Federal board declines request to reopen Buddy Holly crash
CLEAR LAKE (IOWA) — The National Transportation Safety Board has declined a request to reopen the investigation of the Iowa plane crash that killed musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and JP “The Big Bopper” Richardson.
Photo of the aviation accident known as "The Day the Music Died", that occurred on February 3, 1959, near Clear Lake, Iowa. Photo: Public Domain/Civil Aeronautics Board
CLEAR LAKE (IOWA) — The National Transportation Safety Board has declined a request to reopen the investigation of the Iowa plane crash that killed musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and JP “The Big Bopper” Richardson.
The Civil Aeronautics Board ruled in 1959 that the most likely cause of the crash was pilot error. Snow was listed as a secondary caused.
In a letter dated April 21, the agency said the evidence presented in a request from pilot LJ Coon wasn’t sufficient to merit the reconsideration of the findings of the original investigation. Mr Coon had contended that there were other issues involving weight and balance calculations, fuel-gauge readings and more that contributed to the crash.
Mr Coon didn’t respond to a request for comment yesterday (April 27( on the decision from the Mason City Globe Gazette. AP
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