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. The band had just released their biggest album to date and was riding off of a good high. 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. Cassie Gaines was a talented and committed backup singer for the Lynard Skynyrd music band until she died in a plane crash. Thats when most of the sober members of the band saw that the right propeller was no longer working. 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. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Coincidence? Powell's nose had been nearly ripped from his face after crashing head first through a table. Natural causes were to blame. Powells nose had been nearly ripped from his face after crashing head first through a table. he said, barely able to get his English to suit his thoughts. Artimus Pyle, drummer for the band, stops for a quick picture while en route to the next show. It was Dr. Hank Lewis, a month shy of 78-years-old. The crash killed singer/songwriter Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist/vocalist Steve Gaines, vocalist Cassie Gaines, assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, pilot Walter McCreary and co-pilot William Gray. Almost four decades later, I noticed a seemingly innocuous post on Facebook. He rushed to his truck and headed in. 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. When he was sober, he was a fair and kind person. The rest of the group had no idea at the time that they would never see the face of Ronnie again. Aerosmiths management passed on the opportunity to call this plane their own. Leslie Hawkins sustained a concussion, broke her neck in three places and had severe facial lacerations. The band got its name as a way of mocking Leonard Skinner, a gym coach at Robert E. Lee High School known for punishing his long-haired students specifically band co-founders Gary Rossington and Bob Burns. Lead vocalist and founding member of the southern rock band, Ronnie Van Zant, also lost his life in the accident. There were 24 passengers and two crew members aboard the aircraft. "Why, yes I do," I said, thinking about my roots, my old buddies and the high school dances. Tremendous physical pain overwhelmed the group as did mental exhaustion. A small plane with 40 seats and two props the plane was anything but extraordinary. Minutes later he was guiding an ambulance through an overgrown trail. Lynyrd Skynyrd is a staple on rock, classic rock, and southern radio stations. The band was reaching fever pitch with its fans across the South and the nation. 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. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. The two men, for a while, were the only able-bodied persons present to help pull people from the wreckage. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. 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. 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. Sadly, the band would not make it to Baton Rouge and the plane had been pushed one flight too many. Home; Memorials; Cemeteries; Famous; Contribute; Register; Sign In; Register; Sign In; . Mote recalls the first thing he saw was a bloody hand sticking out from the wreckage. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. The cover would quickly be changed to a more bland blacked-out background with the band in the same pose after the accident. 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 whole scene tore him apart. A design that would most likely lead to the infamous crash. Billy Powell, the bands keyboardist, received extensive facial lacerations and a broken right knee. Ronnies mother Marion refused to make the flight, after seeing a horrific plane crash of her own that killed 9 people. Everyone knows him as "Governor." He would eventually succumb to paralytic pneumonia while being treated in a hospital in 1990. Steve Gaines was killed instantly upon impact and his sister Cassie Gaines perished as well. The band buckled in. Leon Wilkeson and Billy Powell would both go on to pursue other musical ventures and both have a hand in several Lynyrd Skynyrd re-boots. Ronnie had died instantly upon impact, his head slamming into a tree. A Convair CV-240, similar to the one in the crash. The pilots would have to make an emergency landing. Check your inbox to be the first to know the hottest news. Ultimate Classic Rock What Happened to the Survivors of the Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash? He says he first came in the 80s after he graduated. 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. He was known as Papa Ronnie. Lynyrd Skynyrd stops for a shot in 1973. On several occasions, the latter shined through. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a2fad0cc830fa72 Gene Odom, Lynyrd Skynyrds bodyguard, recalls: They took my watch, my wallet, my ring, and my money as I lay bleeding on the ground. One of them being completely decapitated. Marc Frank, a 24-year-old roadie traveling with the band, noticed what seemed to be fuel spewing from the right engine. We always wondered why, you know. The surviving members would grapple with this throughout their days. Click to reveal He obtained his first guitar at about age 14. "May the free bird fly on," read one message. 