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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. As we talked, we heard a racket through the trees. If you look closely, Ronnie Van Zant and Steve Gaines (2 of 3 band members to die in the crash) are completely engulfed in flames, whereas the rest of the band is merely standing around in the streets of fire. I knew I could take photographs if I could get there. I've not looked at them since. The plane finally slammed into the earth, and Billy Powell recalls saying, We hit the trees at approximately 90 mph. 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. Cassie Gaines - Wikipedia As we walked, Easely pointed to a towering pine. As a member of the Civil Air Patrol on that fateful night, he heard the report of a plane crash over the citizens band radio. 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. 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). Wilkeson would play in both Rossington Collins Band and the Allen Collins band. Van Zant, Steve and Cassie Gaines, Kilpatrick and the pilots were laid in a temporary morgue at a local high school gymnasium. Marc Frank recalled hearing both engines on the plane then within a matter of minutes, just air passing over the cabin. No one that hit the ground alive died. 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. 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. Collins, 37, suffered respiratory failure, said a Memorial Medical Center spokeswoman. He remembered seeing bodies everywhere. Cassie Gaines, a member of the backing vocal trio known as the Honkettes and sister of guitarist Steve Gaines, was so petrified that she nearly squeezed in the band's cramped equipment truck. He could see the circling helicopter from his back yard. 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. A towering beech tree stands sentinel on the west side of the creek, carefully carved with scores of knurled epithets. "I saw the blond hair," he said. Lynyrd Skynyrd is a FANDOM Music Community. What injuries did Cassie Gaines die from? Then on the other side, it was Allen in the middle of Dean and Cassie. 10 Details About the Fatal Plane Crash that Was the Death of Lynyrd We had a friendly translator whose command of the English language was poor at best. That now legendary and near-mythical plane crash killed Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, Honkettes backup singer Cassie Gaines, assistant tour manager Dean Kilpatrick and the pilot and co-p Toxicology tests were also ordered to determine whether there were drugs in his system at the time. "Steve was at the peak of his career. Steve Gaines was killed instantly upon impact and his sister Cassie Gaines perished as well. 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. If a band couldn't play Skynyrd, they didn't get hired for the school dance. She performed as a backup singer in popular hits such as One More Time and That Smell. You have permission to edit this article. Wilkeson suffered severe internal injuries, including a punctured lung, and had most of his teeth knocked out. Another 20 were injured, which included keyboardist Billy Powell, guitarists Gary Rossington and Allen Collins, drummer Artimus Pyle and bassist Leon Wilkeson. Lynyrd Skynyrd was known for their hard-rocking style, driven by powerful guitars. Marc Frank recalled hearing both engines on the plane then within a matter of minutes, just air passing over the cabin. The only thing left was a trail of debris and people. A little after the two-hour mark, however, events started to unfold that would soon make history. It is reported that the pilots whose eyes were full of terror, told them to go back to their seats and prepare for impact. We knew every word. After a shorter-than-normal day of bow hunting, he received a phone call about a plane crash in the area. Several members of the band died in a plane crash that occurred on October 20, 1977, three days after the release of Street Survivors. After claiming his deceased son, Lacy Van Zant went to visit the other members of the band at the hospital. I had a small studio, making a living mostly painting signs for local businesses. Gary Rossington broke both his arms and both his legs in the crash, and took many months to recuperate. Cassie was buried in Orange Park, Florida, together with her brother, Steve Gains. 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? Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. Rossington recalls saying It was always weird for Allen and me because we were up front in the plane. 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 Truth Behind Ronnie Van Zant's LAST Ride - Society Of Rock Stinky! Losing daylight, the pilots desperately looked for an open field or some kind of saving grace. The two men, for a while, were the only able-bodied persons present to help pull people from the wreckage. Coincidence? 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. She was brought up in Miami, Florida, alongside her brothers, Bob and Steve. Cassie Gaines was born on January 9, 1948 and died on October 20, 1977. Artimus Pyle emerged with several broken ribs, and bleeding everywhere you could. However, they were apparently talked into using it just one more time which happened to be their last ride. Gabel says he's been to the site 15 or more times. But soon, the helicopters that were heard and seen previously were on the scene. I grabbed my camera and jumped in the car. Check your inbox to be the first to know the hottest news. Johnny Mote and his ragtag team were first on the crash site. The band was reaching fever pitch with its fans across the South and the nation. Rudge chartered three planes for loved ones to identify the bodies. 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. I knew my camera had stories to tell. Ronnies mother Marion refused to make the flight, after seeing a horrific plane crash of her own that killed 9 people. 