With 400 gallons of fuel, the pilot indicated they had enough to last them five hours in the air if needed. Ronnie Van Zant was the famed frontman of the group, but he also had the eerie gift of foresight. Just about everyone seemed a little scared, but eventually, they calmed down as they settled into the flight. The co-pilot was hanging in a tree, decapitated. If you travel to Gillsburg, Mississippi, today to visit the site of the crash, you will see various homages to the band. Lynyrd Skynyrd rose to fame in the early 1970s with songs like Free Bird and Sweet Home Alabama. The band was made up of several members, including guitarists Gary Rossington, Allen Collins and Leon Wilkeson, drummer Artimus Pyle, keyboardist Billy Powell, and lead singer Ronnie Van Zant. They discovered that the fuel had definitely run out, and the pilots had failed to correctly monitor their fuel use throughout the flight. Lynyrd Skynyrd remains one of the biggest acts in music history and is arguably the top American rock band of all time. Allen Collins's wife died from complications during a pregnancy in 1981. This explanation did little to console family, friends and fans of the deceased band members. These changes would have been implemented in the coming weeks, but they sadly never got the chance. It was only after Odom got out of the hospital that he learned Van Zant and the others were dead. At 04:30 on October 18, 1977. In the warm early evening of October 20, 1977, a chartered twin-engine prop plane carrying members and crew of the popular musical group Lynyrd Skynyrd crashed in the forest near this marker. He wondered if the pilots were merely trying to transfer fuel from one engine to the other. Crash. Magnolia, Mississippi. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. After such a significant event, reporters are inevitably going to look for every detail they can related to the story and the band. Three members of the best southern rock band in history perished in a plane crash. The plane eventually leveled out at 12,000 feet and after several minutes, the fire extinguished. Survivor Billy Powell later reported that everyone was simply relaxing and hanging out when the worrisome news came. (AP) Lynyrd Skynyrd, the rock band famous for "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Free Bird," now has highway signs pointing to the site of the Mississippi plane crash that claimed the lives of some of its members. $500.00. His gift came out in his music too, as his lyrics and style took a dark turn toward the end as well. The song's impact has expanded beyond music and embedded itself in wider pop culture. "The only reason so many survived is that there was no fuel left on the plane. He had dislodged teeth, a broken arm, a broken leg and severe internal injuries. Offering Aviation History & Adventure First-Hand. The bands security manager, a man named Greg Odom, claimed he rushed the cockpit and yelled to the pilots, I hope you two sons of bitches live through this, so I can kill both of you! And as for Van Zant, some reports say he sat quietly, while Pyle claims he shook his hand before walking past him to his seat. Pilots Walter McCreary and William Gray were already aware of a fuel issue and there is speculation that they were attempting to transfer oil from one engine to the other but instead mistakenly jettisoned whatever remaining fuel they had, causing the left engine to also shut off, a major issue at 9,000 feet in the air. With daylight rapidly disappearing, only the treetops of a dense wilderness were visible when he looked out of the planes window. Then suddenly, the engine stopped and the plane began to jolt violently in the air. >> Market data provided by Factset. The Last of the Street Survivors Farewell Tour is set to begin in March of 2020. McCreary ordered Pyle to get everyone in their seats and buckle up. Also, previous conversations show that he was indeed trying to tempt fate, and perhaps the plane crash is how he envisioned going out all along. In a chilling statement that tempted fate, Van Zant is reported to have said, Hey, if the Lord wants you to die on this plane when its your time, its your time. Reports say that the pilots, McCreary and Gray, were attempting to transfer fuel from one engine to the other (perhaps sensing a problem in the right engine), and instead jettisoned all of their remaining fuel (maybe now that story of them passing a bottle of Jack Daniels back and forth is starting to make more sense, though toxicology reports did say they were sober). Theres even a story of them trying to open a door and throw a roadie out of the plane at 13,000 feet. Lead singer and founder Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, and his sister, backup singer Cassie Gaines, were all killed on impact. As for Van Zant, all the premonitions and talk about his death finally produced the result he anticipated. He became the headliner of the Artimus Pyle Band and rocked with them until he joined the