The Day the Music Died

Unless youre under age 30 or live in a remote village in Mongolia, youve likely heard the 1971 Don McLean song American Pie, in which the events on the night of February 2-3, 1959 are recalled. That night, three of Americas top rock musicians died in a tragic aviation accident in Iowa. The accident is ingrained in American culture. I cant think of a better example of an accident worth researching for lessons to learn.

Tim Vasquez

Sunday, December 16, 2018 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

The 1959 plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper was primarily attributed to pilot spatial disorientation shortly after takeoff. This was caused by an unfamiliar and non-standard artificial horizon combined with the loss of visual references in deteriorating weather conditions.
Contributing factors included the pilot's relative inexperience with instrument flight, severe cold, widespread snow, and a high risk of moderate to heavy airframe icing along the route, with indications the pilot did not receive all pertinent weather advisories.

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Unless you’re under age 30 or live in a remote village in Mongolia, you’ve likely heard the 1971 Don McLean song “American Pie,” in which the events on the night of February 2-3, 1959 are recalled. That night, three of America’s top rock musicians died in a tragic aviation accident in Iowa. The accident is ingrained in American culture. I can’t think of a better example of an accident worth researching for lessons to learn.

The Fateful Day

Don McLean said that his song refers to the loss of these musicians and the culture that followed. At the time, McLean was a 13 year-old boy in Westchester County, New York, but the event impressed him deeply: “with every paper that I’d delivered, bad news on the doorstep.”