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. At least one member, background singer Cassie Gaines, had refused to board the flight, but was convinced against her better judgment. On October 20, 1977, Cassie Gaines died of non-communicable disease. 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. 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. I began the classic guitar lick. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. All reality had been broken and none of the surviving members would ever be the same or view life the same again. He suffered a heart attack while on break from tour. I'm from southern Thailand. 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. It is a cautionary song about drug abuse that fans believed was aimed at one of the members. Pyle claimed in a February 2007 appearance on Howard Stern's Sirius radio program that Mote had shot him; Mote has always denied shooting the drummer. Rescuers look over the wreckage of the 1977 Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash. She began her career at a young age but has grown steadily over the years to become one of the best in Hollywood. You are already subscribed to our newsletter! Guitarists Allen Collins and Steve Gaines, Honkette Leslie Hawkins, bassist Leon Wilkeson, Honkettes Cassie Gaines and JoJo Billingsley, and. "I knew she was gone. At the time of her death she survived by her large extended friends and family. Cassie LaRue Hatfield Gaines (1926-1979) - Find a A few minutes later I was talking my way past a Mississippi State trooper. One band member, JoJo Billingsly, was not on the flight. Dwain Easley still lives on the east side of the crash site. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your IP: But a message on the group's official Web site said the summer tour will resume on Aug. 7, in Spokane, Wash. But soon, the helicopters that were heard and seen previously were on the scene. The album had deeper meaning than most. The will to carry on was strong, however, Pyle being a US Marine, would live out the phrase Semper Fidelis which means always faithful. Cassie Gaines Death Fact Check, Birthday & Date of Death - Dead or Kicking Van Zant, Steve and Cassie Gaines, Kilpatrick and the pilots were laid in a temporary morgue at a local high school gymnasium. He could hear the people moaning, pleading for help. 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. It is reported that the pilots whose eyes were full of terror, told them to go back to their seats and prepare for impact. And then we heard voices. As the three marched on, feet soaking wet from the water, all odds seemed stacked against the trio. He then assembled a convoy of trucks and four-wheelers to locate the crash site and rescue the survivors. 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. Varying accounts have Mote either firing a warning shot into the air or actually shooting Pyle in the shoulder no report is completely reliable. It was Dr. Hank Lewis, a month shy of 78-years-old. Almost as mysteriously, the full bottle is never seen again. It felt like being hit with baseball bats in a steel garbage can with the lid on. Rescue vehicles on the ground found no direct path in sight. 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. 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. Ronnie Van Zant enjoying a stog before a show. Powell's nose had been nearly ripped from his face after crashing head first through a table. Photo: obviousmag.org. 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. Without wanting to cause alarm he thought to himself that maybe the pilots were trying to transfer fuel from one engine to another. Unfortunately, their plane ran short of fuel. The fuselage turned sideways, and everybody was hurled forward.. Artimus has had many ups and downs since then, several incarcerations, and a huge falling out with Gary. The band decided that once they had landed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, they would acquire a Learjet to replace the severely outdated 30-year-old plane. He was known as Papa Ronnie. How do they know? Wilkeson cheated death in 1977, surviving a crash of the band's chartered plane. Everyone was afraid of riding on this plane. Shining from what seemed to be a small house on a dairy farm. The band has sold an estimated 35 million records. 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. The will to carry on was strong, however, Pyle being a US Marine, would live out the phrase Semper Fidelis which means always faithful. Allen Collins kept moving on, eventually getting together with Gary Rossington to form the Rossington Collins Band. When he was sober, he was a fair and kind person. At the beginning of the flight, all was well, amid high tensions. Steven Earl Gaines (September 14, 1949 - October 20, 1977) was an American musician. 10 Details About the Fatal Plane Crash that Was the Death of Lynyrd A design that would most likely lead to the infamous crash. Dean Kilpatrick, the bands manager, lay dead and covered in blood. There is some speculation as to why the second engine had ultimately failed. Gary continues on the band with Ronnies brother, Johnny Van Zant, and guitarist Ricky Medlocke. 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. This year there were no red roses, but a freshly carved "R.J." stood out with red paint enhancement. I had never seen anything like it before. Photo: hu.wikipedia.com. Part of the preparations required contacting landowners and securing permission to be there and a guide to lead me in. memorial page for Cassie LaRue Hatfield Gaines (26 Nov 1926-15 Feb 1979), Find a Grave Memorial ID 37010431, citing Jacksonville Memory . Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a2fad0cc830fa72 "It was stuff I'd been trained to do," he said. Laying on the ground, still alive for only a moment, to slowly bleed to death. The album would go through several cover changes and would mark a new era for the guys. But we were both enjoying it. Photo: Uncle Johns Bathroom Reader. She said her husband grabbed his .243 hunting rifle, ran out and fired a warning shot. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. The whole scene tore him apart. 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. Mote recalls the first thing he saw was a bloody hand sticking out from the wreckage. Photo: thetv.info. "May the free bird fly on," read one message. The band leased a new Convair CV-240 to help them get between shows easier. "Seems like everyone is writing a book. 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. Over the ridge, a World War II vintage Willis Jeep crawled down a dusty logging trail. Wilkeson would eventually be found dead in a hotel room in 2001 at age 49. Losing daylight, the pilots desperately looked for an open field or some kind of saving grace. 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. My younger brother and I banged out "Freebird" on a cheap set of drums in our bedroom. 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, a 24-year-old roadie traveling with the band, noticed what seemed to be fuel spewing from the right engine. Turns out that Cassie didn't want to board that particular flight and had blatantly refused to travel on that plane. On 20th October 1977, the Lynyrd Skynyrd boarded a chartered Convair CV-240 to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after their performance in Greenville, South Carolina. She died from excessive bleeding as her throat had been cut from ear to ear. Last of the two surviving original member of the band, Gary Rossington, with Johnny Van Zant to his left and guitarist Rickey Medlocke to the right. Cassie Gaines mother was LaRue, while her father was Bud. A spokesperson for the band's record label said Wilkeson died in his sleep Friday at a hotel near Jacksonville, Florida. So we came out here and got busy. Headline from a local newspaper reporting the crash. 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. And to Brenda's point, he's writing a book. He was more in the image I was pre-visualizing - one of an aging rocker. Steve Gaines was killed instantly upon impact and his sister Cassie Gaines perished as well. 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. He hopes to publish in time for the 40th anniversary of the crash. The fuselage turned sideways, and everybody was hurled forward.. We love you!!!" We'd move one and there would be another one laying there." Billy Powell would be in the new starting line-up of Lynyrd Skynyrd until his death in 2009. to gather a few more. He didn't know who the victims were. Powells nose had been nearly ripped from his face after crashing head first through a table. She was famous for being part of the southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. 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. The plane killed three band members (Ronnie Van Zant, Cassie, Steve Gaines) and Dean Kilpatrick (assistant road manager), Walter McCreary (pilot), and William Gray (co-pilot). 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. Marc Frank remembers seeing complete and total despair. 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 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. Shining from what seemed to be a small house on a dairy farm. 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. 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. 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. I marked my calendar and made arrangements. The album cover depicted the band members in an alleyway covered in flames. Ultimate Classic Rock What Happened to the Survivors of the Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash? It was Steve, and me, and Ronnie and I was in the middle of them. 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. Tangled by underbrush and the 20-foot creek, the rescue team had to act and think fast. But I couldn't stand it any longer. He could hear the people moaning, pleading for help. Sang background vocals (one of the Honkettes) for Lynyrd Skynyrd. Through the woods, yet another seeker appeared. "I had expertise on what to do and growing up in Amite County, Mississippi didn't hurt. Among them were Lacy Van Zant, Ronnies Father, and .38 Specials Guitarist Dan Barnes. 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. Leslie Hawkins sustained a concussion, broke her neck in three places and had severe facial lacerations. 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. The pilots would have to make an emergency landing. The pilots would have to make an emergency landing. The pilots were still in their seats, but were laying upside down in nearby trees. 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 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.). We always wondered why, you know. The surviving members would grapple with this throughout their days. McDaniel was eager to join me. There is some speculation as to why the second engine had ultimately failed. Marc Frank, a 24-year-old roadie traveling with the band, noticed what seemed to be fuel spewing from the right engine. The location sounded familiar so he asked them to repeat. But I loved the bonding. Owners emphasize that trespassers can be prosecuted. 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. Rescue vehicles on the ground found no direct path in sight. Cassie Gaines Wiki, Biography, Age, Career, Relationship, Net Worth It would be another hour before I heard the big news. Lynyrd Skynyrd stops for a shot in 1973. 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