revival of Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1987. A Convair CV-300 passenger plane, registered N55VM, was destroyed in an accident 8 km NE of Gillsburg, MS, United States of America. After all, many people are talking about them, sharing their music, buying their albums and mourning their passing. Odom grew up with Van Zant and other founding members of the band in Jacksonville, Florida. Six people died;. They've put out . But there were still plenty of survivors, and many of them were in really bad shape. Wed move one and there would be another one laying there. Volunteer Fireman Jamie Wall reached the scene and began removing people out of the wreckage with a hatchet. : Lynyrd Skynyrd Crash Site Monument. On Oct. 20, 1977, an airplane transporting the band Lynyrd Skynyrd to a tour stop in Baton Rouge ran out of fuel and crashed in a wooded area near the Mississippi-Louisiana border. It was 44 years ago today (October 20th, 1977), that a plane carrying Lynyrd Skynyrd crashed in a swamp near Gillsburg, Mississippi. He needed quintuple bypass surgery after being diagnosed with coronary artery disease, and he had already suffered multiple heart attacks. According to reports, his heart stopped two times while he was on the operating table, but he miraculously recovered. Eventually, they made it to a nearby farm, where Johnny Mote had heard the distant crash and thought a car had skidded on gravel. The flight was expected to take about three hours. Thanks Lynyrd Skynyrd Monument Board. The plane may have held up, but the pilots failed their inspection, and that is why you are reading about Lynyrd Skynyrd instead of Aerosmith right now. The whistling wind was all they heard, making it no secret to the passengers what happened to the engines. Billy Powell remembers: "We hit the trees at approximately 90 mph. Burns and Gary Rossington were already friends, and the three got together and jammed on their instruments. Everyone took one look at the Convair CV-240 and were concerned, to say the least. Their southern rock sound influenced many artists that followed, and their song Free Bird is still requested at concerts. Shortly after the event, one reporter asked Billy Powell if he thought there was any way Lynyrd Skynyrd could continue after what had happened. But in. Among the fatalities were several members of the Jacksonville, Florida, southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. Some of the trees were 80 feet tall, and the plane had a long way to go before coming to a halt. The scenes Powell described in the aftermath are gruesome. After making the 600-mile trip from Greenville to Baton Rouge, where they were due to play the following night at Louisiana State University, Lynyrd Skynyrd planned to acquire a Learjet, the. Chartered by the rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd from L & J . There was just enough light outside to make endless clusters of treetops visible in a vast forest no civilization as far as the eye could see. Tragedy followed them like a ghost. Unfortunately, they never discovered what went wrong. Perhaps it is the 8th of December, the date when John Lennon was murdered back in 1980. LYNYRD SKYNYRD The legacy began some 41 years ago in Jacksonville, Florida, and halted for a decade by the 1977 plane crash that killed three band members, including Ronnie Van Zant and Steve Gaines. He suffered a "massive hole in the head from flying through the fuselage, a broken neck, broken ribs and 45 years of pain," he said. The band formed in 1964 and settled upon the name Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1966. She organized the Lynyrd Skynyrd Monument Project and managed to raise an impressive $80,000 for the cause. In the darkness of the thickly forested swamp, Pyle said a snake slithered right up to him. Oct. 20, 1977, crash that killed 3 came days after release of 'Street Survivor' album It was 45 years ago when a plane crash claimed the lives of Lynyrd Skynyrd lead singer Ronnie Van. The Crew and Passenger Manifest of the Final Flight of N55VM . In many ways, Lynyrd Skynyrd were a typical Southern rock band. . With their frontman and lead guitarist gone, and band members mangled from injuries, Lynyrd Skynyrd was all but dead. The first indication they were about to hit land was the sound of the pine trees hitting the bottom and sides of the plane. People wanted answers, and the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board opened an investigation to find them. Despite the controversy sparked by the first film attempt, a 2018 documentary called Lynyrd Skynyrd: If I Leave Here Tomorrow was released, with the cooperation of Gary Rossington (pictured right). Visiting Gillsburg Mississippi to the location where the band Lynyrd Skynyrd crashed on the way to a concert in Baton Rouge. Together, the three desperately made their way through the surrounding swamp to find help. During the infamous 1975 "Torture Tour," a 90-day, 61-date enterprise, lead guitarist Ed