Buddy Holly

[777fly]

Buddy Holly died 50 years ago this week in an air crash. Does anyone know the circumstances of the accident, or can provide a link to the full story?

Thanks.

[FAL]

Without looking it up, Beech Bonanza(?) 3 pax, Clear Lake Iowa take off for (Fargo?) N. Dakota destination. Failed to gain height.

[TSR2]

Yes it was a Beechcraft Bonanza hired by Buddy Holly to fly him and his new backing group from Clear Lake Iowa to Fargo North Dakota. A last minute change of plans resulted in the three passengers being Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and J P Richardson (Big Bopper).

The plane was piloted by 21 year old Roger Peterson and departed Clear Lake in light snow and gusting winds at 00.55 on the 3rd Feb 1959. The plane crashed some 8 miles from the airport a few minutes later.

There were many theories about the cause of the crash but the official cause was blamed on pilot error. It was rumoured that the pilot of the aircraft was not certified to fly in the prevailing conditions but no charges were ever brought against the owner of the aircraft in this respect.

The accident spurred Don McLean's to compose the hit song 'American Pie' perhaps better known as 'The Day the Music Died'.

[Warmtoast]

Buddy Holly Crash

Very comprehensive site with links here:

The Day the Music Died, the Crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper (http://www.fiftiesweb.com/crash.htm)

[BEagle]

From the official accident report:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/nw969/Internet/zxzxz.jpg

This accident, like so many before it, was caused by the pilot's decision to undertake a flight in which the likelihood of encountering instrument conditions existed, in the mistaken belief that he could cope with en route instrument weather conditions, without having the necessary familiarization with the instruments in the aircraft and without being properly certificated to fly solely by instruments.

[HZ123]

There is a programme on Radio 4 this evening about him and the tour. It mentions that the tour company were not known as one of the best and had a past as poor travel organisers. If today, it would seem highly questionable that a group worth lots of money would be put to the care of a 21 year old pilot.

[WHBM]

It does seem surprising that such a VIP charter, with 4 POB, at night in IMC, was done with a single-engined aircraft, let alone the pilot's qualifications and experience.

[FAL]

I'm sure it was a question of all that was available, not what was the ideal aircraft. One of the others was quite big in the USA then I think but Holly himself was never as big a star at the time in the USA as he was in the UK. Only later has his true significance been recognised in the USA. The tour concerned was one he was effectively forced into doing because Norman Petty had got most of his money and he needed to earn some more. Holly was then living in New york and had married and the original Crickets refused to leave Lubbock.
Waylon Jennings (the then unknown stand-in back up player) who gave up his seat had a last minute exchange with Holly along the lines "hope your bus freezes" / "hope your plane crashes". I'm not sure if he ever fully spoke of how much that haunted him. He died, I think, about 5 years ago after becoming, of course, one of the biggest stars of country music (although writing and singing the title song for "The Dukes of Hazzard" is not perhaps the best memory...).

[777fly]

Warmtoast:

Thank you for the links. The CAB report is particularly informative. We have come a long way since those days, but accidents like that still happen.