Lewis was on emergency room call that night at McComb's Southwest Regional Medical Center. Rudge chartered three planes for loved ones to identify the bodies. The talented singer met her death at the young age of 29. The reason behind this? But I loved the bonding. Tangled by underbrush and the 20-foot creek, the rescue team had to act and think fast. He knew those woods well. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. It was rumored that it was Ed Kings (original guitar player for Lynyrd Skynyrd) wife but it was not confirmed. Wilkeson suffered severe internal injuries, including a punctured lung, and had most of his teeth knocked out. He was the New Orleans-based photographer for the Associated Press Jack Thornell, known for his Pulitzer Prize winning photo of civil rights leader James Meredith. However, other band members convinced her otherwise. He would eventually succumb to paralytic pneumonia while being treated in a hospital in 1990. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Making the original release cover more valuable to collectors than the second cover released just a few weeks after the album hit the shelves. (Photo by Ted Jackson). Artimus has had many ups and downs since then, several incarcerations, and a huge falling out with Gary. Artimus Pyle was also notoriously outspoken against the plane and on several occasions would take buses to shows. 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). "Folks were all mashed together. 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. The single "What's Your Name" reached #13 on the single airplay charts in January of 1978. He, like me, was 21-years-old at the time. His first impression was, "What is a bunch of hippies doing on an airplane? Dwain Easley still lives on the east side of the crash site. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. For members Gary Rossington and Allen Collins, the weight of what happened seemed to push down on them the most. She was requested to join the band as a backing vocalist. This year there were no red roses, but a freshly carved "R.J." stood out with red paint enhancement. Things were going so well. 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. 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. He then assembled a convoy of trucks and four-wheelers to locate the crash site and rescue the survivors. 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. Everyone was afraid of riding on this plane. All the surrounding land is privately owned and prominently marked with "No Trespassing" signs. Artimus Pyle emerged with several broken ribs, and bleeding everywhere you could. memorial page for Cassie LaRue Hatfield Gaines (26 Nov 1926-15 Feb 1979), Find a Grave Memorial ID 37010431, citing Jacksonville Memory . One band member, JoJo Billingsly, was not on the flight. At least one member, background singer Cassie Gaines, had refused to board the flight, but was convinced against her better judgment. 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. I was a young graphic artist at the time. Cause of death: Car accident. "I knew she was gone. Minutes later he was guiding an ambulance through an overgrown trail. Aerosmiths band management at the time was looking at a Convair CV-240. "It was stuff I'd been trained to do," he said. "It was a lot wetter that night. Band confidant, Gene Odum, is privately interviewed to share his story on what happened on this awful day in history. He was a walking treasure trove of names, facts and figures. Marc Frank, a 24-year-old roadie traveling with the band, noticed what seemed to be fuel spewing from the right engine. 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. "That solidified that idea. From left to right: Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant, And Gary Rossington. Its many hit songs include "Freebird," "Sweet Home Alabama," "Gimme Three Steps" and "Simple Man.". Laying on the ground, still alive for only a moment, to slowly bleed to death. he said, barely able to get his English to suit his thoughts. The band has sold an estimated 35 million records. ", "He came home covered in blood," said his wife, Lola. Born Steven Earl Gaines, the son of Cassie Hatfield and Earl Gaines. The original cover was restored after the 30th anniversary of the album. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. 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 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). I've not looked at them since. So we came out here and got busy. They were scheduled to perform at the Louisiana State University. July 30, 2001 -- Leon Wilkeson, bass player and founding member of Lynyrd Skynyrd, is dead at age 49. The plane had completely disintegrated. I'd deal with that later. When he was sober, he was a fair and kind person. Laying on the ground, still alive for only a moment, to slowly bleed to death. He had been hospitalized since September. Violent, wild, and belligerent, Ronnie was a force to be reckoned with. 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. 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. Lynyrd Skynyrd disbanded after the airplane tragedy. [2] The site is hard to access. The fuselage turned sideways, and everybody was hurled forward.. News had spread about the crash and before too long an estimated 3,000 people had swarmed to the crash site. Cassie Larue Gaines was an American singer. 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. However, they were apparently talked into using it just one more time which happened to be their last ride. Artimus has had many ups and downs since then, several incarcerations, and a huge falling out with Gary. Even long after she is gone, her legacy as one of the most talented singers remains. It would be another hour before I heard the big news. 