King decided that he had had enough. The survivors . Mote remembers the men being inconsolable and hugging him around the neck, telling him they needed to get them out.. "He was going to be a star, a rose that never got to bloom," said Odom. More than four decades after the fateful crash that ended Lynyrd Skynyrds quickly rising music career, people still listen to their legendary hits. On October 20, 1977, a plane crash killed three members of the group, including its guiding light, Ronnie Van Zant . (Photo by Ed Perlstein/Redferns). Mote was a 22-year-old dairy farmer who lived nearby and heard the commotion caused by the plane crash. On the album cover, the band members stand in a row in front of tall flames some even have their eyes closed with strange facial expressions. Van Zant even took a nap in the aisle. There were no roads, waterways, or open fields, so the plane carved its own path through the forest at 90 mph. Everything was looking up for Lynyrd Skynyrd. Tragedy struck Lynryd Skynyrd, one of the best Southern rock bands, just three days after the group released its fifth album and was seemingly on the brink of unprecedented popular acclaim. No one wanted to get on the plane that night. The Skynyrd tour coincided with the release of Street Survivors, the band's fifth studio album. At the time, the group was en route to its next show in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. After surviving the first event Allen Collins was involved in nasty car accident in 1986 that left him paralyzed. Either way, the reality was that the plane was up in the air and completely out of gas. Was the crash really a simple malfunction, or was it something that could have been avoided? Needless to say, the nation was shocked and saddened. This proved only a momentary reprieve for many of the survivors. For Lynyrd Skynyrd, 1977 was both the best and worst of times. 1977 marked the release of Lynyrd Skynyrd's fifth album, Street Survivors. You cant even realize, he said, exactly what a crash of this magnitude looks like. The aftermath of this tragedy wasnt easy to behold for anyone. Death hovered over the group like the movie Final Destination and made the song That Smell and its lyrics even more eerie, prophetic, and popular: the smell of death surrounds you!. After surviving the plane crash that killed several of his bandmates, the drummer for Lynyrd . Shortly thereafter, he saw three men emerge from the woods. In 1977, some reporters even went looking for the crash site in the woods near Gillsburg, Mississippi, and they were successful in finding it. Getting a new plane meant cancelling tour dates, which was something Van Zant wouldn't even consider. Litigation over use of the band's name has persisted for decades. Odom helped lead a vigil to Van Zant and the other victims last night near the town of Gillsburg, Mississippi. Black granite monument eight feet tall and 14 feet wide with steps leading up to it. The Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash took the lives of Van Zant; guitarist Steve Gaines; his sister, backup singer Cassie Gaines; and assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick as well as pilot. These events had led him to believe that the band was headed for some form of apocalyptic end. En route, several band members were alarmed when they saw 10-foot streams of sparks and flames shooting out of the right engine of the prop plane. The plane kept on flying, and to everyones relief, it made it to Greenville. The Truth About The Infamous Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash Is Stranger Than Fiction Tragedy struck Lynryd Skynyrd just three days after the group released its fifth album and was seemingly on the brink of unprecedented popular acclaim. Though initially skeptical, eventually, Mote realized (probably in part due to the visible the injuries they had) they were telling the truth. He also survived a murder attempt in the 90s when an unknown perpetrator slit his throat. The pilots were desperately looking for some open area or farmland to try to bring the plane down as safely as possible as they were still eight miles from the airport. Billy Powell also died years later of a heart attack at the age of 56. GILLSBURG, Miss. On October 20, 1977, a plane crash killed three members of the group, including its guiding light, Ronnie Van Zant. Folks were all mashed together. They wanted the rest of the band and crew to be rescued as soon as possible. Welcome to Autopsyfiles.org - Home Page - Autopsy Reports of . He literally walked out on the band on May 27, 1975, for reasons that are still in dispute. Later, Pyle would claim that Johnny Mote actually shot him in the shoulder with his warning shot, but Mote denied this ever happened and subsequent photos show no evidence of the scars that would have ensued from this type of injury. At 8:20 p.m. on CBS news, Walter Cronkite famously reported the violent incident. Photo of Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Steve