Terrifying Pilot Mistakes That Killed Lynyrd Skynyrd!

Two pilots made several terrifying mistakes that killed Lynyrd Skynyrd, one of the greatest rock bands of all time. In this video we'll focus on the pilots and the actions they took leading up to the fateful crash.
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[@drjimjam1112]

Had the same type of issue flying a C-206. The guy I worked for had just purchased the aircraft in MO. I calculated fuel for the prevailing conditions, determined I had plenty for an IFR flight and topped off the tanks for the flight to our home base in Florida and departed. Couple of hrs into the flight both fuel gauges suddenly dropped from 1/4 to empty. I thought about my situation for a few minutes but decided to not take a chance that the gauges were wrong. I checked my chart and found I was almost over a small airport with vfr conditions so I immediately canceled IFR and dropped down hard into the pattern of the small uncontrolled airport. Peering down into the nearly bone dry wing tanks I was shocked by the far greater than calculated fuel burn, but safe on the ground. I refueled and finished the otherwise uneventful flight. Lesson learned; always vote for the safest option when fuel is involved.

[@krautyvonlederhosen]

Appreciate the real time and exact same a/c type experience. Prudent choice likely gave you another chance and added years to your chosen profession. Unfortunately this experience was not passed on to those who could have used it to effect.

[@pjchris2160]

I think the lesson is dont fly that POS

[@adotintheshark4848]

the right engine on the 240 had fuel consumption issues likely due to a faulty carburetor, which was supposed to have been repaired. On top of that, the pilots were more familiar with the DC-3 which had smaller engines and used less fuel.

[@Kimberly-lp4nh]

It sounds like even though you had been confident in your calculations, you weren't arrogant or unwise. You didn't ignore the gauges and instead came to the logical conclusion that something may have caused increased fuel consumption, so better to land figure out what to do next. It seems to me like the pilots in the story were overly confident in their calculations and/or at least one assumed the gauges were wrong instead of him being wrong.

[@terrykeever9422]

A good friend of mine in a C-206 was on a cross country flight. NY to California if I remember correctly. He stopped for what should have been his last fuel stop and the attendant assumed my friend would check the fuel and close and lock the fuel inlets (not a pilot. Can't remember proper terms). Around 125 miles from his destination his gauges went to zero all at once. He knew he should have plenty of fuel, but he declared an emergency and headed for the closest airfield which wasn't far. Upon landing he saw his fuel problem. The fuel bladders had been sucked out as the fuel level went lowered. A mistake he was sure he'd never make again.

[@GuyFromSC]

Such an unfortunate situation. Whether it’s rockstars or just regular people, no one should have to fly with such negligent pilots. 🙏🏼

[@noelletakesthesky3977]

@@envya2774 Negligent and ignorant are different. Beginner pilots are ignorant still-the don’t always know, and can’t be expected to know. But the pilots in this crash should have known better, and NEGLECTED to do what they should have known to know, hence, negligence.

[@GuyFromSC]

@@envya2774 With all due respect, I couldn’t disagree with you more. As mentioned above 👆🏻, you’re incorrect sir. I know dozens of new pilots that are not negligent. Negligence is defined as “failure to use reasonable care, resulting in damage or injury to another.” There is a difference in negligence and ignorance. Ignorance is defined as “a lack of knowledge or information.” I agree that there are new pilots that are ignorant, but there are also new pilots that are not ignorant. It is not a given that new pilots are ignorant, however, the chances of making an ignorant mistake is exponentially greater. Making a blanket statement like that is pretty narrow minded in my opinion. And look, I’m not here to bash you as you’ve made it clear that you’re not a pilot. But I am here in hopes of teaching you something and/or providing you with a different perspective that you haven’t considered. I don’t want you to make ignorant comments somewhere else where there might be others not as kind. Please keep this in mind as you continue reading and remember, this is not a personal attack. To say “it doesn’t matter how much studying you do on paper” is ignorant. Ignorance that comes from not being a pilot but making statements on what it takes to become one. For decades and decades, studying books and “papers” have pivotal components in learning to become a pilot. And these studying portions of the exams are there for a reason. You cannot remove the on the text studies and expect all new pilots to learn everything up in the air. Before every flight, pilots are conducting briefings, fuel and weight calculations, and several other critical tasks that are required before you ever start thinking about flying. These things are not and cannot be taught up in the air. I could go on and on about this but pilots do much more than fly the plane. And even an experienced pilot with 10,000 hrs must study the manual for any and all aircraft that they fly. Each aircraft is different and without studying these flight manuals, they cannot safely the aircraft. On a second note, it’s also ignorant to say “you can only gain experience through actual flying”. Due to the inherent dangers, laws, and costs, flight simulators are used all over the world to help train pilots before they ever strap into an aircraft. Are flight simulators necessary and always used, no. But just like the studying, it all becomes incredibly useful for safe flight. I’d only correct you in saying that “actually flying is only the way to gain to flight hours”. But on the ground tests, simulators, and flying time are all essential when learning how to fly to an aircraft. I also disagree with you saying “this is true for any trade you are in”. I’m a licensed Landscape Architect and though I’ve been doing this type of work for over 25 years, I wouldn’t be able to call myself a LA, or conduct business as an LA, without 4-5 years of studying. Even after I got my Bachelor’s, I had to wait 2 years to take the LARE exam before I was licensed. These paper exams and testa all requires studying of books for me to be eligible to receive and maintain my license. I also have to earn a certain amount of CEC’s (Continuing Education Credits) for me to retain my license. Lawyers must take the BAR and several other trades must pass a written test before they can start actually doing the work. Does this make any sense?

[@schoolssection]

@@GuyFromSC No......but is surely lengthy.

[@spunbearing65]

Just a month and a half later, an entire college basketball team went down after takeoff and wiped everyone out. All because of hurry up and wait then hurry up. It was so stupid.

