Four Killed in Clear Lake Plane Crash

Nationally-Known Rock 'n' Rollers, Lake Man Victims
Four persons, three identified as nationally famous rock 'n' roll singers, died early Tuesday in a plane crash five miles north of Clear Lake. The three singers were Buddy Holly, 22, Texas, Ritchie Valens, 21, Los Angeles, and J.P. Richardson, 24, of Louisiana, known professionally as the "Big Bopper." Also killed was the pilot of the plane, Roger Peterson, 21, Clear Lake.
The entertainers had appeared at the Surf Ballroom Monday night and were to appear at Fargo, N.D., Tuesday night.
Other members of the troupe which appeared at Clear Lake left after the show by chartered bus for Fargo. They are Dion and the Belmonts, Frankie Sardo, and the Crickets, of which Holly was the singing star.
Apparently Holly, Valens and Richardson decided to fly in order to arrive ahead of the troupe and make advance preparations. The single-engine, four-place Beechcraft Bonanza left the Mason City Municipal airport shortly after 1 a.m. It crashed about seven miles northwest of the airport. The plane was owned by the Dwyer Flying Service, Mason City.
The trip tofargowas expected to take about 3 1/2 hours. When no word of theplane's arrival was heard, Jerry Dwyer, owner of the flying service, set out to look for the party. He was delayed several hours because of early morning fog.
Dwyer discovered the wreckage on the Albert Juhl farm at about 9:30 a.m.
It was obvious that the pilot had been flying on a straight northwest line and was at a very low angle to the ground when he hit. The field slopes slightly toward the northwest.
The left wing of the plane seemingly struck the ground and plowed a furrow for about a dozen feet before it crumpled and the body of the plane hit. It dug a shallow depression in the stubble field and the wing fell off as the rest of the plane bounced. It struck the ground again about 50 feet farther northwest and then skidded on the ground about two city blocks until it piled up against a fence. The wreckage was a jumbled mass which would not have been recognized as a plane.
Along the skid path small bits of the plane and its contents were strewn. There was a man's shoe, a traveling bag and small pieces of the plane, including parts of the instrument panel. The bag was the largest piece except for the wing, the jumble against the fence and three bodies. One body was broken and entangled in the wreckage. Two bodies were lying about 12 feet south and southwest of the plane. Another body was lying about 40 feet northwest of the plane. No bodies were positively identified at the scene. Newsmen and others were barred from the scene until 11:30 a.m. after Dr. Ralph E. Smiley, acting coroner, arrived. Authorities do not yet know the cause of the accident. Some believe, however, that ice may have formed on the wings or windshield making a forced landing necessary.
Dwyer said he didn't have the "faintest idea" why the plane crashed. He said the craft was in good condition. He said Peterson was a competent pilot and weather conditions were favorable for flying.
He estimated that the plane crashed only "a couple of minutes" after taking off. Dwyer said that Peterson did not file a flight plan. Dwyer became worried when Peterson failed to report back from Fargo and checked other airports in Iowa, Minnesota and the Dakota area. The bodies were taken to funeral homes in Clear Lake.
Two investigators from the Civil Areonautics Administration were sent from Des Moines to investigate the cause of the accident. Peterson was married less than a year ago. His wife is employed at the accounting department of KGLO-TV. They were living in the Armsbury Cottages on North Shore Dr. in Clear Lake.
Peterson came to Clear Lake from Storm Lake. He taught flying for the Dwyer Flying Service.
The troupe, on its fourth national tour, was booked by General Artists, Chicago. The boking firm said when other artists heard of the deaths, they volunteered to keep the tour going. These included Bill Haley and his Comets, Bill Parsons and Frankie Avalon - all rock 'n' roll favorites.
 

American Pie - Don Mclean