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. As they, too, were succumbing to the sub-par standards of the plane and crew. That farm belonged to a young dairy farmer named Johnny Mote. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Soon after the plane would begin to jerk and shake violently. Rock Musician. Photo credits Airplane-Pictures.net. The death of Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, and Cassie Gains of the southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd was a massive blow to many. And the hardest-working rock 'n' roll band in America was about to run out of gas. Wilkeson would eventually be found dead in a hotel room in 2001 at age 49. Gary Rossington, one of the bands guitar players, had suffered two broken arms, a broken leg, a punctured stomach and liver. They were scheduled to perform at the Louisiana State University. A few minutes later I was talking my way past a Mississippi State trooper. Rossington recalls saying It was always weird for Allen and me because we were up front in the plane. So, with little hesitation I decided I should join the dance. Artimus Pyle, drummer for the band, stops for a quick picture while en route to the next show. Ultimate Classic Rock What Happened to the Survivors of the Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash? His first band recorded its debut at Sun Recording Studio in Memphis, and later bands included RIO Smokehouse and Rusty Day. The other band members Collins, Gary Rossington, Wilkeson, Powell, Artimus Pyle, and Hawkins, tour manager Ron Eckerman, and several road crew suffered . 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. No discernable landmarks remained, save the creek bed. Suffocating the people on the bottom from the sheer weight. Two of them were crew members, pilot Walter McReary and co-pilot William Gray, the rest were band members and roadies. The Vintage News Aerosmith Said No, Lynyrd Skynyrd Said Yes To The Plane. The accident essentially destroyed one of the unique voices of American rock and roll. At the beginning of the flight, all was well, amid high tensions. When the group asked Ronnies father how he was, he simply replied Hes fine. 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. In 1977, lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Stevie Gaines and Gaines sister, Cassie Gaines, were killed in a plane crash. 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. 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 She was planning to join the tour in Little Rock on October 23, three days after the crash. The band has been on tour, and dates through the weekend have been cancelled. 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. Powell's nose had been nearly ripped from his face after crashing head first through a table. He says he first came in the 80s after he graduated. It is a cautionary song about drug abuse that fans believed was aimed at one of the members. Despite this faux pas, Powell has been on good terms with the remaining band members since the incident. Almost as mysteriously, the full bottle is never seen again. The pilot and co-pilot also died; 20 others aboard lived. Gary Rossington, one of the bands guitar players, had suffered two broken arms, a broken leg, a punctured stomach and liver. Here are 10 facts about Lynyrd Skynyrd and their fateful end. Cassie Gaines was a talented and committed backup singer for the Lynard Skynyrd music band until she died in a plane crash. News had spread about the crash and before too long an estimated 3,000 people had swarmed to the crash site. 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. Photo: Pinterest. The tail section broke off, the cockpit broke off and buckled underneath, then both wings broke off. Totaled, decimated, and left for dead. He suffered a heart attack . One of the three men was the band's drummer Artimus Pyle, who yelled, "Plane crash." I was just taken aback by it " but then his friend continued, "don't worry, Lynyrd made it out.". Part of the preparations required contacting landowners and securing permission to be there and a guide to lead me in. 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. She performed as a backup singer in popular hits such as One More Time and That Smell. All reality had been broken and none of the surviving members would ever be the same or view life the same again. Natural causes were to blame. In the beginning, the singer was reluctant to board the aircraft and had already bought another commercial flight ticket. Rossington recalls saying It was always weird for Allen and me because we were up front in the plane. Gary continues on the band with Ronnies brother, Johnny Van Zant, and guitarist Ricky Medlocke. 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. I had never seen anything like it before. A little after the two-hour mark, however, events started to unfold that would soon make history. Crying, praying, and counting the dead to see who they would never hug, play music with, and enjoy company with again. The album would go through several cover changes and would mark a new era for the guys. Varying accounts have Mote either firing a warning shot into the air or actually shooting Pyle in the shoulder no report is completely reliable. Musician. 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. 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. 