[@GuyFromSC]

@@spunbearing65 Oh wow, I remember that. Holy cow that one has slipped my mind but what a tragedy. I wish Hoover would cover that story. 🙏🏼

[@jrb_sland]

Thank you for creating this video. 75 yo Canadian man here. I was a fan of their music at the time, owned one of their vinyl albums, but had never known the details of their plane crash. Now I'm sad again, but their music lives on.

[@FLORIDAERO]

Thank you for the comment. I'm 62 and feel the same way.

[@localcrew]

Instruments don’t do you any good if you don’t believe what they’re telling you.

[@nikumimito3164]

Seriously, they are built into the airplanes for a reason.

[@markmnorcal]

Same with musical instruments.

[@ControlTouchMaster]

I’ve had instruments fail on me in the past and give me erroneous informations.

[@dwaynemcallister7231]

I was trained to not rely on fuel gauges, have adequate reserves, know your fuel consumption and the quantity at start of the flight, preferably with a physical check. Fuel gauges are commonly inaccurate. They give a rough estimate.

[@bradcrosier1332]

@@dwaynemcallister7231 - They are only required to be accurate when indicating empty.

[@rdbuckels]

I knew a pilot at one of my jobs. He was contracted to fly the owner's plane. Every day, he performed preflight checks because at any moment the owner might want to go somewhere. This included using a stick measuring device to measure the depth of the fuel in the tank. I asked why since I had been on a glight and say the fuel gouges. His answer was you never know when they are going to fail. He even used an air hose and a handheld air speed gauge to make sure that was giving him proper telemetry. Your analysis was very informative. Thanks.

[@michaelprivette9847]

I got to say THIS CHANNEL IS SO GOOD!!! I don’t know anything about planes/aviation but you break everything down and make it easy to understand and interesting for the average person while also providing important details, and most importantly always respecting those who sadly lost their lives………. Great job man!!! 👍

[@robolson9924]

Back in my radio days, I interviewed Billy Powell (LS piano player) and he said that one engine failed (probably the bad one) and the pilots either got confused, or something and shut down the remaining good engine. It was a very compelling interview about the crash. Billy said the Ronnie VanZant had said the he always wanted to die with his boots on. And he did.

[@PJHEATERMAN]

Mis managed the cross feed of the remaining fuel to the good engine. They starved the good engine by mistake.

[@user-st4gq2ox8m]

He sang "barefoot." No kidding.

[@markstone1619]

I was 23 yrs old then. I remember that day in 1977 like it was yesterday, being only about 20 miles south of the plane crash, and seeing several volunteer rescue trucks heading north on Hwy 51, south of the Mississippi/Louisiana state line after one of those volunteer rescue fireman (who was a friend of my uncle) was with us (my uncle and myself) when his pager went off, and moments later he even asked me if I wanted to go along with him to "a small plane crash up the road in Mississippi". I was busy working on a project and passed up the offer to go with him, which I later regretted. Little did he or any of us know at that time that it wasn't a "small plane" or know it was Lynyrd Skynyrd's plane. He came back by later that evening and he was still in shock in telling us it was the Lynyrd Skynyrd band's plane. I surely thought he was joking, but he wasn't. I was floored upon hearing that, to say the least and many times think of that day.

[@prestonburton8504]

me too - i'd just seen them in concert - heartbreaking. just like Stevie Ray. God just needed them in his band, i guess. no other explanation for their taken so young.

[@900stx7]

I had a friend that had tickets for the show in Baton Rouge.

[@sirwinston2368]

I was in 10th grade at the time. I remember standing at the bus stop one morning and my neighbor Gary was walking up to the bus stop, and he told me the news. It was one of those bits of news that you don't forget where you were.

[@prestonburton8504]

same with stevie ray? it was for me.@@sirwinston2368

[@653j521]

@@prestonburton8504 Incompetence isn't an explanation?

[@Carlton-B]

Gary Rossington died last March. He was the last original member. R.I.P. Lynyrd Skynyrd

[@mountainmarauder2575]

I flew C-82's and DC-6's in Alaska and we always had a wooden stick marked in gallons so we could accurately measure the fuel before take off. Fuel gauges in those old birds could be quite deceiving.

[@spyder000069]

A trusted method of vintage tractor owners. :^)

[@wajosekman1]

Just a couple corrections from conversations from the gentleman who did the inspection of the aircraft and crew for the Band Aerosmith. The inspection was performed by a man with great aviation experience who later became FAA head in NH and in addition to him witnessing the drinking by the pilot and copilot, he was troubled by the condition of the aircraft and maintenance records.

[@Anna-Rose-]

He did his job well. Thanks for the info

[@wajosekman1]

@@Anna-Rose- Yes he did!

[@Mike-01234]

Interviews on KZbin with Artimus Pyle the drummer he said after he got out of the Marine core in 71 he had flight training or had gotten his certificate. He went up to the cockpit Walter McCreary told him they were out of fuel he claimed the pilots relied on the fuel gauges and they were not accurate. I believe he is also the one who when the engine was backfiring noted the mixture control, he talked about that. It was Artimus who the NTSB is referring to when they stated a passenger rated pilot.

[@privateer0561]

Yes, and after the crash Pyle walked a few miles seriously injured, approached a farm for help, and, seeing a disheveled crazy-looking fellow the farm owner shot him in the shoulder. Pyle was one tough man.

[@nancywolf3786]

@@privateer0561 i've seen the tribute band named after Artimus Pyle. they were pretty good.

[@michaelotoole1807]

Marine corps

[@carmeloquiles-carrion7711]

That’s Marine Corps!

[@theglyph]

I love this channel and I'm grateful you covered this crash. I grew up in north Florida and know several people associated with the band including family members. This was our "the day the music died": moment.

[@guthrie_1]

They were one of the tightest bands and best song writers of the 70’s southern rock genre. Stunning musicianship, and a horrible tragedy.

[@mikehenry4743]

They sucked.

[@guthrie_1]

@@mikehenry4743 I guess southern rock isn’t for everyone, but they were objectively speaking great musicians. Very tight, and technically proficient.

