December 31, 1985: Douglas DC-3C (N711Y) near De Kalb, TX
On December 26, 1985, Singer/Actor Rick Nelson and his Stone Canyon Band left for a three-stop tour of the Southern United States. Following shows in Orlando, Florida, and Guntersville, Alabama, Nelson and his band members boarded the leased Douglas DC-3C (N711Y) in Guntersville and took off for a New Year's Eve performance in Dallas, Texas on December 31, 1985. About three hours into the flight, pilots Bradley Rank (Captain) and Jim Ferguson (Co-Pilot) reported smoke in the cabin to air traffic controllers in Fort Worth. Alternate airports were discussed by the crew, but it became apparent that the aircraft was in fact on fire and an emergency forced landing was necessary.
At approximately 5:14 PM (CST), the plane crash-landed in a cow pasture near De Kalb, Texas. The aircraft struck a utility pole and during rollout, crashed through a stand of trees. Pilots Rank and Ferguson, suffering from extensive 2nd and 3rd degree burns, were able to escape through the cockpit windows. They shouted to the passenger cabin, but there was no response. Rank and Ferguson backed away from the burning plane, fearing explosion. Ferguson stated that Rank told him, "Don't tell anyone about the heater, don't tell anyone about the heater."
Over the next few weeks, reports varied as to whether or not the plane was on fire before it crashed. Jim Burnett, then-Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), said that even though the plane was filled with smoke, it landed and came to a stop before it was swallowed by flames. As the accident investigation progressed, it was determined the small fires ignited along the aircraft’s flight path from burning aircraft debris confirmed the severity of the in-flight fire.
The NTSB conducted a year-long investigation and finally concluded that, while a definite cause was still unknown, the crash was probably due to a fire that was caused by the plane's cabin heater "acting up". When questioned by the NTSB, pilots Rank and Ferguson had different accounts of key events. According to Ferguson, the cabin heater was acting up after the plane took off. Ferguson continued that Rank kept going to the back of the plane to see if he could get the heater to function correctly and that Rank told Ferguson several times to turn the heater back on. "One of the times, I refused to turn it on," said Ferguson. He continued, "I was getting more nervous. I didn't think we should be messing with that heater en-route."
The media accounts of the in-flight fire likely being caused by Nelson and his passengers freebasing drugs was refuted by the NTSB investigation as no evidence was found to support such a claim. The NTSB concluded their investigation by saying the pilots failed to follow the emergency checklist procedures for the in-flight fire and not briefing passengers on evacuation. The exact cause of the fire was never determined, although an aircraft heater fuel leak was suspected.
ACCIDENT SITE SUMMARY:
In a way, researching this particular accident mirrored two others that I have previously researched. One involved another noted celebrity (Carole Lombard) in a DC-3. The other involved an in-flight fire in a DC-6 (UAL Flight 608 at Bryce Canyon, UT). The difference between these two accidents from the 1940s and this accident from 1985 was the amount (or lack) of remaining wreckage at the site.
The crash site of N711Y is situated on two parcels of private land used as grazing pasture for cows, cattle, and horses. Both parcels of land have changed very little since 1985 and many of the structures have remained. During my visit to the crash site, the utility pole struck by the aircraft has remained in the pasture since the accident. The property owner told me he has left the broken pole in memory of the tragedy.
During my visit, no aircraft wreckage was located along the fence and tree-line that designates the property boundaries. A stand of trees mark where the aircraft came to rest and burned. Some scarring of the trees is present, but little else defines the site. After the NTSB on-site investigation, a majority of the aircraft wreckage was removed for further inspection. It is unknown if the remaining smaller debris and soil was removed or smaller fragments of debris was covered with soil. After a few hours on-site, I found a total of three white paint chips from the aircraft.
The Williams House Museum in De Kalb features a variety of historical material from the accident and memorabilia of Rick Nelson. A portion of the DC-3’s tail section and tailwheel assembly was gifted to the museum for display by an unknown donor. Air Salvage of Dallas, the wreckage recovery firm that was contracted in 1986 to remove the wreckage retains the aircraft’s rudder flight control surface.
THE ADVENTURES OF OZZIE AND HARRIET
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet was a television show that aired on the ABC network from 1952 to 1966. The show featured Nelson family members Ozzie, Harriet, David and Ricky Nelson. It was during this time that Eric 'Rick' (aka 'Ricky') Nelson began his singing career.
After a string of hit songs, the demand for Rick Nelson's music declined until he recorded the hit song 'Garden Party' in 1971.
Personal problems and financial debt again slowed his singing career during the later part of the 1970s, but by the mid-1980s his singing career began to take off as tour dates were booked and demand for his music increased.
THE AIRCRAFT
The Douglas DC-3C (N711Y) was built in 1944 and carried serial number 13658. It was powered by two Pratt and Whitney R-1830-75 radial engines.
The modified aircraft was once owned by singer Jerry Lee Lewis and used as a corporate aircraft by the DuPont Family. In April 1985, Rick Nelson leased the aircraft for concert tour engagements with his Stone Canyon Band.
THE STONE CANYON BAND
Rick Nelson was not only traveling on tour with his band, but was also traveling with his fiance, Helen Blair.