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. Lynyrd Skynyrd did not plan on keeping the plane for long. ", Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com. As we walked, Easely pointed to a towering pine. These combinations of poorly built aircraft and less than acceptable crew quickly led to the dismissal of the band leasing out their services. A small plane with 40 seats and two props the plane was anything but extraordinary. I knew I could take photographs if I could get there. Artimus Pyle emerged with several broken ribs, and bleeding everywhere you could. I couldn't stand it. 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. Collins entered the hospital with pneumonia symptoms and was in a coma the last few days, said longtime friend Ann Thompson. 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. Pilots Walter McCreary and William Gray were fully aware of a fuel shortage before the flight took off. Billy Powell, the bands keyboardist, received extensive facial lacerations and a broken right knee. 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. And it left Teresa Gaines a widow. When Aerosmith's crew heard of Skynyrd's misfortune, they were shocked, but not necessarily surprised. 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 were shocked, as were most others hearing the news. 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. 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. The album cover depicted the band members in an alleyway covered in flames. He was best known for being a Rock Singer. 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. 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. On the original pressing of the cover of Street Survivors was a photograph of the band engulfed in flames. A towering beech tree stands sentinel on the west side of the creek, carefully carved with scores of knurled epithets. Throughout the ordeal, he remembers seeing the debris and suitcases scattered around, but he didn't think anything of it. Especially with the song That Smell. But not all had the intentions of lending a helping hand. Soon after the plane would begin to jerk and shake violently. Natural causes were to blame. 5 spot, it was the bands first No. "May the free bird fly on," read one message. Pilot Walter. The guys hit the dirt and yelling out with what they had left Hey! Wilkeson would play in both Rossington Collins Band and the Allen Collins band. Sadly, the band would not make it to Baton Rouge and the plane had been pushed one flight too many. I photographed their wedding. After claiming his deceased son, Lacy Van Zant went to visit the other members of the band at the hospital. Both Steve and Cassie Gaines were killed in the crash. Photo: Uncle Johns Bathroom Reader. We always wondered why, you know. The surviving members would grapple with this throughout their days. 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. On 20th October 1977, the Lynyrd Skynyrd boarded a chartered Convair CV-240 to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after their performance in Greenville, South Carolina. 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. When he was sober, he was a fair and kind person. 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. 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. Rescuers look over the wreckage of the 1977 Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash. She is famous for starring in Saved by the Bell: The New Class, Goode Behavior, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and The Secret Life of the American Teenager. 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. Gabel says he's been to the site 15 or more times. She was brought up in Miami, Florida, alongside her brothers, Bob and Steve. Two of them were crew members, pilot Walter McReary and co-pilot William Gray, the rest were band members and roadies. He could see the circling helicopter from his back yard. Lynyrd Skynyrd was known for their hard-rocking style, driven by powerful guitars. Johnny Mote and his ragtag team were first on the crash site. A Convair CV-240, similar to the one in the crash. There are just too few physical landmarks. A plane crash left lead singer Ronnie Van Zandt, lead guitarist Steve Gaines and backup singer Cassie Gaines dead. Where Did We Find This Stuff? They were directing him to the property next to his family's farm. Small and cramped, it still felt better than lift-off of the Convair CV-240. Over the weekend, the message boards on the official Web site were flooded with messages of lament for the "living legend," "free bird," and simple man.". We had a friendly translator whose command of the English language was poor at best. It was Steve, and me, and Ronnie and I was in the middle of them. The location sounded familiar so he asked them to repeat. She said her husband grabbed his .243 hunting rifle, ran out and fired a warning shot. 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. After a shorter-than-normal day of bow hunting, he received a phone call about a plane crash in the area. Other band members were injured, some very seriously. Cassie Gaines was one of the band members who boarded the ill-fated flight. Some were screaming and moaning for help, but they were all limp. It was Dr. Hank Lewis, a month shy of 78-years-old. They all died but we didnt. On hearing of the accident, Billingsley was so shaken that some of her hair fell out. 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. In addition to his fractured ribcage, Artimus Pyle was treated for numerous abrasions and contusions. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. 