[@mikehenry4743]

@@guthrie_1 It's cool you like to jam to them, but they very tightly and technically proficiently, sucked big time.

[@guthrie_1]

@@mikehenry4743 Right well my comment was about their musicianship which was objectively top notch. Definitely the best of the genre. I haven’t listened to them in probably 15 years, but they were in fact very technical players, and wrote some pretty mind boggling lyrics. You could say the genre of “southern rock” is a tad niche, and doesn’t appeal to you, which is fine. I don’t like John Coltrane. Jazz doesn’t really appeal to me, but I acknowledge he was a monster of a musician and a massive talent.

[@guthrie_1]

@heyitspete6472 Well we know what “bad music” is. Take Ice Spice for example. That is horrific. We also know what the pinnacle of greatness is. That would be Johann Sebastian Bach. Lynyrd Skynyrd, like most rock ‘n’ roll, is somewhere in the middle.

[@arnoldfrackenmeyer8157]

Wow! As a pilot It's beyond my comprehension taking off knowing you have a problem with one of the engines. I think Get-there-itis was the first mistake.

[@stripey1960]

Unfortunately it is seen to be good practice in business to have a 'can do' attitude. Sadly in aviation this can be translated into 'get-there-itis when the aim to please the customer overrides good sense and safety. It is a direct conflict between best practice in business and best practice in practical aviation.

[@ScottRoney]

Unfortunately the more famous or wealthy the higher incidence of Get-there-itis” happens all the time 😢

[@coderexe30]

It would appear neither pilot physically checked the fuel level either before the last leg of their flight….SMH

[@prefect1948]

It’s even sadder now knowing that it was so easy to have prevented this crash…

[@prestonburton8504]

Many here loved Ronny - grew up with him. We remember when he was lost, with the others (billy powell survived, healed his hands so he could return to playing piano but sadly passed a few years back) would you consider doing an episode on Stevie Ray Vaughan? The same sick feeling in our stomach when he was lost in that helicopter crash- these were our hero's of that period

[@bakervinci163]

I camped out on the hill that Stevie Ray ‘s Copter crashed into. It was a man made ski hill next to alpine valley. I saw the dead there several times

[@prestonburton8504]

Amen. You witnessed the taking of a child of God - because stevie was too good, for us (the others as well -not going to slight them. four others lost their life that day and it changed many of us. For a while, there were many bands that tried to copy his talent (and double trouble) - one was so close, the women in the audience would take their panties off and throw them on the stage. I know that sounds funny, but i will tell you if i wore panties, id done the same thing. @@bakervinci163

[@maxwellcrazycat9204]

I was very saddened by his death. I was able to see Stevie's concert at Blossom Music Center just before the crash. I was so glad I went to that concert.

[@prestonburton8504]

Amen!@@maxwellcrazycat9204

[@weh344]

I used to work for FA and L&J leasing (75-80) and your analysis of what happened to Convair 55VM is by far the most accurate of any of the cobbled together accounts you can find on Utube. I would like to add that the Captain on the flight Walter McCreary went by Mac. I personally never heard anyone call him Walter. The First Officer was William “John” Gray and was always called John. Other than that it was a great video about a tragic event.

[@dwaynemcallister7231]

Always find your take on air accidents informative and how you make clear the lessons we should take away from what happened, thanks for what you do and how you do it! If they had not put the landing gear down they may have made the field, they were very close as it was. Landing in the field gear up would not have been a bad outcome in comparison.

[@pilot-debrief]

I agree about the gear. They were also so close to making it to the runway.

[@dwaynemcallister7231]

You know every time I here the song " That Smell " and the lyric " Oak tree your in my way" I remember the nose of plane hit a oak tree and that did the most damage really. Ironic@@pilot-debrief

[@supra1jzed]

@@pilot-debrief Hell, it's almost either/or. Held altitude and not descended early and/or left gear up and/or immediately trusted gauges...fantastic example of a swiss cheese model. All the various holes in CRM, training, professionalism, and procedures lined right up.

[@CineSoar]

@@dwaynemcallister7231 quite a coincidence, though the lyric "Whiskey bottles, and brand new cars. Oak tree you're in my way." was written about a DUI car accident that Gary Rossington had in his brand new Torino, in Sept of 1976 (he fell asleep at the wheel and hit an oak tree, and then a house).

[@nordicpride9708]

@@pilot-debriefReally enjoyed this presentation. Have you considered doing one on the Stevie Ray Vaughn helicopter crash?

[@mikefendel]

The domino effect of several errors culminating in yet another crew’s hesitation to clearly declare an emergency. Lack of time in type, and lack of knowledge of your aircraft (fuel burn at mixture settings) are no excuse for this tragic accident.

[@hillbilly9804]

Such a shame that we lost one of the greatest bands and lead man in southern rock. It’s hard to say how much more they could have done.

[@TheWheels20]

10:48

[@ohger1]

Like Buddy Holly, gone at 24..

[@TOCC50]

Randy Rhoads

[@lawrencerenew8668]

Great breakdown. Of course anybody of age knew about the fatal crash, but not everbody has the skinny on the who, where and when. Running rich on any motor, will suck down an incredible amount of fuel. This makes perfect sense. Great debrief as always.

[@absurdengineering]

Yeah, on that plane it was 10% higher fuel consumption, putting them squarely into double the consumption of a DC-3 :(

[@baneverything5580]

A passenger saw the fuel being dumped so something weird happened.

[@dcole7092]

Band members recounted that they were aware that the right engine was burning a lot more fuel. The pilots were confident they could make it to Baton Rouge. Van Zante was passed out from being up all night and members couldn't convince him to buckle up when they were told that they might not make it to an airfield. He thought they were joking.

[@engineeringartist4801]

As usual another thorough and well articulated video, very informative. Wonder if you ever analyzed Stevie RV's crash.