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. Photo: hu.wikipedia.com. The album would reach gold in ten days after release and it would eventually go double platinum. One such silent witness has found a way to talk. So, with little hesitation I decided I should join the dance. Before long, he noticed three men emerge from the dense woods along the pasture. Street Survivors became the band's second platinum album, and was the #5 top selling album on the U.S. album chart. Her brother was Skynyrd guitarist Steve Gaines. Ronnie Van Zant enjoying a stog before a show. And then we heard voices. 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. After a shorter-than-normal day of bow hunting, he received a phone call about a plane crash in the area. The pilot and co-pilot also died; 20 others aboard lived. A little after the two-hour mark, however, events started to unfold that would soon make history. 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. Pilot Walter McCrearey and co-pilot John Grey were killed on impact. "It was the saddest thing," she recalls, 11 years later. read another typical message of mourning. Artimus Pyle, drummer for the band, stops for a quick picture while en route to the next show. 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. Van Zant, Steve and Cassie Gaines, Kilpatrick and the pilots were laid in a temporary morgue at a local high school gymnasium. 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. 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. I told him that it was the strongest thing I had seen a man do.. Steve Gaines was killed instantly upon impact and his sister Cassie Gaines perished as well. Crying, praying, and counting the dead to see who they would never hug, play music with, and enjoy company with again. "It was stuff I'd been trained to do," he said. The plane had completely disintegrated. The only thing left was a trail of debris and people. 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. Another 20 were injured, which included keyboardist Billy Powell, guitarists Gary Rossington and Allen Collins, drummer Artimus Pyle and bassist Leon Wilkeson. Marc Frank remembers seeing complete and total despair. Even though she survived the actual crash, she eventually bled to death before the rescue team could reach her. 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 is some speculation as to why the second engine had ultimately failed. Aerosmiths band management at the time was looking at a Convair CV-240. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. The album had a very controversial cover when released. He, like me, was 21-years-old at the time. Pianist Billy Powell survived, but his nose was nearly torn off and he suffered severe facial lacerations. But a message on the group's official Web site said the summer tour will resume on Aug. 7, in Spokane, Wash. Stinky! Shining from what seemed to be a small house on a dairy farm. The rest of the group had no idea at the time that they would never see the face of Ronnie again. Ronnie had died instantly upon impact, his head slamming into a tree. The album cover depicted the band members in an alleyway covered in flames. 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. Billy Powell, the bands keyboardist, received extensive facial lacerations and a broken right knee. They were scheduled to perform at the Louisiana State University. At the beginning of the flight, all was well, amid high tensions. Cassie Gaines Birthday and Date of Death. 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. Wilkeson suffered severe internal injuries, including a punctured lung, and had most of his teeth knocked out. The pilots tried an emergency landing, but the plane crashed in the woods near Gillsburg in Mississippi. Especially Artimus, who had three broken ribs and multiple large cuts. I obviously didn't know what I was doing. Artimus Pyle emerged with several broken ribs, and bleeding everywhere you could. "You like Lynyrd Skynyrd?" Without wanting to cause alarm he thought to himself that maybe the pilots were trying to transfer fuel from one engine to another. 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 Lynard Skynyrd plane crash was one of the band's most challenging moments. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Street Survivors was released just three days before the crash and would quickly become a hit. 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. Photo: Pinterest. There were 26 people on that fateful flight. Almost as mysteriously, the full bottle is never seen again. For members Gary Rossington and Allen Collins, the weight of what happened seemed to push down on them the most. The only thing left was a trail of debris and people. 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. 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. Totaled, decimated, and left for dead. His only help at that moment was his neighbor, Dwain Easley. Cassie Gaines was one of the band members who boarded the ill-fated flight. There have been several different theories as to the culprits of this . "If (that tree) could talk, it'd tell you all about it," he said. The pilots would have to make an emergency landing. Lynyrd Skynyrd was known for their hard-rocking style, driven by powerful guitars. When the news broke that it was Lynyrd Skynyrd's tour plane, Nancy and I stared at each other. "I had expertise on what to do and growing up in Amite County, Mississippi didn't hurt. His post noted that he and many others had made pilgrimages for years to the site to pay their respects. Marc Frank recalled hearing both engines on the plane then within a matter of minutes, just air passing over the cabin. 