I remember seeing the band rehearse and play, and going, Wow, I want to do that one day and here I am!, Having played in his brothers place for over three decades, Johnny Van Zant remarked: [W]e dont know what path Gods going to lead us down and what our mortality is, but Ive got a lot of things to live for.. On October 20, 1977 at 17:02 local, the flight had departed Greenville Downtown Airport for Baton Rouge, LA. In this video you will see the true story behind the tragic passing of Ronnie Van Zant, Cassie Gaines, Dean Kilpatrick, and Steve Gaines on October 20, 1977. The crew operated the aircraft for an indeterminate amount of time before the accident with the right engine's mixture A Convair CV-240, similar to the one in the crash. 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. The pilot was also given a weather briefing. Most Of The Band Did Not Want To Board The Plane, But Band Leader Ronnie Van Zant Overruled And forced Them To Go. fuel?" Failed to report flower. Learn more about managing a memorial . Jimmie Van Zant/Cause of death He toured widely with his band, performing over 200 shows each year, and released a third album, Feels Like Freedom, in 2012. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. control in the auto rich position. Ronnie Van Zant's brother Johnny took over on vocals for the band's reunion in 1987, marking the 10th anniversary of the plane crash. Communication between N55VM and any facility contacted were not a factor in this accident. The route of flight was to be V20 Electric City, direct Atlanta, The cockpit, tail, and wings completely ripped apart and the remaining cab lay desolate, in the shape of an L. The plane was simply not built well enough to even remotely handle the impact from the pine trees at roughly 90 mph. photos of the band, visit the Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute. The propeller blades were not extensively damaged. But the band members didnt like it especially since one of the engines had caught on fire on October 18, at 12,000 feet. blood. The album cover for Lynyrd Skynyrds fifth album, which featured flames and Ronnie Van Zant with his eyes closed, was later changed because it was considered too evocative of the plane crash. At 05:30 local on October 18, 1977 N55VM had arrived at the Greenville, SC downtown airport from Lakeland, FL. The temperature at Athens & 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. based on information from your browser. He suffered a heart attack while on break from tour. Inside The Death Of Southern Rock Legend Ronnie Van Zant In The Fiery Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash. Tammy Van Zant was born on the 29th of July 1967 in Jacksonville, Florida, United States of America, and was fifty-four years old in 2022. He may have died young back in 1977, but his music, and his band, continue with a life of their own. Losing daylight, the pilots desperately looked for an open field or some kind of saving grace. Per Rolling Stone, the surviving members of the band weren't immediately told about Van Zant's death to allow them to heal from their grave injuries before hearing the devastating news. Artimus Pyle, the group's drummer, miraculously survived, while six others - lead vocalist Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, backing vocalist Cassie Gaines, assistant road manager Dean . Jane Van Zant, a cousin of Lynyrd Skynyrd frontmen Johnny and the late-Ronnie Van Zant, posted that Ronnie's eldest daughter, Tammy, died on July 11th.No cause of death was given. Fuel tank selector valves were in the closed position. It was Steve, and me, and Ronnie and I was in the middle of them. Lynyrd Skynyrd were inducted into the Rock & Roll The McComb County Airport was the closest A lease agreement had been entered into by Lynyrd Skynyrd Productions, Inc. and the L&J There was a problem getting your location. Centerville at 12,000 was 0 C, 9 C warmer than (ISA) temperature. "Sweet Home Alabama" and the concert staple "Freebird" came from those heady years, as did the call to bigger and better things, like national tours. He would eventually succumb to paralytic pneumonia while being treated in a hospital in 1990. Year should not be greater than current year. 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. In 1987, the band reformed with many of its original members this time, with Van Zants younger brother Johnny singing lead vocals. Oops, we were unable to send the email. No fire erupted during the crash sequence because there was no fuel in the wing tanks when the wing sections separated from the . With the tree tops approaching fast and just eight miles short of the air strip, the plane was headed for a Mississippi swamp and nothing could be done to save them now. In 1975, personal issues and stress started hitting the band. He was known as "Papa Ronnie". She graduated from Oberlin College, where she earned a double degree in American History and French. Steve's sister and back-up singer, Cassie Gaines, and road manager Dean Kilpatrick all perished in the crash, along with pilot And his youngest son, Johnny, took Ronnie's job when Lynyrd Skynyrd regrouped. One band member, JoJo Billingsly, was not on the flight. RIP Ronnie, Cassie, Dean, and Steve. Townes Van Zandt was born on March 7, 1944 in Fort Worth, Texas, to Harris Williams Van Zandt and Dorothy Townes. Failed to delete memorial. In 1972, Al Kooper, who was a part of the band Blood, Sweat &Tears, discovered Lynyrd Skynyrd at one of their concerts. 