[@mark-1234]

That was my uncle's plane and freight company, Falcon Airways, based in Addison TX. (As stated, though, they were not company pilots.) I was 17 at the time and worked there as a mechanic and gopher. Anyway, it sat on the tarmac for a while after purchase because the plush interior needed to be removed and converted to haul freight. It never happened because this lease with Lynyrd Skynyrd showed up. The upside for me was free backstage passes when they played in Dallas.

[@lindaraj3643]

Is the company still around?

[@Arrix949]

I can't believe they tried to fly with an engine in that condition. 😳

[@hawkeye681]

Bootleg maintenance and it's the 1970's with those old recips. You would think that they knew of the consequences of flying in auto-rich coming from other recip acft. I do remember when this happened as I was a freshman in H.S. just down the road in Lafayette. And THIS CONCERT WAS A big deal. Such a sad preventable loss. Ole Ronnie was a Helion!

[@mikoto7693]

I can’t believe that they flew the plane with the engine in that condition… and that they simply guessed fuel consumption based on another aircraft entirely! That’s so negligent and irresponsible! Oh how I wish those individuals who initially refused to fly had insisted. They could have saved lives.

[@pavel9652]

​@@mikoto7693Is is even better, because it seems they got convinced by a religious argument, according to the video.

[@illegalopinions4082]

​@@pavel9652Saying "when it's your time, it's your time" is not strictly a religious argument. This was more akin to "carpe diem" as opposed to "deus vult".

[@pavel9652]

@@illegalopinions4082 So you are claiming he didn't mention word "Lord" in that line? I am pretty sure it was mentioned twice. Are you manipulating? Why did you omit this fragment?

[@robstanton9215]

Nicely done Hoover! I appreciate how by breaking an accident down into the many layers that make up the event, it often shows that there are multiple factors or failures, that in the long run, end up being the cause. Your perspective backed by your experience is always appreciated in my opinion. Have a safe season!!!

[@dermick]

Another clear example of our inability to come up with new ways of crashing. Thankfully these kinds of videos help remind us to avoid doing something stupid like running out of fuel. Keep 'em coming, Hoover!

[@LarrydWoodruff]

Your knowledge has explained it well. I’ve followed this for years and your explanation and research is the best. Thanks Hoover.

[@scottlewisparsons9551]

Thank you Hoover for another excellent video. I am not a pilot, just a recently retired quantity surveyor who loves aviation. Your analysis of crashes and incidents are very concise and easy for a non pilot 👩‍✈️ to understand. All the best from Sydney Australia 🇦🇺

[@GLF-Video]

So many examples of pilot negligence. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@pilot-debrief]

My pleasure! Glad you liked it!

[@megsley]

thanks for covering these famous crashes!

[@raynus1160]

Excellent debrief. Thanks for that.

[@asdfjkl426]

As a Lynard Skynard fan, thank you for this insightful Pilot Debrief. One question that comes to mind: Are there other systems in place to track fuel usage and levels today? I have an uncle that died in a small plane crash years ago. It killed him and severely injured my Aunt, who only survived because she was a 'white knuckle' flyer and was sitting in the back of the Cessna. Upon investigation by the NTSB or FAA (I don't recall which), the findings were also fuel related. My uncle and aunt who lived in Sacramento CA, flew to Colorado Springs for a Dental Surgeons conference. Evidently, flying through the Rock Mountain pass into Colorado Springs was right at the elevation limit for the Cessna and while they had the whole western United States to gain the altitude they needed to fly into Colorado Springs, it was a different story on the return flight. The investigation found that my uncle, being unfamiliar with the Colorado Springs flying conditions made 2 critical mistakes: 1) He filed up the plans fuel tank, causing the plane to weigh more at the beginning of the return flight than when they flew over the pass on the way into Colorado Springs 2) He did not 'spiral up' to gain sufficient altitude and made direct run at the pass. This resulted in the plane not making it over the pass and then he tried to turn too late and stalled and crashed into a remote forested area. Both of the mistakes are common knowledge and avoided by local pilots flying small planes.

[@dwaynemcallister7231]

Thanks for sharing, that mistake has happened too many times over the years.

[@pilot-debrief]

Thanks for sharing that tragic story and I’m sorry for your loss. Regarding your question about fuel…all modern airliners have systems that detect low fuel quantities and/or fuel leaks. But it’s rare to get those indications because proper fuel planning and fuel verification during preflight prevent a mistake like these pilots made.

[@lebojay]

Yes, modern fuel totalizers do more than just measure the fuel level in the tanks. They also measure how much has been burned, and how quickly the remaining fuel is being burned. That way, you don’t just get a number, but rather an accounting of where the fuel has gone and how much remains.

[@Coops777]

@asdfjkl426 Thank you for sharing your story an Im sorry for your loss. I had a similar take-off from a small field below some mountains here in NSW Australia. I decided to turn and make an orbit before flying over the range even though I knew I would have just barely made it. My flight instructor taught me we should always allow at least 500 ft above the highest peak for 10nm on either side of our path or at the very least room to maneuver away from peaks should we have engine trouble. This comes down to flight planning.

[@tedarndt6254]

Overconfidence=Pride=Basic math failures=Ignorance='s Loss of souls you were responsible for.

[@noelletakesthesky3977]

My dad had tickets to the concert they were on the way to perform. I always feel an extra bit of sadness for passengers who didn’t even want to be on a particular flight, in this case, Cassie. If only she’d been allowed to go in the van instead, as she actively wanted.

[@joojoojeejee6058]

I'm sure she was "allowed" to do it, but persuaded not to. And by the way, had the said persons taken the van, perhaps the slightly lighter aircraft would have just made it to the airport!? Or a field...

[@craigt4467]

This is the best pilot debrief I’ve watched about this crash and I have wasted several others over the years Bravo I enjoy the format you use in your videos I’ve only watch about 10 of yours so far and I liked and subscribed while still watching my first one Excellent work My best wishes always from Las Vegas Craig I’m a fan

[@craigt4467]

Shoot always a auto spelling error I meant to say watched not “wasted” lol

[@fedex727rj]

Love your videos friend. Always top notch, clear, and easy to understand. Anyone can follow along in a "special" type of a relaxing informative presentation. I remember hearing the next day when I was in 10th grade. Very sad.