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. Owners emphasize that trespassers can be prosecuted. There have been several different theories as to the culprits of this unfortunate crashing that point the finger toward watcher by Artimus, as well as the pilots of the plane themselves. Johnny Mote and his ragtag team were first on the crash site. In the ensuing chaos, souvenir hunters took billfolds, jewelry, suitcases, band merchandise and even chunks of metal from the crash site. When Aerosmith's crew heard of Skynyrd's misfortune, they were shocked, but not necessarily surprised. 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. 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. The album would go through several cover changes and would mark a new era for the guys. I threw it in reverse and plowed into my mother-in-law's car. The will to carry on was strong, however, Pyle being a US Marine, would live out the phrase Semper Fidelis which means always faithful. 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. We were shocked, as were most others hearing the news. The band would be marked for strife as just before their inaugural tour, Allens wife would bleed to death due to a miscarriage. I had a small studio, making a living mostly painting signs for local businesses. "They seemed to be chasing him, trying to flag him down. 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. All he could think was that they must be from a recent a jailbreak," she said. Gary continues on the band with Ronnies brother, Johnny Van Zant, and guitarist Ricky Medlocke. The reason behind this? 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. The next morning I looked over them, made a few small prints and forgot about them. Cassie Gaines cause of death The talented singer met her death at the young age of 29. So on the prow of this small boat, plowing the coastal water on the other side of the world, he and I abandoned inhibition with an unabashed air guitar jam. News had spread about the crash and before too long an estimated 3,000 people had swarmed to the crash site. As we talked, we heard a racket through the trees. I was just taken aback by it " but then his friend continued, "don't worry, Lynyrd made it out.". 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. Artimus Pyle was also notoriously outspoken against the plane and on several occasions would take buses to shows. 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. "Steve was at the peak of his career. He didn't know who the victims were. A tragic scene no person would ever wish to see or soon forget. He had been hospitalized since September. 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. "Yes, your right," I said, slightly amused. Soon after the plane would begin to jerk and shake violently. However, it is believed that the pilots were trying to transfer oil from one engine to another when they accidentally jettisoned the fuel instead. I quickly maneuvered free of a crumpled bumper and sped off. 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. Since Cassie was not aware of the band's existence at that time, Jojo offered her a copy of Lynyrd Skynyrd's first two albums to make her acquainted with the band's work. On several occasions, the latter shined through. 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. Photo: Uncle Johns Bathroom Reader. And the hardest-working rock 'n' roll band in America was about to run out of gas. Governor said, "I'm bad about leaving an empty beer bottle and a full one for Ronnie and the boys" each year. Everyone on the flight, except for Ronnie Van Zant, was feeling uneasy and restless. As the three marched on, feet soaking wet from the water, all odds seemed stacked against the trio. These combinations of poorly built aircraft and less than acceptable crew quickly led to the dismissal of the band leasing out their services. He would eventually succumb to paralytic pneumonia while being treated in a hospital in 1990. Totaled, decimated, and left for dead. 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. Posted and no trespassing signs are prominently displayed. The band regularly has different people sit in and play shows with them like Warren Haynes and Dicky Betts. The other two members were JoJo Billingsley and Leslie Hawkins. 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 And to Brenda's point, he's writing a book. It was rumored that it was Ed Kings (original guitar player for Lynyrd Skynyrd) wife but it was not confirmed. 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.). Collins and other band members were severely injured. Rudge chartered three planes for loved ones to identify the bodies. With my camera at the ready, the translator and I stood watch on the prow of the brightly colored wooden boat as we plowed the exotic coastline. From left to right: Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant, And Gary Rossington. Pilots Walter McCreary and William Gray were fully aware of a fuel shortage before the flight took off. Rescuers look over the wreckage of the 1977 Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash. Easley knows he wasn't the first on the site, but he was there early. Artimus has had many ups and downs since then, several incarcerations, and a huge falling out with Gary. That farm belonged to a young dairy farmer named Johnny Mote. 