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. Before long, he noticed three men emerge from the dense woods along the pasture. Headline from a local newspaper reporting the crash. His post noted that he and many others had made pilgrimages for years to the site to pay their respects. Ronnie Van Zant enjoying a stog before a show. The band would be marked for strife as just before their inaugural tour, Allens wife would bleed to death due to a miscarriage. He remembered seeing bodies everywhere. 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. The two men, for a while, were the only able-bodied persons present to help pull people from the wreckage. What injuries did Cassie Gaines die from? On 20th October 1977, the Lynyrd Skynyrd boarded a chartered Convair CV-240 to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after their performance in Greenville, South Carolina. The band regularly has different people sit in and play shows with them like Warren Haynes and Dicky Betts. Laying on the ground, still alive for only a moment, to slowly bleed to death. He later caused a controversy by giving a lurid account of Cassie Gaines' final moments on a VH1 Behind The Music special about the band, claiming that the backing singer's throat was cut from ear to ear and that she bled to death in his arms. Both of which helped the album climb to the No. I was not there to be a gawker or to get in the way. Unfortunately, their plane ran short of fuel. 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. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. I marked my calendar and made arrangements. We knew every word. ", He reached up and pealed the split fuselage back and, with a flashlight, peered into the dark, jumbled mess of bodies. Her brother was Skynyrd guitarist Steve Gaines. Artimus Pyle was also notoriously outspoken against the plane and on several occasions would take buses to shows. "I had expertise on what to do and growing up in Amite County, Mississippi didn't hurt. 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. For members Gary Rossington and Allen Collins, the weight of what happened seemed to push down on them the most. 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. Photo: thetv.info. A Convair CV-240, similar to the one in the crash. The band buckled in. "I saw the blond hair," he said. Mote recalls the first thing he saw was a bloody hand sticking out from the wreckage. Photo: Uncle Johns Bathroom Reader. The tree where the cockpit came to rest has long-since died. ", "I expected to see all dead people looking at these woods. That farm belonged to a young dairy farmer named Johnny Mote. 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. Mike Rounsaville also arrived in the jeep with Dr. Lewis. Mote was putting out square bales of hay for the cattle when he heard what sounded "like a car crash on a gravel road." A spokesperson for the band's record label said Wilkeson died in his sleep Friday at a hotel near Jacksonville, Florida. Leslie Hawkins sustained a concussion, broke her neck in three places and had severe facial lacerations. He was more in the image I was pre-visualizing - one of an aging rocker. The band leased a new Convair CV-240 to help them get between shows easier. The band enjoyed national fame in the 1970s with such hits as Gimme Three Steps and Sweet Home Alabama.. It would also be the first album that guitarist Steve Gaines would be the sole guitar player on. "I was well prepared with advanced trauma life support training," he said, "and (I was) a flight surgeon in the military. Your IP: Freebird, Lynyrd Skynyrd, 10/20/77 and a notebook-sized rebel flag are deeply etched into the old bark. The pilots were still in their seats, but were laying upside down in nearby trees. I used my camera in my work. Some blame it on the planes age and poor design, weighing in on its smaller fuselage and compact wingspan. Tuesday October 20, 2015 marked the 38th anniversary and drew several veterans from the night of the crash. Sadly, it would end all to soon. Band members Artimus Pyle and Billy Powell entered the cockpit to get an idea of what was happening. My college roommate was a young photojournalist. With that cue, Governor took the honors and introduced everyone as Gabel's mouth gaped in disbelief. Everyone just stood there helpless. His only help at that moment was his neighbor, Dwain Easley. There were 26 people on that fateful flight. McDaniel was eager to join me. Especially Artimus, who had three broken ribs and multiple large cuts. Cassie Gaines Wikipedia; Sponsored Links. Was there a guest book?". One guy standing near the wreckage lit a cigarette and I tackled him," he said. Photo: Pinterest. Don't look like they can afford a ticket. Ronnie Van Zant was just more than the bands main songwriter, frontman, and singer. Van Zant himself "loathed flying," as Rolling Stone. Marc Frank remembers seeing complete and total despair. I began the classic guitar lick. Laying on the ground, still alive for only a moment, to slowly bleed to death. Marc Frank recalled hearing both engines on the plane then within a matter of minutes, just air passing over the cabin. We'd move one and there would be another one laying there." Ronnie Van Zant, drunk and laying in the middle of the aisle, simply pulled himself together, sat up, and quietly chose a seat up front. Photo: Pinterest. Birthday: January 9, 1948. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. Pyle, Frank, and Peden were met with hostility when they finally came up to Mote. 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. Bianca is a force to be reckoned with in the American film industry. 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. There were 26 people on that fateful flight. Guitarists Allen Collins and Steve Gaines, Honkette Leslie Hawkins, bassist Leon Wilkeson, Honkettes Cassie Gaines and JoJo Billingsley, and.