[@steve-marsh]

Wishing you and everyone on here a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Thanks so much for the wonderful content this year!

[@pilot-debrief]

Same to you!

[@mattjohnson1775]

I binge watch your videos your so awesome. I've been in hospital for 2 weeks with uncontrollable seizing and had no phone. I just got home last night and my memory is all screwed. From brain damage from a car wreck that flipped multiple xs and had no seatbelt on and was in a coma. For 3 months and now got braindamaged and broke every arm n leg .shattered pelvis. N stated jaw in 8 pieces. I have metal in every limb and pelvis n jaw. Just want you to know how awesome you are and so happy to see your face. I'm 44. Grew up on Lynard Skinard. My dad's bday was Oct 18 57. He died Dec 22 / 2023. God Bless you and you family

[@jphickory522]

Get well Matt !!

[@jphickory522]

Get well Matt !!

[@jphickory522]

Get well Matt !!

[@jphickory522]

Get well Matt !!

[@thefoolishhiker3103]

Love your coverage of these stories.

[@daviddejesus5376]

Stunning and very sad. Excellent explanation and analysis Hoover. Thank you for your service.

[@johnsilverman2538]

CaptHoover-you do an EXCELLENT job of reviewing accidents/incidents.

[@ralphholiman7401]

Good explanation of what happened. I'm not a pilot, but I live in Mississippi and frequently drive past the crash memorial and think about this flight.

[@robertthomas1569]

And thank you to the local citizens of that Mississippi town who were the first responders that night, y'all saved some lives.....I saw then 5 days before the crash in Miami. It was a great show

[@joedillon159]

Your videos are fact filled and amazing! Great great work !

[@Mr.wilson949]

Thanks for the video, great information.

[@Tailhook69]

Excellent analysis of yet another avoidable crash.

[@artrogers3985]

That is the most comprehensive telling of that story. And more aviation points than others (DUH). Thanks

[@pilot-debrief]

Glad you liked it!

[@rtbrtb_dutchy4183]

Thank you. Another great de-brief. I enjoy these older stories, things were different in those days. And as an industry, we had to learn from those days. Merry Christmas to you and your family.

[@pilot-debrief]

Glad you enjoyed it. Merry Christmas!

[@frankb518]

Dude! I'm 65 . I grew up in upper west side of Manhattan. some friends and I had Tickets to see Skynyrd At Madison Square Garden about two weeks after that Happened........ I believe they were Touring the " Survivor " Album in which Ironically had a Cover Pic of them On A Street SURROUNDED BY Flames...... was Tragic !

[@bertg.6056]

Thanks for your excellent analysis, Hoover.

[@pilot-debrief]

My pleasure!

[@scottprice8587]

Great video!!

[@ratratrat59]

Excellent presentation. Thank you.

[@GentleResponseLLC]

Great post, very informative! I have a curiosity for high profile fatal accidents like this, a lot to learn from them! Thank you for sharing!

[@CLdriver1960]

Another great video Hoover. I wonder if the 6 cycles of taxi, takeoff, and climb at auto rich were taken into consideration. If I understand correctly, the 25 gph increase in auto rich is at cruise power. Merry Christmas!

[@pilot-debrief]

Merry Christmas to you as well!

[@MultiJamesman]

Thanks for another great analysis.

[@BeachsideHank]

The forensics you do with the available facts is extraordinary, thanks for educating us non-pilots who seek answers.

[@pilot-debrief]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@MegaTriumph1]

Very good break down of this tragedy in this case all the errors lead to a destiny. So many mistakes uncorrected blows my mind Ronnie should of said this is my band and they arrive safe so we will take the bus from here.

[@davidbeise7385]

it sure looks like a series of bad decisions lead to the crash. In my flight training I distinctly remember my instructor telling me that problems come in a series and can compound. The world lost an amazing band in this very avoidable accident. Sad is all left to say.

[@carlwessels2671]

The problems almost always come to a series, very seldom is it just one thing.You have to break the chain.

[@mikoto7693]

It’s like the swiss cheese model used in aviation training and in ground crew training. You have to be the one that stops the holes in the layers of swiss cheese from lining up.

[@arnoldfrackenmeyer8157]

The first problem was get-there-itis.

[@fatsolutions]

These are really brilliant videos! Thank you

[@pilot-debrief]

You're very welcome! Thanks!

[@rotor-head]

Thanks for your diligent research of the facts.

[@Carlos44]

Without going into details, based on my limited career in flight, trust your instincts. If you intuition says, don't fly, then don't fly period! And don't let anyone convince you otherwise. I didn't trust my instincts, but luckily fate intervened to keep the plane grounded until we could get safely home.

[@user-md6os4nq1b]

Interesting accident very well presented. Especially in just 10 minutes, pretty amazing. I have been subbed for a while, and I recently was researching that crash of a Aeronoca 7AC just outside of Austin, N1472E. It’s a pretty heartbreaking with another dad trying to teach (I think, it’s not confirmed) his son, but goes deeper then that as there are other interesting causes. Would be interesting to see your opinion/perspective! Merry Christmas, enjoy your well-deserved break!

[@pilot-debrief]

I covered that incident in a recent video. Very sad set of circumstances!

[@user-md6os4nq1b]

@@pilot-debrief really I will watch it

[@johnengland8619]

Thanks again for the content

[@videoworks7731]

great vid thanks

[@bc-guy852]

Incredible attitudes... "if it's your day to go - you go??" I think common sense - (as in 'NOT getting back on that plane if they didn't fix the engine') would have saved the day; pilot disbelief and statements to the contrary be damned. Very well done episode. (Reminded me to turn on notifications!)

[@kevinmalone3210]

He had a cavalier attitude about this flight.

[@williamlouie569]

That guy must drive without his seat belt on! Because any day will be his day.