Gaines and founder and lead singer Ronnie Van Zant. Photo by Ed Perlstein/Redferns With Van Zants death, Lynyrd Skynyrd was effectively over for the moment. In the warm early evening of October 20, 1977, a chartered twin-engine prop plane carrying members and crew of the popular musical group Lynyrd Skynyrd crashed in the forest near this marker. Pyle used Mote's phone to call his wife, and Mote's spouse called the local emergency response in the largest local town, McComb, Mississippi. "The crash took away one of the great American musicians," Gene Odom, Lynyrd Skynyrd's security manager, and one of the survivors of the crash, told Fox News Digital. Thankfully, MCA Records understood their concerns and changed the cover image to a less dramatic shot. He said he could hear bassist Leon Wilkeson screaming, Get me out of here!, Pyle thought he spotted a farm from the air, and with both Frank and Peden, he took off in that direction to look for help. Artimus Pyle walked away from the crash with mere cuts and bruises, and his is perhaps the most enduring tale after the crash. They were finally able to see their beloved rock stars back on stage playing the music they had so dearly missed. Aerosmith said 'No,' Lynyrd Skynyrd said 'Yes' to the plane. With steering capabilities greatly diminished and no propulsion, the pilots still decided to execute a turn. A pattern of rowdy incidents occurred that made most private companies unwilling to work with them. As the men came closer, Mote initially fired a warning shot until he heard Pyle yell, "Plane crash!". This Oct. 20, 1977, file photo shows the wreckage of a plane in a wooded area near McComb, Mississippi, where six people were killed, including three members of the music group Lynyrd Skynyrd. In October 1977, the band was enjoying increasing fame and the recent release of their fifth album, Street Survivors, while on tour in the U.S. Who died in the Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash? One of the roadies, a man named Marc Frank, reported that he saw gasoline spewing out of the right engine while they were in flight (the same engine that was on fire the day before). It was a substantially reduced price, and the savings were hard to justify when Rudge skipped the flight by opting for a first-class ticket on a commercial airliner. Mote told his wife to stay inside while he grabbed a shotgun. Four years later, he died of pneumonia caused by the effects of the paralysis. A backfire that sounded like a gunshot was followed by a 10-foot stream of fire trailing the right engine with sparks flying. Exactly 45 years ago today, on October 20, 1977, a chartered twin-engine Convair CV-240 crashed in a wooded area close to Gillsburg, Mississippi, killing six of the 24 passengers and crew. While the pilots struggled to comprehend why they had already run out of fuel, they decided to inform passengers of what was happening. It was released only three days before the October 20th crash and featured some of the band's best material. Marks the swampy spot where Lynyrd Skynyrd's tour plane crashed on Oct. 20, 1977, killing six and surprisingly not killing the other 20 on board. The next stop after a nearly 700-mile plane ride was Baton Rouge, where theyd play in a show at LSU the following night. This tour was supposed to see them fulfill their dream of playing in Madison Square Garden. Lynyrd Skynyrd chartered the plane. Their unique mix of rock and country rhythms and sounds made them a driving force in the rise of Southern rock as a band that stood out against the others. Street Survivors, which had been released three days prior to the crash, ended up being Lynyrd Skynyrds most successful album and achieved double-platinum status. AIR TRAVEL CONTROVERSY: PASSENGERS WHO RECLINE THEIR SEATS ON FLIGHTS ARE SEEN AS RUDE. One of the worst parts about the entire story is what Artimus Pyle revealed about their conversation on the flight. Visiting Gillsburg Mississippi to the location where the band Lynyrd Skynyrd crashed on the way to a concert in Baton Rouge. How 'bout that for my old fishing buddy?". And then and eerie silence consumed the site. In all, over 100 people found the crash-site and began helping the survivors. King was a career musician who achieved fame with the one-hit wonder band, Strawberry Alarm Clock. Drummer Pyle recalled a story some years later and said, Ronnie and I were in Tokyo, Japan, and Ronnie told me that hed never live to see 30 and that he was going to go out with his boots on in other words, on the road.. By now, helicopters were on the scene and helped illuminate the crash site. Three musicians from the iconic American rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, plus three other people, were killed in a terrifying plane crash on the Louisiana-Mississippi border on this day in history, Oct. 20, 1977. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Of the 24 passengers who boarded the ill-fated flight from Greenville, South Carolina, to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, three members of the band were killed. When the names of the dead were released, many people openly mourned. Original bassist Leon Wilkeson died of various substance-related issues in 2001 at the age of 49. A crew member, Ken Peden, also escaped the wreck. Gary Rossington remains the last living founding member of Lynyrd Skynyrd Artimus Pyle didnt join the band until a few years later but that hasnt stopped him from performing. They were almost 10,000 feet in the air and both engines were out. The seven-piece from Jacksonville, Florida, had been touring . "It took from me a lifelong dear friend and fishing buddy.". To attempt this, Marc Frank said the pilots made a frightening 180-degree turn with both wings perpendicular to the ground. Singer-frontman Ronnie Van Zant of Lynyrd Skynyrd is shown performing at the Omni Coliseum on July 5, 1975, in Atlanta, Georgia. var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; The type of aircraft involved in the accident was a chartered, 30 year old Convair 240 owned and operated by L & J Company. Free Bird has been engraved into a tree, along with many fans names. But less successful efforts eventually created dissension. Still, Frank was able to make out some horrific scenes. Lynyrd Skynyrd, one of the greatest Southern rock bands of all time, recently announced that it's extending its farewell tour, with shows in 25 additional cities between late April and late . Young also acknowledged loving the tune and even sent demo tapes of his own music that he suggested the band should record. He attempted to revive the Artimus Pyle Band, but he found himself in hot water with attempted capital battery among other serious charges in 1992. Those who died in the crash were Walter McCreary (Pilot), William Gray (Co-Pilot), Ronnie Van Zant (Singer/Songwriter), Steve Gaines (Guitarist/Vocalist), Cassie Gaines (Backup Vocalist) Dean Kilpatrick (Assistant Road Manager). He was able to orient himself and set off towards what he thought was a local farm. One of the reasons he forced the issue is because their biggest fan base was where they were going on that fateful night. Ronnie Van Zant slept on the floor in the rear aisle. I saw them screaming and crying, and I saw fire. A seven-ton black granite monument, dedicated to the memory of those who died and those who lived through the crash over 44 years ago of our own Southern rock band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, is a lasting reminder not only of the band, but also the people who stepped up to help save the twenty crash survivors. That was good for those who survived, but bad for those trying to help. Their decision to switch planes came one trip too late. Unfortunately, not everyone on the plane survived. The aircraft was now just a few hundred feet above the ground. Previously, they were fond of chartering flights in nicer planes, but word soon got out that transporting them in the air was a nightmare for pilots and crew. For two and a half hours of the flight, their fear abated. The former Marine was looking out the window for any sign of civilization. All rights reserved. Frank and Lawler were the first of the survivors taken to the hospital. I saw the plane smack the ground.. Pyle entered the cockpit and reported seeing fear washed over McCrearys eyes. a twin engine, 40-passenger plane that was down in heavy woods near Gillsburg. Several passengers were killed, including the charismatic front man and founder, Ronnie Van Zant. $14.88 shipping. But the plane took off without a problem, and two and a half hours transpired without incident. The Official MS state signs were erected November 13, 2030. The death of Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, and his sister Cassie Gains, along with the aftermath of the tragedy, essentially destroyed one of the most unique voices of American rock and roll. The album had just hit gold three days prior to the terrible plane crash. Backup vocalist Cassie Gaines even made a reservation on a commercial flight to the next tour stop, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The pilots struggled to keep the plane level, and they were at a high risk of going into a spiral. They were on tour to promote their latest album Street Survivors, and had just finished a show at the Greenville Memorial Auditorium. About Us; Staff; Camps; Scuba. Van Zant was more than just the band's main song writer and central figure. This was not some venue in New York or Chicago, it was in the Deep South, in front of their most loyal fan base. In the air, while the plane was still in flight, some daylight had been visible. Years later he claimed he was sitting on a cloud-shaped log with Van Zant and another musician who had died six years earlier. Scuba Certification; Private Scuba Lessons; Scuba Refresher for Certified Divers; Try Scuba Diving; Enriched Air Diver (Nitrox) Find out why so many fans were left dazed and confused after this