In the summer of 1977, a plane crashed over Mississippi killing three members of the southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd.
In the summer of 1977, members of the band Aerosmith went to go check out an airplane that they were considering using for their upcoming tour. They were immediately off-put by the professionalism of the crew and the owner. This decision saved this band but doomed another.
The aircraft, a Convair 240, was owned by the trust fund baby of a Texas oil mogul. He did not know how to pilot, maintain, or hire a proper crew to make sure that his plane operated safely. However, the members of the band Lynyrd Skynyrd needed a charter in a hurry, and they settled on this plane before checking it out.
The first half of their tour went off without a hitch.
But, on October 20th, 1977, in a flight from Greenville, South Carolina to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the pilot crashed the plane over southeastern Mississippi. The crash killed Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, and Cassie Gaines, as well as the assistant road manager of the band, the pilot himself, and the copilot.
Twenty other members of the band and their crew survived.
The plane had run out of fuel at 6,000 feet. Evidently, the reason the plane ultimately crashed is that the Houston air-traffic control board gave the pilot the wrong coordinates to the nearest airfield.
The first half of their tour went off without a hitch.
But, on October 20th, 1977, in a flight from Greenville, South Carolina to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the pilot crashed the plane over southeastern Mississippi. The crash killed Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, and Cassie Gaines, as well as the assistant road manager of the band, the pilot himself, and the copilot.
Twenty other members of the band and their crew survived.
The plane had run out of fuel at 6,000 feet. Evidently, the reason the plane ultimately crashed is that the Houston air-traffic control board gave the pilot the wrong coordinates to the nearest airfield.