[@dx1450]

@@kevinmalone3210 He had a cavalier attitude toward life, I think. He always said that he'd die before he was 30, and he was right.

[@skydogduane]

Ronnie should have said "if that engine isn't fixed we are driven-Rent some more trucks !"

[@GWM9930]

@@skydogduane I wish that would have been the case. Gene Odum even tried very hard to stop the pilots from taking off.

[@BobABooey.]

I'm proud to say, I saw them a couple of months before the crash in Anaheim California . Ted Nugget, T-Rex , REO Speed Wagon and Foreigner were also on the bill.

[@thegreatdeception2563]

I was there,my first concert,I was 15 at the time.

[@augustinep6193]

Good. Thanks. Merry Christmas.

[@bigal7561]

Well done. Very well presented. I'm a sub because of the professional way you report and organize your channel subjects. Again. Well done

[@pilot-debrief]

Much appreciated!

[@anjou6497]

Me too so well done. I enjoy your manner Hoover, which is very clear and calm, but enthusiastic about your subject, aviation. 👍🩵 just subbed.

[@bigal7561]

The death of these stars was also the death of my youth. I don't think people today know how much this band meant to our generation

[@LJS01]

LOL

[@prestonburton8504]

me too - me too - our gen

[@fuzzymath6240]

Drummer Artimus Pyle survived the crash and was responsible for hiking out for help. He may be the onboard pilot referenced regarding the mixture. Because he did know how to fly and was knowledgeable enough to give quite a bit of detail. I remember 2 things he said in a Howard Stern interview pertaining to the reason for the crash. He was interviewed by FAA and/or NTSB and while that was decades ago we still don't see all of the the info the NTSB collects today that could help pilots with prevention. Just my rant, sorry. But Pyle was conscious for the entire incident. He also stated either that specific craft or the Convair in general had trouble with unreliable gas gauges. Each tank always needed to be double checked manually on the ground and he guessed they had not. He made sure not to place blame at all on the pilots but did say they[pilots] were aware of this. The other interesting thing he said was that they lowered the gear. Pyle thought that didn't help due to drag and mainly the trees that caught the gear violently. Although he did point out the wings were under the fuselage and now you have spoke of a field just beyond they may have thought they could make. To be sure Artimus Pyle was not a voice or data recorder. But what an amazing story. He trekked through marsh and total bramble to see a farmhouse. Then he's SHOT good grief, in the chest by the farmer who mistook him for a thief or something worse. It thankfully was bird shot but he was already badly injured and that put him down. Still he had nothing but kind words for the farmer and his family whom he never blamed. Just the most amazing man and wow would I love to hear that interview again. It may be on SiriusXM but most of Howards content doesn't stay available. It may now. That's why I got tired of paying for the service maybe he has changed in the past few years. But thanks for the video and love what you pilots are doing on the ground to keep the blue side up. Or is it dirty side down..... Idk but I've learned alot just about humility and communication as it pertains to my work. Thanks again!!

[@SimpleManGuitars1973]

Actually there were about 4 guys that went with Artemis and he absolutely did NOT get shot. He has lied several times over the years about things concerning the crash. Johnny Mote DID have a gun with him because he thought there was an escaped convict in the area from a nearby prison. There is an interview of Artemis from the radio literally the day after the crash and he says on there that he wasn't even injured. One of the crew members that went with Artemis said that Artemis told all of them to hug a tree to "get energy" from it for the journey to try and find help. It's really unfortunate how many people have tried to capitalize off this tragedy by telling far fetched stories they've added to over the years. The real story is enough and of itself. Artemis is not the only one that has kept adding things to the story that weren't true.

[@dcole7092]

Yep!

[@fuzzymath6240]

@@dcole7092 thank you sweetheart....makes me wonder what songs Vandant never got to write. I'mma sorry I dont have my glasses on, couldn spell it if I dont google it anyways. So sad ....glad aviators are safer now, at least they're tryin. Boeing now it seems they're getting scary stupid, but what do I know, Im just an old dingy broad myself.....lol

[@fredcloud9668]

Pyle wasn't shot. But he tells a good tale.

[@joelquinn3953]

Thank you for the Christmas episode that was a good one!!!!!!

[@pilot-debrief]

You’re welcome and Merry Christmas!

[@StopAndGetGas]

I was 24 and by then, a recently 'retired' drummer in a CCR cover band. We never flew anywhere. After this happened, I paid a little more attention to their music than I ever had - before.

[@kennyscarborough9374]

Hoover, very informative analysis of a sad, preventable tragedy.Sure would like to see your "take"on the crash of Ricky Nelson's/Jerry Lewis DC3 in a technical sense.Like your videos!!!

[@Eddievoneddie13]

Was that the DC-3 that experienced the in-flight fire from the cabin heater?

[@invertedpete]

The factors of human nature are interesting. Reminds me of a personal story from this year. Flying a Cessna 182 departed on a revenue flight, engine stumbled and surged at about 200 feet on upwind. I made “the impossible turn”, once on the ground after completing an extensive run up where the anomaly could not be replicated I departed on the positioning leg. After a 1 hr flight when I returned to the airplane for the crew briefing I noticed oil dripping from the cowl flap. The flight was scrubbed and I got picked leaving the aircraft away from home base. I returned a week later to ream the exhaust valve guide and replace the vent pushrod and tube on the effected cylinder. It was a temporarily stuck exhaust valve that was the stumble and stutter of the engine; that bent the push rod and tube creating the oil leak. Had I listened to the machine better I could have fixed it at home base, but the drive to complete the mission compelled me to push on. Ironically, the flight was pushed by a day rather than the two hours an airplane swap would have taken. Funny the clarity that hindsight brings, almost removing some of those elements of human nature and emotion.

[@meofnz2320]

Yep, it’s so obvious in hindsight yet you just can’t line everything up at the time. At least we didn’t get judged in the comments section back in the day. The takeaway is: think you can’t make these mistakes? Oh yes you can…

[@wingnutt4200]

That was very thorough and so good cuz I didn't have to hear someone talking about themselves! Great and to the point thank you.