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. . Violent, wild, and belligerent, Ronnie was a force to be reckoned with. She was hesitant because she had seen a small fire in one of the engines the previous day. A tragic scene no person would ever wish to see or soon forget. 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. Lynyrd Skynyrd pose for a portrait circa 1976. Marc Frank was beaten terribly and was also covered in lacerations and blood. She was brought up in Miami, Florida, alongside her brothers, Bob and Steve. We had a friendly translator whose command of the English language was poor at best. Artimus Pyle was also notoriously outspoken against the plane and on several occasions would take buses to shows. Ronnie Van Zant was just more than the bands main songwriter, frontman, and singer. He was more in the image I was pre-visualizing - one of an aging rocker. He pulled the lifeless body of Cassie Gaines up by her belt. Collins and other band members were severely injured. She was sick and would meet up with the band in Arkansas to continue the tour. The singer died in the arms of the surviving band's keyboardist Billy Powell. What injuries did Cassie Gaines die from? ", "I expected to see all dead people looking at these woods. 5 spot, it was the bands first No. Be the first to get hottest news from our Editor-in-Chief, Check your email and confirm your subscription. Both brother and sister were killed in the airplane crash that also took the life of Lynyrd Skynyrd vocalist Ronnie Van Zant. I told him that it was the strongest thing I had seen a man do.. Throughout the ordeal, he remembers seeing the debris and suitcases scattered around, but he didn't think anything of it. 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. There were 26 people on that fateful flight. 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. It is reported that the pilots whose eyes were full of terror, told them to go back to their seats and prepare for impact. Rossington recalls saying It was always weird for Allen and me because we were up front in the plane. The accident essentially destroyed one of the unique voices of American rock and roll. The band buckled in. Freebird, Lynyrd Skynyrd, 10/20/77 and a notebook-sized rebel flag are deeply etched into the old bark. It was there where he was found dead in his room on July 27. Through the woods, yet another seeker appeared. The official cause of death will be announced after toxicology test results come back in two to three weeks. Pilot Walter. Victims were taken to the hospital in McComb, Mississippi by ambulances and other vehicles. 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. The fuselage turned sideways, and everybody was hurled forward.. Drummer Artimus Pyle crawled out of the plane wreckage with several broken ribs, but was ambulatory, as were road crew members Kenneth Peden Jr. and Mark Frank. Other band members were injured, some very seriously. Skip to main content. I've not looked at them since. It was Steve, and me, and Ronnie and I was in the middle of them. I was a young graphic artist at the time. Don't look like they can afford a ticket. "That solidified that idea. Artimus has had many ups and downs since then, several incarcerations, and a huge falling out with Gary. ", But with no experience he morphed from a dairy farmer to a rescuer. 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. Band members Artimus Pyle and Billy Powell entered the cockpit to get an idea of what was happening. Part of the preparations required contacting landowners and securing permission to be there and a guide to lead me in. At least one member, background singer Cassie Gaines, had refused to board the flight, but was convinced against her better judgment. That farm belonged to a young dairy farmer named Johnny Mote. Especially with the song That Smell. Here are 10 facts about Lynyrd Skynyrd and their fateful end. The location sounded familiar so he asked them to repeat. Wilkeson cheated death in 1977, surviving a crash of the band's chartered plane. 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. We just had released an album that went gold almost overnight. But soon, the helicopters that were heard and seen previously were on the scene. Medical personnel arrived and began to ferry out the injured and the dead. The guys hit the dirt and yelling out with what they had left Hey! He drove down from his home in Oakland, Miss. Ronnie Van Zant was just more than the bands main songwriter, frontman, and singer. Tremendous physical pain overwhelmed the group as did mental exhaustion. Artimus Pyle emerged with several broken ribs, and bleeding everywhere you could. After the death of three of their members, the band decided to change the cover photo of the album, which initially featured a picture of the band engulfed in flames. Lynyrd Skynyrd is a FANDOM Music Community. 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. The two men, for a while, were the only able-bodied persons present to help pull people from the wreckage. 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. "I'd never seen anything like that," he said. The tree where the cockpit came to rest has long-since died. The band leased a new Convair CV-240 to help them get between shows easier. One band member, JoJo Billingsly, was not on the flight. Rudge chartered three planes for loved ones to identify the bodies.

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