headline from a local newspaper reporting the crash. With the tree tops approaching fast and just eight miles short of the air strip, the plane was headed for a Mississippi swamp and nothing could be done to save them now. 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. 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. His post noted that he and many others had made pilgrimages for years to the site to pay their respects. Marc Frank was beaten terribly and was also covered in lacerations and blood. The talented singer met her death at the young age of 29. 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. It was Dr. Hank Lewis, a month shy of 78-years-old. Soon after the plane would begin to jerk and shake violently. The album would reach gold in ten days after release and it would eventually go double platinum. Lynyrd Skynyrd did not plan on keeping the plane for long. Performance & security by Cloudflare. 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. Small and cramped, it still felt better than lift-off of the Convair CV-240. He was known as Papa Ronnie. "Are you writing a book?" Wilkeson would eventually be found dead in a hotel room in 2001 at age 49. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. Bianca is a force to be reckoned with in the American film industry. I put them all to work. All reality had been broken and none of the surviving members would ever be the same or view life the same again. Victims were taken to the hospital in McComb, Mississippi by ambulances and other vehicles. The tail section broke off, the cockpit broke off and buckled underneath, then both wings broke off. Lynyrd Skynyrd disbanded after the airplane tragedy. "If (that tree) could talk, it'd tell you all about it," he said. One band member, JoJo Billingsly, was not on the flight. Photo: Uncle Johns Bathroom Reader. 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. A medical examiner said on Sunday that Wilkeson suffered from chronic liver and lung disease, and most likely died of natural causes. Everyone was afraid of riding on this plane. Van Zant, Steve and Cassie Gaines, Kilpatrick and the pilots were laid in a temporary morgue at a local high school gymnasium. Suffocating the people on the bottom from the sheer weight. The fuselage turned sideways, and everybody was hurled forward.. Photo: hu.wikipedia.com. Collins, 37, suffered respiratory failure, said a Memorial Medical Center spokeswoman. You have permission to edit this article. The sky is the limit for the talented actress. Here Are Our Sources: Remembering Lynyrd Skynyrds Deadly 1977 Plane Crash, Jordan Runtagh, The Rolling Stones, What Happened To The Surviving Members Of The Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash?, Micheal Cristopher, Ultimate Classic Rock.com, Falling Free Bird: The Truth About The Infamous Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash Is Stranger Than Fiction, Phil Gibbons, Ranker.com, The Joplin Globe Steve and Cassie Gaines to be inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame. There were 26 people on that fateful flight. Small and cramped, it still felt better than lift-off of the Convair CV-240. Cassie Gaines Birthday and Date of Death. However, it is believed that the pilots were trying to transfer oil from one engine to another when they accidentally jettisoned the fuel instead. Gary Rossington, one of the bands guitar players, had suffered two broken arms, a broken leg, a punctured stomach and liver. Photo: Pinterest. Two bulldozers were dispatched to plow a primitive path off nearby Highway 568 in order to give a ground path available to the first responders. Rescue vehicles on the ground found no direct path in sight. According to a Billboard report, he died of natural causes in his sleep. A plane crash left lead singer Ronnie Van Zandt, lead guitarist Steve Gaines and backup singer Cassie Gaines dead. Collins and other band members were severely injured. He had hunted squirrels along that very ridge. The band has been on tour, and dates through the weekend have been cancelled. The plane was produced from 1947-1954. Medical personnel arrived and began to ferry out the injured and the dead. Through the woods, yet another seeker appeared. Tangled by underbrush and the 20-foot creek, the rescue team had to act and think fast. The band enjoyed national fame in the 1970s with such hits as Gimme Three Steps and Sweet Home Alabama.. Artimus Pyle emerged with several broken ribs, and bleeding everywhere you could. Artimus Pyle was also notoriously outspoken against the plane and on several occasions would take buses to shows. Mote fired a warning shot in the air. Artimus Pyle and Gary Rossington are the only two members alive today from the crash. Powell's nose had been nearly ripped from his face after crashing head first through a table. After claiming his deceased son, Lacy Van Zant went to visit the other members of the band at the hospital. The will to carry on was strong, however, Pyle being a US Marine, would live out the phrase Semper Fidelis which means always faithful. ", Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com. 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. The only thing left was a trail of debris and people. Aerosmiths band management at the time was looking at a Convair CV-240. The whole scene tore him apart. 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. Van Zant, Steve and Cassie Gaines, Kilpatrick and the pilots were laid in a temporary morgue at a local high school gymnasium. The official cause of death will be announced after toxicology test results come back in two to three weeks. 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. The band regularly has different people sit in and play shows with them like Warren Haynes and Dicky Betts. Two bulldozers were dispatched to plow a primitive path off nearby Highway 568 in order to give a ground path available to the first responders. The news was shocking -- a plane crash near my hometown of McComb, Miss. When he was sober, he was a fair and kind person. In addition to his fractured ribcage, Artimus Pyle was treated for numerous abrasions and contusions. I was just taken aback by it " but then his friend continued, "don't worry, Lynyrd made it out.". 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. 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. I'm from southern Thailand. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, K-Pop isnt the only hot ticket in Koreatown how trot is captivating immigrants, Daisy Jones & the Six becomes the first fictional band to hit No. Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash site draws a pilgrimage. So, we're both southerners.". "Seems like everyone is writing a book. Ronnie Van Zant enjoying a stog before a show. David Bowie Reveals His Favorite Songwriters, Michael Jacksons Daughter Release New Song, Fans Wants To Cancel Roger Waters Concerts, Ozzy Osbourne Give Update On Possible Touring, Why Keith Richards Was Jealous Of The Beatles, Dave Grohl Reveals His Favorite Paul McCartney Track. Especially with the song That Smell. Tremendous physical pain overwhelmed the group as did mental exhaustion. "I was well prepared with advanced trauma life support training," he said, "and (I was) a flight surgeon in the military. Gabel says he's been to the site 15 or more times. There is some speculation as to why the second engine had ultimately failed. By then, a Coast Guard helicopter was hovering overhead. Rudge chartered three planes for loved ones to identify the bodies. Two of them were crew members, pilot Walter McReary and co-pilot William Gray, the rest were band members and roadies. They all died but we didnt. Rescuers look over the wreckage of the 1977 Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash. 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. 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. The band has asked that fans wishing to remember Wilkeson do so through the Musician's Assistance Program, which assists musicians and industry professionals seeking treatment for addiction. He was more in the image I was pre-visualizing - one of an aging rocker. Video of a barechested Pyle at the 1979 Volunteer Jam does not show evidence of a gunshot wound. Powell's nose had been nearly ripped from his face after crashing head first through a table. The only thing left was a trail of debris and people. Cassie Gaines Lynard Skynyrd plane crash was one of the band's most challenging moments. At the end of the day, Ronnie and the boys are gone and we lost a rock n roll angel on October 20, 1977. 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. 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. A Convair CV-240. Updated cover after plane crash, 1977The official NTSB accident report reads, "The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the probable cause of this accident was fuel exhaustion and total loss of power from both engines due to crew inattention to fuel supply. One of the three men was the band's drummer Artimus Pyle, who yelled, "Plane crash." McDaniel was eager to join me. I admired his ability to tell gripping stories with his camera, so I began considering a career change. Steve Gaines was killed instantly upon impact and his sister Cassie Gaines perished as well. Lynyrd Skynyrd is a FANDOM Music Community. It wasn't a Cessna; it was a Convair CV 240, a twin engine, 40-passenger plane that was down in heavy woods near Gillsburg. The 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 saw the blond hair," he said. 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.

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