[@Orcinus1967]

I never did know the particulars of this crash. Thanks for the in depth analysis.

[@905Alive]

A couple of additional points because I followed this case for years, Tyler and Perry's story's changed, for decades it was that Perry's parents knew someone that knew planes and he went to check the plane out, he found a lot gauges didn't work most notably the fuel gauges, there was never any story about the pilots partying or that they were even there, their newer stories do not help and Tyler's known for being FOS, when the plane got leased by LS, these two jerk pilots decided to use math to figure their fuel instead of sticking the tanks at least on occasion. Which is the only sure way to know how much fuel you have, the fuel gauges were destroyed in the crash so investigators only had survivors testimony to go by, several band members said the gauges didn't work and the pilots never stuck the tanks, if the fuel gauges had worked, the pilots surely would have noticed the levels dropping, they didn't know anything until the engines starting quitting. Artimus Pyle had stated that the fuel gauges were known to malfunction and the pilots had neglected to check the tanks manually before taking off.

[@3939michele]

It's true, but what has to be remembered is those pilots didn't plan or want to die that day either.

[@noelletakesthesky3977]

@@3939michele Maybe not, but a lot of people who don’t want to die still do very, very stupid things that make us ask if they secretly have a death wish.

[@RyTrapp0]

@@3939michele That's fine, but also remember that all of these mistakes were completely avoidable by literally just following industry standard operating practices(like delaying flights to fix a plane that clearly needed looked at at minimum). While they may not have wanted to die, they clearly didn't care enough of about their own lives - nevermind the passengers that chose to put their lives in the hands of the pilots for those 2-3hrs - to just do their job right. To do their job in a way that wasn't negligent, that didn't put themselves and others at completely avoidable risk. Sympathy for the pilots families(they got a heap of baggage to carry after that), sympathy for the band & theirs families. Apathy for the pilots. There's just no defending their decision making here(I mean, they're supposed to be professionals...). I'm sure they were great people, great family men, had great jokes and such. But they were still utterly negligent AF when lives were in their hands.

[@johnsilverman2538]

People think a pilot is a pilot is a pilot. The copilot in the Payne Stewart accident was incredibly green.

[@dwaynemcallister7231]

Yes, I heard that. My brother used to fly the exact same model Lear 35A and he said before every flight he would check a certain pressurization valve, trusting no one else because he would be dead likely if it was open@@johnsilverman2538

[@coreyandnathanielchartier3749]

I was a strapping young man about the time of this crash, and a big Skynyrd fan. Plus, Cassie Gaines was one of my high-school crushes. Many good people in entertainment went out this way. I never fly with anyone who uses 'cumulative calculations' to estimate fuel on board. . Pick a tank(s) and FILL IT! The only way to know for sure, especially when you have other humans aboard.

[@Phantom096]

Great job as usual Hoover!! 👍. They knew there was something wrong with the engine before the flight. 🤦‍♂️

[@TheFunkhouser]

So glad ive subbed here. Very interesting. I was JUST talking about this accident and I open YT and this pops up. Gosh.

[@mikelyons7297]

I have seen several accounts that the fuel gauges did not work and the crew used a stick to check the tanks before takeoff. There is one account that the crew was trying to transfer fuel away from the bad engine and ended up dumping it by mistake. This is why the plane ran out of gass.

[@captaintoyota3171]

Negligence either way

[@skydogduane]

I have read that to, not sure if that was true or not.

[@tomfilipiak3511]

You can use drip sticks,on the wings to tell how many pounds of fuel you have,example,a gallon of jet fuel weighs roughly 6.75 pounds per gallon!Get it!A old airport worker,Midway airport Chicago,1970 to 2016!

[@Kevin_747]

@@tomfilipiak3511 I enjoyed flying out of MDW. I was a pilot for ATA 99 to '08.

[@GWM9930]

I heard that too. In their panic, they dumped fuel instread of transferring fuel!

[@roninatlanta]

Serving in the USAF I had much experience (flying hours) both Convair 240s (VT-29s) and Convair 340s (VC-131s). SOP is to know how much fuel you need to fly point A to point B. And to know how much fuel you're burning as you fly from point A to point B. And all of this is calculated, of course. But it's also SOP to monitor the fuel gages and know how much fuel you actually have on board as you fly from A to B. My perspective on this accident is they simply ran out of fuel. Now the question is why? Were the crew not monitoring the fuel gages? Were the crew relying on their calculations and ignoring the gages? Were the fuel gages not working? (never saw that on either a 240 or 340 but there's always a first time) Did the crew not understand they didn't have enough fuel until it was too late? Why? And then the crash.. in that area of Mississippi in 1977 they should have been able to put it down in a field or road and not just spin it into ground. Pilot error!

[@focusintegrity8490]

Plane bought shortly before lease. According to NTSB Report, fuel gauge functioned but band members saw pilots use a stick to backup level. The starboard ran bad on way to Greenville. Artimus noticed it was set auto-rich and pilots said it helped stabilize running of PRATT and WHITNEY. At each stop, more fuel was added. They thought there was 5 hrs. It took off at Greenville, starboard engine flared fire again for undetermined time. At some point, they realize it's low, change direction with some delay and went down to 2,000 feet. They start looking for a field and put the landing gear down. This brought them down to tree level. They hit the tops of pines first with the belly then lowe=and wings start flying off. They hit an oak tree dead center compressing the cockpit and killing the pilots. Artimus said another mistake was engaging landing gear.

[@bobbys4327]

@@focusintegrity8490 Oak tree you're in my way

[@justadbeer]

Great report. I remember that day well when the news broke about the crash.

[@im_agine852]

Thanks Hoover . Merry Christmas to you

[@pilot-debrief]

You’re welcome and Merry Christmas!

[@MichaelLloyd]

I got to see Lynyrd Skynyrd live in Jan of 1976. The Outlaws opened for them. I never was a fan of the new version of the band. It's not the same. I'm glad that you did a debrief. There are stories about the crash but you dug into the weeds pretty well. It's amazing that anyone lived through the crash.

