Brevard County School Board Elections, Articles C

Cassie Gaines cause of death The talented singer met her death at the young age of 29. These things don't happen here. ", "And everybody says they were the first one there. The medical examiner reported that Wilkeson suffered from liver and lung disease at the time of his death. But sadly when he drank, which was quite often, his demeanor and character qualities changed drastically. 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. Steve Gaines was killed instantly upon impact and his sister Cassie Gaines perished as well. 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. A small plane with 40 seats and two props the plane was anything but extraordinary. Ronnie Van Zant enjoying a stog before a show. 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. Any debris left on the ground has long been buried. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. The pilots were still in their seats, but were laying upside down in nearby trees. The pilots would have to make an emergency landing. Medical personnel arrived and began to ferry out the injured and the dead. Leslie Hawkins sustained a concussion, broke her neck in three places and had severe facial lacerations. Wilkeson would play in both Rossington Collins Band and the Allen Collins band. 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. Several members of the band died in a plane crash that occurred on October 20, 1977, three days after the release of Street Survivors. But not all had the intentions of lending a helping hand. A costly mistake at 9,000ft or so. There have been several different theories as to the culprits of this . Marc Frank recalled hearing both engines on the plane then within a matter of minutes, just air passing over the cabin. I'm really not sure anymore," he said. Artimus Pyle, drummer for the band, stops for a quick picture while en route to the next show. Cassie Gaines died on the 20 th of October, 1977 in a plane crash at Gillsburg, Mississippi when she was only 29 years old. It sounded great to us. They were scheduled to perform at the Louisiana State University. All of the seats were ripped from the frame of the plane, landing in the front section of the crash. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. A plane crash left lead singer Ronnie Van Zandt, lead guitarist Steve Gaines and backup singer Cassie Gaines dead. Photo: Pinterest. In 1977, lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Stevie Gaines and Gaines' sister, Cassie Gaines, were killed in a plane crash. Laying on the ground, still alive for only a moment, to slowly bleed to death. 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. He then assembled a convoy of trucks and four-wheelers to locate the crash site and rescue the survivors. Easley knows he wasn't the first on the site, but he was there early. Shining from what seemed to be a small house on a dairy farm. Even though she survived the actual crash, she eventually bled to death before the rescue team could reach her. Van Zant died instantly of blunt force trauma to the head. In the beginning, the singer was reluctant to board the aircraft and had already bought another commercial flight ticket. 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. It is reported that the pilots whose eyes were full of terror, told them to go back to their seats and prepare for impact. After I led him to the downtown McComb offices, I returned home, developed my film in a clumsy bathroom darkroom and went to sleep. Willing to lend a hand and stick by his bandmates, he was hard to beat when standing by your side. By then, a Coast Guard helicopter was hovering overhead. Don't look like they can afford a ticket. We always wondered why, you know. The surviving members would grapple with this throughout their days. She was requested to join the band as a backing vocalist. Some were screaming and moaning for help, but they were all limp. ", He reached up and pealed the split fuselage back and, with a flashlight, peered into the dark, jumbled mess of bodies. The tail section broke off, the cockpit broke off and buckled underneath, then both wings broke off. Billy Powell would be in the new starting line-up of Lynyrd Skynyrd until his death in 2009. Lynyrd Skynyrd is a staple on rock, classic rock, and southern radio stations. ", Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com. 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. If a band couldn't play Skynyrd, they didn't get hired for the school dance. The two men, for a while, were the only able-bodied persons present to help pull people from the wreckage. Mote fired a warning shot in the air. Photo: Uncle Johns Bathroom Reader. 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. Johnny Mote and his ragtag team were first on the crash site. Sang background vocals (one of the Honkettes) for Lynyrd Skynyrd. And to Brenda's point, he's writing a book. Street Survivors became the band's second platinum album, and was the #5 top selling album on the U.S. album chart. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. Where Did We Find This Stuff? He was best known for being a Rock Singer. So, with little hesitation I decided I should join the dance. 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. 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. Gary continues on the band with Ronnies brother, Johnny Van Zant, and guitarist Ricky Medlocke. Both of which helped the album climb to the No. In 1977, lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Stevie Gaines and Gaines sister, Cassie Gaines, were killed in a plane crash. One band member, JoJo Billingsly, was not on the flight. Turns out that Cassie didn't want to board that particular flight and had blatantly refused to travel on that plane. For another crash scene veteran, this was also his first return visit in 38 years. Gene Odom, Lynyrd Skynyrds bodyguard, recalls: They took my watch, my wallet, my ring, and my money as I lay bleeding on the ground. Totaled, decimated, and left for dead. 