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. The band was born in the mid-1960s in a high school in Jacksonville, Fla.,when lead singer Ronnie Van Zant grabbed some guys from school and soon started practicing under the name Noble Five.Gary . The band would be marked for strife as just before their inaugural tour, Allens wife would bleed to death due to a miscarriage. The observations at Athens, Centerville and Jackson showed dry air at 12,000 and below. Midway through the Nuthin Fancy tour, guitarist Ed King left because of an argument he had with Van Zant. Then on the other side, it was Allen in the middle of Dean and Cassie. According to the best estimates, the aircraft should have had about 207 gallons of fuel on board at the time of the accident. A tragic scene no person would ever wish to see or soon forget. Mote recalls the first thing he saw was a bloody hand sticking out from the wreckage. Out of the 26 people on the plane, six were killed on impact while most of the others were severely injured. of undetermined nature in the right engine which resulted in higher than normal fuel consumption. After taking a break from the band for a while, Lynyrd Skynyrd reunited with Ronnie's brother Johnny as their lead singer. The aircraft was manufactured in 1948 and originally delivered to Western TwitterThe scene of the plane crash that killed Ronnie Van Zant and several other passengers on board. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. Pyle, Frank, and Peden were met with hostility when they finally came up to Mote. In crew inattention to the fuel supply. He was the oldest son of six children (3 sisters and 2 brothers - musicians Donnie and Johnny). Keep scrolling if that's what you're looking for.) Ronnie had a bruise about the size of a quarter on his temple (which was the cause of death - blunt head trauma). After claiming his deceased son, Lacy Van Zant went to visit the other members of the band at the hospital. Another son, Donnie Van Zant, was a member of .38 Special. Past and present members of Lynyrd Skynyrd accepting their 2006 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction: Gary Rossington, Billy Powell, The reason behind this? Photo by Richard McCaffrey/ Michael Ochs Archive/ Getty Images. 2 brothers: Johnny Van Zant and Donnie Van Zant. Riverside Memorial Park. Soon after the plane would begin to jerk and shake violently. Ronnie Van Zant was just more than the band's main songwriter, frontman, and singer. loss of power from both engines due to crew inattention to the fuel supply. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Both engines cut out at 4,500 feet. Had a closed casket funeral. The He had accrued a total of 6,801 flight hours, 68 of which were in the Convair aircraft. Some of the guys were playing poker. Billy Powell would be in the new starting line-up of Lynyrd Skynyrd until his death in 2009. The uniqueness that was her life stretched to her death. The cockpit structure was crushed against trees. The fuselage separated forward of the bottom leading edge of the vertical stabilizer. www.prop-liners.com, Prop-Liners of America, Inc. for the following information.). After Van Zant accidentally hit Burns with a baseball, the group decided to play some music together. The NTSB determines that the probable cause of this accident was fuel exhaustion and total loss of power on both engines due to The plane had completely disintegrated. Tammy's passing was announced via a statement shared by her family on social media. That's it, folks. All surviving passengers were hospitalized. Where Did We Find This Stuff? There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Rudge chartered three planes for loved ones to identify the bodies. After the plane crash in 1977 that killed Lynyrd Skynyrd band members, Ronnie Van Zant's widow allowed the band to still use the Lynyrd Skynyrd name as long as there were at least three original members that made up the group. Several of the players in Lynyrd Skynyrd had now married and the time was . Determined to whip his fellow members into shape, Van Zant brought the band to a Florida shack with no air conditioning called the Hell House and made them practice. Up until that point, however, Van Zant and his bandmates seemed to be at the peak of greatness, releasing smash hits like Free Bird and Sweet Home Alabama. And by the time Van Zant and the rest of Lynyrd Skynyrd boarded the bands plane on Oct. 20, 1977, they were fresh off the release of their fifth album. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. Pyle remembered that Van Zant retrieved a pillow on his way back to his seat, stopped, and shook Pyle's hand. Affiliation BMI Member of Lynyrd Skynyrd Family Johnny Van Zant Brother Donnie Van . The flight was initially cleared as filed, except the pilot was told to maintain 5,000 feet. IFR flight plan by phone with the Greenville Flight Service Station. Try again. They would fly from Greenville, South Carolina, to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. About 100 minutes into the flight, the crew discovered they were dangerously low on fuel. info January 16, 2021, 20:14 According to the report posted at Autopsy Files, Wilkeson was suffering from emphysema and cirrhosis of the liver at the time of his death, with drug intoxication as a . This clearance was acknowledged. When he was sober, he was a fair and kind . The song reached the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. fuel consumption early in the flight, they