[@kevinmalone3210]

Once their lead singer was killed, that was it. No one could replace Ronnie Van Zant.

[@keamu8580]

@@kevinmalone3210 Won't you fly high, free bird, yeah...

[@prestonburton8504]

same

[@ericbitzer5247]

I thought the new version of the band was good. Yeah, I know it's not the same, but they did a great job playing the songs live. I was too young to see the original band being born in 71.

[@prestonburton8504]

i'm early 60s - but missed them as well. but sadly remember when the plane crashed. i was in high school and word went around Ronny was gone. my friends and i were rockers and loved them. Later - the same feeling when we lost stevie ray - i'm going to ask if he will do an episode on the helicopter ride to 'heaven' because i know God took both of them (all of them) for His reason @@ericbitzer5247

[@sunnyscott4876]

Yes..what about the crash that killed Reba McEntire's band? She was supposed to be on that flight. She was understandably devastated 😢 and may have suffered some survivor's guilt. It would be interesting to hear about this from you.

[@thegreatdeception2563]

I was working at Brown Field then,I was off,I witnessed it , overcast,diving on I -5,tragic ,they struck Otay mesa mountain.

[@DJ99777]

Awesome video Hooper.

[@wazzazone]

Hoover, you and Juan Browne are my "go to" for aviation information. THANKS

[@EllipsisAircraft]

aviation *crash* information. if you want great ADM, check out Rick Durden's articles and books: Thinking Pilots Handbook I & II. For a thorough investigation of the basics: Stick and Rudder by Wolfgang Langweische.

[@scottmaz4063]

Great video Hoover I was in 10th grade when this happened. I never knew the whole story, thank you and merry Christmas

[@pilot-debrief]

Merry Christmas!

[@PedroPatsf]

Hoover, another great overview.

[@waltmooredanwilson8754]

Very informative video. Thanks for sharing. Take care and God Bless.

[@cprpromo]

McCreary had been the right seat for Les Long on previous tours, and when Long left Falcon, he was very very specific with Walt and told him to not trust the gauges and to manually check fuel levels using a wooden dipstick in the cockpit. People interviewed in the NTSB report had positive things to say about McCreary but not so much about Gray. They also burned significant fuel running the engines on the ground in Greenville to cool the plane and keep the passengers happy while a band mate who lived locally was late to arrive.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Good job Hoover! What an ominous statement by Ronnie before the flight, it's almost like he was foreshadowing his own fate. I learned a lot of new stuff also, as I only had superficial knowledge of it. (particularly the auto-rich setting). I saw LS back in the late 90s, I can't even imagine how it would have been seeing these guys live at their height.

[@SirCanuckelhead]

He was, he actually was certain he was going to die young, no secret to anyone around him.

[@pilot-debrief]

Thanks!

[@bigmac9940]

I saw LS live in Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa AL in April 1975. George Wallace wheeled on stage and gave them a plaque making “Sweet Home Alabama” an official state song. It was an incredible night! I got to see the original LS live several times after that. There was not a better live show ever than the original LS!

[@guthrie_1]

They didn’t mess around man. They practiced in what I believe was Ronnie’s shed for 8+ hours a day, in hot/ humid Jacksonville Florida, every single day, while drunk. Honing their craft. Can you imagine how uncomfortable that would be?

[@wingnutt4200]

Well if you keep tempting Jesus? He will surely take your hand! & Proceed to take you with him...

[@lawrencefisher5256]

Great story on this wreck. Thanks

[@Love2Zooom]

Very informative.

[@blankspace178]

*I took my FIRST plane ride ever this weekend. It was a single engine Cessna going on a short trip 200 miles North. My parents convinced me to take the cheap flight (it was $40) rather than drive on the holiday weekend. Knowing this was my first flight, and right as we were taking off, the pilot leaned over to me and exclaimed "can you believe I only got my license last week, you're not the only one flying for the first time." WHY would you ever say that to a passenger?? I had a panic attack, passed out, never got an apology, but they refunded my money without me asking the same day. I guess they worried I was gonna sue...and I might.*

[@cprpromo]

I got the NTSB full report and the pilots injuries descriptions. Lots of terms like “herniation” and “exsanguinate”. My college roommate is head of ER at a hospital so I scanned and sent him and asked what it all meant. He replied, “They weren’t just merely dead, they were really most sincerely dead.” Doctor humor. They had to hold Leon’s intestines in and he coded at least once. Definitely the most seriously injured of the survivors.

[@dx1450]

I think that's a line from The Wizard of Oz when the coroner pronounces the Wicked Witch of the East dead.

[@cprpromo]

@@dx1450 Correct. ER humor

[@skydogduane]

Leon flat-lined 2 or 3 times on the way to the hospital. Truly a miracle he survived.

[@rogerwoods1828]

Wow! I’ll never forget that day they were my favorite band. What was sad they had so much more they would’ve accomplished. Anyway love your videos and thank you for your service!

[@Coops777]

Great job Hoover thankyou!

[@pilot-debrief]

You bet!

[@Coops777]

@@pilot-debrief And merry Christmas to you and your family

[@jaydoe5654]

So sad how Cassie knew the risks were too high for her comfort but she was convinced otherwise by people she trusted, who must have trusted the pilots -who had too much monetary incentive to not take the risks seriously.

[@gottadomor7438]

Very sad indeed. Always has fascinated me how she stood on the back-up singers' riser for a year KNOWING her baby brother could more than hold his own w/ the two famous guitarists she sang for. He finally got a chance and the best news he ever got was the same that doomed both of them just a year later. What a story ...

[@RichWeigel]

Reminds me of the Aaliyah plane crash she had hesitations about getting on that plane and only boarded after she had taken a sleeping pill and was essentially carried onto the plane asleep later.

[@TheOriginalRedgo]

Merry Christmas

[@pilot-debrief]

Merry Christmas!