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 site has drawn visitors over the years. 5 album. 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. Losing daylight, the pilots desperately looked for an open field or some kind of saving grace. Among them were Lacy Van Zant, Ronnies Father, and .38 Specials Guitarist Dan Barnes. As the bulletins continued, they became more descriptive: "Tractors were pulling ambulances across a creek" was one exaggerated quote I remember so well. The other two members were JoJo Billingsley and Leslie Hawkins. 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. When he was sober, he was a fair and kind person. Everyone on the flight, except for Ronnie Van Zant, was feeling uneasy and restless. The band has been on tour, and dates through the weekend have been cancelled. Band members Artimus Pyle and Billy Powell entered the cockpit to get an idea of what was happening. The guys hit the dirt and yelling out with what they had left Hey! 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 Vintage News Aerosmith Said No, Lynyrd Skynyrd Said Yes To The Plane. Billy had taken too long on his intro to the song Free Bird and that didnt set well with Ronnie. Throughout the ordeal, he remembers seeing the debris and suitcases scattered around, but he didn't think anything of it. to gather a few more. One of the three men was the band's drummer Artimus Pyle, who yelled, "Plane crash." "May the free bird fly on," read one message. Rossington recalls saying It was always weird for Allen and me because we were up front in the plane. It would also be the first album that guitarist Steve Gaines would be the sole guitar player on. 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. After a shorter-than-normal day of bow hunting, he received a phone call about a plane crash in the area. So, we're both southerners.". The accident essentially destroyed one of the unique voices of American rock and roll. He drove down from his home in Oakland, Miss. 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. Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash site draws a pilgrimage. The news was shocking -- a plane crash near my hometown of McComb, Miss. Steve Gaines was killed instantly upon impact and his sister Cassie Gaines perished as well. I was not there to be a gawker or to get in the way. Suffocating the people on the bottom from the sheer weight. Artimus has had many ups and downs since then, several incarcerations, and a huge falling out with Gary. It was known that the right engine's magneto a small power generator that provides spark and timing for the engine had been malfunctioning (Powell, among others, spoke of seeing flames shooting out of the right engine on a trip just prior to the accident), and that pilots McCreary and Gray had intended to repair the damaged part when the travelling party arrived in Baton Rouge. Everyone was afraid of riding on this plane. 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. Willing to lend a hand and stick by his bandmates, he was hard to beat when standing by your side. He pulled the lifeless body of Cassie Gaines up by her belt. She began her career at a young age but has grown steadily over the years to become one of the best in Hollywood. 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. Artimus Pyle was also notoriously outspoken against the plane and on several occasions would take buses to shows. 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. Marc Frank remembers seeing complete and total despair. His only help at that moment was his neighbor, Dwain Easley. Bianca is an American actress. Steve Gaines was killed instantly upon impact and his sister Cassie Gaines perished as well. Two of them were crew members, pilot Walter McReary and co-pilot William Gray, the rest were band members and roadies. He knew those woods well. Van Zant himself "loathed flying," as Rolling Stone. Lynyrd Skynyrd did not plan on keeping the plane for long. However, other band members convinced her otherwise. "I was well prepared with advanced trauma life support training," he said, "and (I was) a flight surgeon in the military. Pilots Walter McCreary and William Gray were fully aware of a fuel shortage before the flight took off. The pilots would have to make an emergency landing. ", "He came home covered in blood," said his wife, Lola. The two men, for a while, were the only able-bodied persons present to help pull people from the wreckage. There are just too few physical landmarks. 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. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. We beat patterns into our dashboards drumming out the beat. It is reported that the pilots whose eyes were full of terror, told them to go back to their seats and prepare for impact. Owners emphasize that trespassers can be prosecuted. As the three marched on, feet soaking wet from the water, all odds seemed stacked against the trio. I put them all to work. The whole scene tore him apart. 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. At the end of the day, Ronnie and the boys are gone and we lost a rock n roll angel on October 20, 1977. Losing daylight, the pilots desperately looked for an open field or some kind of saving grace. Check your inbox to be the first to know the hottest news. Bianca is a force to be reckoned with in the American film industry. Everyone knows him as "Governor." Mote recalls the first thing he saw was a bloody hand sticking out from the wreckage. 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. 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." 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. 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. Although Steven Tyler and Joe Perry had insisted that they charter the plane, ultimately it was not signed to the band. 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. Truth be known, after 38 years, Martin is a little tired of talking about the whole thing. why doesn't martin brundle go to russia,