But soon, the helicopters that were heard and seen previously were on the scene. Tangled by underbrush and the 20-foot creek, the rescue team had to act and think fast. 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. It is reported that the pilots whose eyes were full of terror, told them to go back to their seats and prepare for impact. When he was sober, he was a fair and kind person. The fuselage turned sideways, and everybody was hurled forward.. 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. That farm belonged to a young dairy farmer named Johnny Mote. I had never seen anything like it before. Making the original release cover more valuable to collectors than the second cover released just a few weeks after the album hit the shelves. Artimus Pyle and Gary Rossington are the only two members alive today from the crash. 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. The band has been on tour, and dates through the weekend have been cancelled. 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. Natural causes were to blame. Billy Powell, the bands keyboardist, received extensive facial lacerations and a broken right knee. 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. But I couldn't stand it any longer. Cassie was buried in Orange Park, Florida, together with her brother, Steve Gains. to gather a few more. "They'd busted bales of hay in the bed to soften the ride," he said. By then, a Coast Guard helicopter was hovering overhead. Circa 1975, Singers Cassie Gaines , Leslie Hawkins and Jo Jo Billingsley of the American rock group, Lynyrd Skynyrd, 1970s. These things don't happen here. 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. My younger brother and I banged out "Freebird" on a cheap set of drums in our bedroom. Photo: obviousmag.org. 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. Collins entered the hospital with pneumonia symptoms and was in a coma the last few days, said longtime friend Ann Thompson. As the small band of brothers grew, the conversation grew lively but stayed reverent. Photo: Pinterest. Steve Gaines was killed instantly upon impact and his sister Cassie Gaines perished as well. They were scheduled to perform at the Louisiana State University. Street Survivors was released just three days before the crash and would quickly become a hit. As the Houston Press reports, the crash took Van Zant's life, as well as the lives of band member Steve Gaines and his sister, backup singer Cassie; and Dean Kilpatrick, the assistant road manager. For another crash scene veteran, this was also his first return visit in 38 years. Wilkeson would eventually be found dead in a hotel room in 2001 at age 49. Rudge chartered three planes for loved ones to identify the bodies. Photo: thetv.info. 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). Even though she survived the actual crash, she eventually bled to death before the rescue team could reach her. The plane had completely disintegrated. Natural causes were to blame. It was Dr. Hank Lewis, a month shy of 78-years-old. Through the woods, yet another seeker appeared. 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. The rest of the group had no idea at the time that they would never see the face of Ronnie again. 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. With that cue, Governor took the honors and introduced everyone as Gabel's mouth gaped in disbelief. Both brother and sister were killed in the airplane crash that also took the life of Lynyrd Skynyrd vocalist Ronnie Van Zant. She was famous for being part of the southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. In Genes interview, he mentions that he ran to the cock pit and to alert the pilots of the exploded engine and their response was Nothins wrong. Artimus Pyle emerged with several broken ribs, and bleeding everywhere you could. The cover would quickly be changed to a more bland blacked-out background with the band in the same pose after the accident. 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. He could see the circling helicopter from his back yard. Freebird, Lynyrd Skynyrd, 10/20/77 and a notebook-sized rebel flag are deeply etched into the old bark. The Vintage News Aerosmith Said No, Lynyrd Skynyrd Said Yes To The Plane. Especially Artimus, who had three broken ribs and multiple large cuts. 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. The two men, for a while, were the only able-bodied persons present to help pull people from the wreckage. For members Gary Rossington and Allen Collins, the weight of what happened seemed to push down on them the most. Rescuers look over the wreckage of the 1977 Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash. The sky is the limit for the talented actress. I put them all to work. The talented singer met her death at the young age of 29. 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 was known as Papa Ronnie. As he looked around the scene, his mind went back. Collins recovered and began performing again, eventually forming the Allen Collins Band. She began her career at a young age but has grown steadily over the years to become one of the best in Hollywood. No one that hit the ground alive died. But sadly when he drank, which was quite often, his demeanor and character qualities changed drastically. 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. Turns out that Cassie didn't want to board that particular flight and had blatantly refused to travel on that plane. The plane finally slammed into the earth, and Billy Powell recalls saying, We hit the trees at approximately 90 mph. Cassie Gaines Death: and Cause of Death. 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. News had spread about the crash and before too long an estimated 3,000 people had swarmed to the crash site. Powells nose had been nearly ripped from his face after crashing head first through a table. For many years, a dozen red roses have been carefully placed around the base, much like the mysterious unfinished bottle of Martell cognac at the grave of Edgar Allen Poe in Baltimore. "Seems like everyone is writing a book. That farm belonged to a young dairy farmer named Johnny Mote. I'm from southern Thailand. He drove down from his home in Oakland, Miss. ", He reached up and pealed the split fuselage back and, with a flashlight, peered into the dark, jumbled mess of bodies. 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 Laying on the ground, still alive for only a moment, to slowly bleed to death. Collins and other band members were severely injured. Artimus Pyle emerged with several broken ribs, and bleeding everywhere you could. 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. Ronnie Van Zant was just more than the bands main songwriter, frontman, and singer. There is some speculation as to why the second engine had ultimately failed. 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 two men, for a while, were the only able-bodied persons present to help pull people from the wreckage. The Convair 240 itself had been inspected by members of Aerosmith's flight crew for possible use in the early summer of 1977, but was rejected because it was felt that neither the plane nor the crew were up to standards. But I loved the bonding. The plane had completely disintegrated. One of them being completely decapitated. ", "And everybody says they were the first one there. 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 album had two notable songs: Whats your name and That Smell. Toxicology tests were also ordered to determine whether there were drugs in his system at the time. Aerosmith's touring family was also relieved because the band, specifically Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, had been trying to pressure their management into renting that specific plane. she asked me as we talked. His only help at that moment was his neighbor, Dwain Easley. The death of Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, and Cassie Gains of the southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd was a massive blow to many.