could have planned an alternate refueling stop rather than attempting to continue flight at the time of the accident. feet from the point of initial impact. The lead singer of the band Ronnie Van Zant, vocalist and guitarist Steve Gaines, backing vocalist Cassier Gaines, and the managing crew including assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, died in the crash. All of the fuel crossfeed and fuel dump valves were in the closed position. Follow Our website TheGossipsWorld.com for the latest updates!!!! Ronnie Van Zant, of Lynyrd Skynyrd, was the father of Tammy Van Zant, his oldest child. Um, his plane crashed violently into a swamp and obliterated itself. The runway lights and rotating beacon were controlled by a light sensitive photo cell. Indeed, as the plane sliced through a forest near Gillsburg, Mississippi, at 90 miles per hour, Ronnie Van Zant died instantly of blunt force trauma, months shy of his 30th birthday. In the aftermath of the Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash, an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board found that the fatal crash had been due to fuel exhaustion as well as pilot error. The spark plugs of both engines were intact and generally undamaged. Learn more about merges. According to the official Lynyrd Skynyrd website, his first passions were fishing and playing baseball. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. (Thanks to Ronnie Van Zant reportedly died of blunt force trauma to the head. Ronnie told me, I am never going to live to see 30, said former drummer Artimus Pyle. ). It is reported that the pilots whose eyes were full of terror, told them to go back to their seats and prepare for impact. When Lynyrd Skynyrd's Ronnie Van Zant died in a plane crash at the age of 29, music fans were shocked and saddened, but the accident seemed to make good on dark premonitions the singer had been sharing for years. listed as seriously injured. Showing Editorial results for ronnie van zant. I never thought I would be in Lynyrd Skynyrd, Johnny Van Zant told USA Today. The aircraft was owned by the L&J Company of Addision, TX and the flight crew was Mote fired a warning shot in the air. Ronnie Van Zant was just more than the band's main songwriter, frontman, and singer. N55VM was purchased by the L&J Company in April 1977. No on-could completely fill the absence created by Ronnie Van Zant's untimely death, but his musical younger brother, Johnny Van Zant, would ably take on the duties of lead singer for the reformed band. Both fuel tank At 1844:34, the pilot of N55VM said, "We are not declaring an emergency, but we You have chosen this person to be their own family member. He had Center replied, "Roger, understand you're out of Fueled by drugs, ambition, and the frequent outbreak of violence, Lynyrd Skynyrd started to claw its way to the top. Ronnie Van Zant enjoying a stog before a show. As the three marched on, feet soaking wet from the water, all odds seemed stacked against the trio. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. Allen Collins was at the genesis of Lynyrd Skynyrd when he joined lead singer Ronnie Van Zant and fellow guitarist Gary Rossington as long ago as 1964 to form a high school band in Jacksonville . The pilot and co-pilot also died; 20 others aboard lived. This figure is based on a normal cruise configuration with both engines operating with auto-lean fuel mixture. Ronnie had died instantly upon impact, his head slamming into a tree. Trees as high as 80 feet and as large as 3 feet in diameter were struck during the final 300 feet of flight. The Van-Zant boys' inheritance was not musical, but then again Southern rock was less about a sound than an ethos. Band confidant, Gene Odum, is privately interviewed to share his story on what happened on this awful day in history. At this publication, we do not know what caused her death, which may never be . The decent angle through the trees was about 5 degrees initially. main structure. Our love and prayers go out to all the Van Zant FamilyRest In Peace and Fly High Freebird Child". Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. What did Nicki Minaj do before becoming famous? At 1845:47 Collins, unable to perform on stage due to a prior car accident, acted as maestro to the group. teacher Leonard Skinner at their high school. facility available to N55VM when the pilot asked for vectors to the closest airport. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/241555551/tammy-michelle-van_zant. malfunction of the aircraft or its control system. Ronnie had a bruise about the size of a quarter on his temple (which was the cause of death - blunt head trauma). The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. The aircraft crashed in a heavily wooded area. At 1845:12 the flight advised Houston Center, 55 Victor Mike, we're out of fuel!" Then when he was still 29, he was killed in a brutal plane crash in the Mississippi woods. that the holder shall wear correcting lenses or glasses while exercising the privileges of his airman's certificate. You can always change this later in your Account settings. We have set your language to Marc Frank recalled hearing both engines on the plane then within a matter of minutes, just air passing over the cabin. The spark plug electrodes were not damaged nor did they bear any He was known as "Papa Ronnie". Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? Her cause of death is listed as an accidental overdose resulting from "acute toxicity of alcohol and multiple drugs." Iron, Andy: (July 24, 1978 - November 2, 2010) Andy Irons was a professional surfer who has won several surfing titles including three world titles, three Quicksilver Pro France titles, two Rip Curl Pro Search titles, and other . For more than a year, she bravely fought a rare form of cancer - she was stubborn, remember. Rossington recalls saying It was always weird for Allen and me because we were up front in the plane. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. confirm that a turn was initiated until 1844:12. 0 cemeteries found in Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida, USA. in a heavily wooded area during an attempted emergency landing. The reason is that just a few short days before some of the band members had reported seeing sparks a large as 10ft shooting out of the right engine. ", Houston Center gave the flight vectors to McComb and at 1842:55 advised it to turn to a heading of 250 degrees. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Ultimate Classic Rock What Happened to the Survivors of the Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash? Dean Kilpatrick was killed on impact, as was Steve Gaines, but his sister Cassie lived a short time longer before succumbing to blood loss. The pilot had filed an On October 20, 1977, the L&J Company Convair 240 registration (N55VM) operated as a charter flight to transport the Lynyrd Skynyrd June 20, 2022, 10:00 am. There was no evidence of any Already a member? The song "Freebird" is now played as a musical tribute in Ronnie's memory. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. The carburetor fuel strainers of both engines were free of contamination; no entrapped Photo: obviousmag.org. Deceased people hanging from trees, the other survivors moaning for help of any kind, and completely surrounded by a black swamp whose canopy is blocking the only light that is trying so desperately to shine through. The fuselage turned sideways, and everybody was hurled forward.. Everyone was afraid of riding on this plane. Van Zant's Death. Their second studio album, Second Helping, confirmed that the band made it in the industry. What was the cause of James Van Zant's death? 12,000 and the clearance was so amended. Skynyrd returned to the daily grind of one-nighters on the Southern bar circuit. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. It had been intended for MOLLY HATCHET's debut to be produced by LYNYRD SKYNYRD frontman Ronnie Van Zant, but his untimely death in a 1977 plane crash put paid to these plans. Wilkeson would play in both Rossington Collins Band and the Allen Collins band. Cassie Gaines cause of death. Ronnie Van Zant, Gary Rossington, Steve Gaines, Billy Powell, Leon Wilkeson . The passengers grew quiet as the pilot explained the situation and the plane began to plummet through the sky. teacher because he would get the boys with long hair in trouble at school. employed by Falcon Aviation of Addision. He had been impaled by a part of the fuselage and it pushed through his body and projected out of his back. cemeteries found in Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Rock musician Jimmie Van Zant, the cousin of Lynyrd Skynyrd's Van Zant brothers, including Ronnie and Johnny, died Thursday in hospice care, according to multiple news sources. Based on wreckage examination, the NTSB concludes that both engines ceased producing power because of fuel exhaustion. The will to carry on was strong, however, Pyle being a US Marine, would live out the phrase Semper Fidelis which means always faithful. ' But Rossington recalls a different reaction from Ronnie Van Zant, who seemed less perturbed than the others about their rickety plane. Leon WIlkeson (left) and road manager, Dean Kilpatrick. lights were on the night of the accident. The aircrafts tragic crash would end the life of Ronnie Van Zant and several others on board but, against all odds, Lynyrd Skynyrd would survive. Then, 87 days before his 30th birthday, Van Zant died in a shocking plane crash. Shining from what seemed to be a small house on a dairy farm. Ronnie Van Zant was born on January 15, 1948 in Jacksonville, Florida. Ronnie Van Zant enjoying a stog before a show. The plane finally slammed into the earth, and Billy Powell recalls saying, We hit the trees at approximately 90 mph. It also brought them, new band members. Contributing to the fuel exhaustion were inadequate flight planning and an engine malfunction The wreckage path was The landing gear and flaps were retracted. 6:04 PM. Standing: Allen Collins, Steve Gaines, Gary Rossington, Artimus Pyle. King's replacement, Steve Gaines, was killed in a 1977 plane crash along with Ronnie Van Zant and Gaines . Ronnie Van Zant died on impact from blunt trauma to the head. Additionally lost in the crash were bandmates Steve Gaines and Cassie Gaines, deputy tour manager Dean Kilpatrick, pilot Walter McCreary . The aircraft structure and components were not factors in this accident. However, other sections, particularly the cockpit area, sustained massive impact deformation. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty ImagesLynyrd Skynyrd in 1975, from left to right: Ed King, Leon Wilkeson, Artimus Pyle, Billy Powell, Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant, and Gary Rossington. Both engines remained within their nacelles; the left propeller separated from the engine, while the right propeller remained having an adequate understanding as to who was the operator of this flight and what that means. Jimmie Van Zant, the singer/songwriter and guitarist who was cousin to Lynyrd Skynyrd members Ronnie and Johnny Van Zant, as well as .38 Special founder and vocalist Donnie . Baseball brought the high school teens together as Van Zant, Burns, and Rossington knew each other from playing on rival baseball teams. He then assembled a convoy of trucks and four-wheelers to locate the crash site and rescue the survivors. BRB, taking off my pair of cowboy boots right about . However, Wilkeson cheated death in 1977, surviving a crash of the band's chartered plane. This browser does not support getting your location. His wife, Judy, remembered that Ronnie once said he did not . Log In. At 1840:15 the flight told Houston Center, "We're out of one two thousand for six thousand." King joined Skynyrd in 1972 but left in 1975. Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1975, from left to right: Ed King, Leon Wilkeson, Artimus Pyle, Billy Powell, Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant, and Gary Rossington. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. flight planning and an engine malfunction of undetermined nature in the engine which resulted in higher than normal fuel consumption. It ended up inspiring the song That Smell.. cleared to 8,000 and was asked to report when leaving 6,000. The aircraft was certificated and equipped in accordance with 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. He said, Im not gonna get on it because its not right. adequately the engine instruments for fuel flow and fuel quantity. From left to right: Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant, And Gary Rossington. Evidence obtained from the fuel quantity gages indicates that both fuel tanks were Then, in 1969, it became Lynyrd Skynyrd. Especially Artimus, who had three broken ribs and multiple large cuts. temperature 62 F dewpoint 55 F, wind calm, altimeter 30.12". Billy Powell, the bands keyboardist, received extensive facial lacerations and a broken right knee. The Tragic Death Of Lynyrd Skynyrd's Ronnie Van Zant. . Due to the nature of his father's job, Zandt had to move quite frequently as a kid with his family. Ronnie Van Zant was one of the founding members of the great southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. Tammy Van Zant started singing at a very young age and started . Photo: hu.wikipedia.com. Family members linked to this person will appear here. Contributing to the fuel exhaustion were inadequate The fuselage continued forward on that heading and came to rest about 140 Verify and try again. evidence of a combustion chamber malfunction. Van Zant received head injuries when the plane hit the tree, dying instantly. Cabin seats separated during the impact. About 1842:00 the flight advised Houston, "Yes sir, we need to get to an airport, the closest airport you've got, sir!" The Ronnie Van Zant Memorial Park, funded by fans and family of the band, was built on Sandridge Road in Lake Asbury, Florida, nearby his . Both flight crew members and the four passengers died as a result of traumatic injuries sustained at impact. Hall of Fame in 2006. direct La Grango, direct Hattiesburg V222 McComb, V194 direct Baton Rouge. Search above to list available cemeteries. A famous singer, how At 1900, the winds aloft observation at 12,000 for Athens, GA was 330 at 10kts; Centerville, AL 310 at 15kts; and at Jackson, MS was The front man's prophecy. approach slope indicators. Oct. 20, 1977, crash that killed 3 came days after release of 'Street Survivor' album. 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. Totaled, decimated, and left for dead. 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. Shoes bothered Ronnie anyway. According to Powell, Cassie Gaines' final moments were particularly painful as she bled to death in his arms and that her throat had . Ronald Wayne Van Zant was born on 15 January 1948, in Jacksonville, Florida USA, to Lacy and Marion Van Zant. (which was the cause of death - blunt head trauma). On several occasions, the latter shined through. The crew did not explain what that indication was. As far as rock 'n roll legends go, the plane crash that killed three members of Lynyrd Skynyrd - Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, backing vocalist Cassie Gaines - as well as . Marc Frank remembers seeing complete and total despair. Lynyrd Skynyrd at press conference, January 1977, Tokyo, Japan. 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. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. That is not true. Rolling Stone reports that the bands security chief, Gene Odom, woke Van Zant and strapped him into a seat. "Born in the Bayou " 'Lynyrd Skynyrd', one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed Southern Rock groups of the 1970's, was founded in the mid-1960s when five friends - singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Gary Rossington, guitarist Allen Collins, bassist Leon Wilkeson, and drummer Bob Burns - formed at Robert E. Lee High School in Jacksonville, Florida, initially as the group . The album also rolled out their hit song Sweet Home Alabama, which was a response to Neil Youngs Southern Man. The song earned a number eight spot on the charts. News had spread about the crash and before too long an estimated 3,000 people had swarmed to the crash site. crash site who diagnosed, treated and helped stabilize crash victims during the evacuation and en route to hospitals. 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.