tragedy. The original image was moved to the back. The original core of Lynyrd SkynyrdRonnie Van Zant, Bob Burns, Gary Rossington, Allen Collins and Larry Junstromfirst came together under the name "My . Throughout the 1970s, the band had travelled across the globe, bringing the twangy sounds of southern-fried hard rock to fans . The Lynyrd Skynyrd Monument was Unveiled October 20, 2019 with help from the VanZant and Gains families. Powell described it as being rolled down a hill in a garbage can and being hit by a thousand baseball bats at the same time.. It had flown close to 30,000 miles in its tenure, and originally it was seen as an upgrade. He said one of the things they discussed was switching their plane to a Learjet for upcoming flights. On the evening of Oct. 20, 1977, Lynyrd Skynyrd gathered for the last time in Greenville, South Carolina. Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer and plane crash survivor Artimus Pyle. Join us as we visit the Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash site in Galesburg, Mississippi.#lynyrdskynyrd #freebird #grimmlifecollective Want a personalized VIDEO MES. When vandals broke into Van Zant's tomb in 2000, it was theorized that the motive was to determine if the dead singer was, as rumoured, entombed in a Neil Young shirt. A fan-made metal sign also stands in the area and lights up in neon colors. The plan was to buy a new plane in Louisiana for the longer trips, but the band didnt even want to make that flight. Despite what amounted to pilot error, its actually amazing that there were 20 plane crash survivors. Wilkesons life was never easy following the crash. Typical of a man who repeatedly said he would never make it to the age of 30, Van Zant got on the plane, telling Cassie Gaines, "If your time is up, your time is up.". Lynryd Skynyrd's first two albums were quite successful and included the signature songs "Free Bird" and "Sweet Home Alabama," which established the band as a viable act. 0:57. The organization drew up plans for a large granite marker, and if they have any funds left over, the money will go to the surviving families of the victims. Known as "Papa Ronnie" when sober, he was a thoughtful, patriarchal influence who had held the band together through earlier, leaner times. In 2017, a lawsuit by relatives successfully prevented the release of an already-produced film about the Skynyrd plane crash. For music history buffs, the name Lynyrd Skynyrd instantly conjures up the day in 1977 when three band members, including founder Ronnie Van Zant, died in a plane crash in the woods of Mississippi. Soaked in blood with long hair and screaming, Mote assumed that the men were up to no good and might even be escaped convicts. Street Survivors: The True Story of the Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash was filmed and edited by Cleopatra Films, but the company has yet to set a release date due to various legal issues delaying the process. The crash of the small Convair CV-240 passenger plane also claimed the lives of assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, pilot Walter McCreary and co-pilot William Gray. Everything was eerily silent; no one said anything. Judy Van Zant-Jenness, widow of Lynyrd Skynyrd lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, among speakers. The site has drawn visitors over the years. While intoxicated, he was an intimidating, violent individual who once knocked out the two front teeth of keyboard player Billy Powell (he felt Powell overextended his "Free Bird" piano intro). Instead of mourning a tragedy, fans love to celebrate the legacy. Despite these signs, the plane was chosen for their tour. Because of the lack of fuel in the engines, there were no explosions or fires. It was propelled by the weirdly prescient and dark "That Smell," a song that includes the lyric, "The smell of death surrounds you!". Lynyrd Skynyrd performs 'Sweet Home Alabama'. There were 26 people in all, and the ride started much better than the previous flight. The future was not bright for the band members that survived the crash. ' Unfortunately, it was all too real. The plane ran out of fuel at about 10,000 feet and crashed violently into a wooded area. He ran back to his home, told his 17-year-old wife to get down, and grabbed his shotgun. The pilots radioed to ground control units and found out they were too far from any airport to reasonably make an emergency landing on a runway. Eerily, legendary rock group Aerosmith had representatives looking to buy the very Convair that carried Lynyrd Skynyrd to their demise. All rights reserved. It felt like being hit with baseball bats in a steel garbage can with the lid on. This Oct. 20, 1977, file photo shows the wreckage of a plane in a wooded area near McComb, Mississippi, where six people were killed, including three members of the music group Lynyrd Skynyrd. Odom was thrown from the plane and found by rescuers some time later under one of the wings, with terrible injuries.