In this photo, they are seen arriving at London's Heathrow Airport during a vacation in October 1985.
On July 15, 1985, Rick Nelson and members of The Stone Canyon Band performed at the Orange County Fair in Southern California. From left to right: Patrick Woodard - Bassist, Rick Intveld - Drummer, Rick Nelson and Bobby Neal - Guitarist.
Also traveling with Nelson on the tour were Andy Chapin - Keyboardist and Donald 'Clark' Russell who served as Nelson's Road Manager and Soundman.
DECEMBER 28-30, 1985
After performing a concert in Orlando, Florida, Nelson and his band flew to Guntersville, Alabama for a three day concert engagement at PJ's Alley. PJ's was owned by Nelson's friend and former guitarist-singer, Pat Upton.
On December 30th, Rick Nelson and The Stone Canyon Band finished the sold out concert. Rick Nelson closed the show with a rendition of Buddy Holly's song, Rave On. Ironically, Holly himself had chosen this song to close what would be his last performance at Clear Lake, Iowa on February 3, 1959.
Nelson's final words on stage that evening were, "Rave on for me!" as he and his band departed.
DECEMBER 31, 1985
On the morning of December 31, 1985, the crew and passengers were driven to Guntersville Airport to prepare for their departure to Dallas, Texas.
The pilots of N711Y consisted of Captain Bradley Rank and Kenneth Ferguson Jr. served as co-pilot.
The group was on a tight schedule with a scheduled New Years Eve appearance at the Park Suite Hotel in Dallas. The group intended to depart at 10:00 AM, but were delayed a few hours with problems starting one of the engines.
Nelson and his group spent the next four hours playing video games and having lunch in the airport's terminal as repairs were made to the aircraft.
LAST PHOTO
Before re-boarding the DC-3 at Guntersville, Rick Nelson posed for a final and what would ultimately be his last photo with PJ's Alley owner, Pat Upton.
After some work with the engine primer, the aircraft departed just after 2:00 PM.
The aircraft had reached a cruising altitude of 6,000 feet and was just over three hours into the flight when Ken Ferguson called Fort Worth Center requesting a turn to Texarkana with a "problem". At 5:11 PM, Captain Rank radioed that there was smoke in the cabin.
As the flight approached De Kalb it became clear that the flight was was not going to make it to any nearby airports. They needed to land immediately.
Some eyewitnesses had thought the pilots were trying to land on this stretch of road. However, the pilots were well commited to the cow pasture as they crossed over the road trailing fire and smoke.
THE ACCIDENT
With the wing flaps extended and the landing gear down, the aircraft approached the cow pasture.
The aircraft struck a utility pole and clipped transmission lines with its right wing. With a majority of it's fabric elevator control surfaces burned away, The DC-3 slammed into the cow pasture leaving tire marks in the soft ground and a trail of fire.
The aircraft bounced then rolled into a stand of trees at the far end of the field.
At 5:14 PM, the cross-country flight of N711Y ended with a fireball in a farmer's cow pasture. The response time was quick for emergency responders, but the severity of fire was more than most of their equipment could handle.
The De Kalb Fire Department Log on the evening of December 31, 1985 documented 15 paid and volunteer firefighters had responded to the accident site.
The Texarkana Fire Department was called to assist in controlling the fire which was fed by high octane aviation fuel and burning magnesium aircraft components.
The number two engine and extended right main landing gear is visible in this photograph taken on the evening of the accident.
This phototograph of the tail section of N711Y illustrates that the inflight fire consumed right-side elevator flight control surface.
The photograph also illustrates a smoke and soot pattern on the lower half of the vertical stabilizer that is characteristic of an inflight fire.
The photograph shows the left side of the aircraft with the left engine and propeller visible.
Tesitmony from the surviving pilots mention the left engine continued operating and the propeller spinning after the aircraft came to a stop. The inflight and subsequent post crash fire soon consumed the aircraft within minutes.
JANUARY 1, 1986 - NEW YEARS DAY
The following morning an aerial photograph captures the accident scene from above. Only the tail section and sections of the left and right wings remain at the scene.
ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION BEGINS
Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Aviation Administration began their investigations the day after the accident.
Even though the DC-3's right wing struck the telephone pole as it crossed into the pasture, it remained relatively intact. However, the outer left wing was torn off as it passed through the tree line.
This photo shows a fragment of the outer left wing leaning on the farmer's boundary fence bordering his property.
An NTSB investigator studies the tail section and in particular the 155,000 BTU Janitrol cabin heater that was installed near the tail section.
The investigation began to center on the gasoline-fed cabin heater as a possible cause of the fire.
This photograph of the left side of the tail section shows a relatively intact elevator flight control surface.
The aircraft came to rest on the property of Nona Wooderd. It's very possible that had the treeline not stopped the aircraft, it would have struck the Wooderd farm house causing further damage and casualties.
An NTSB investigator inspects the DC-3's wing root attepting to trace the source and path of the inflight fire.
As with most accidents involving severe fire damage, much of the initial cause evidence is destroyed, while some evidence such as soot patterns is created by the fire.
NTSB ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION CONCLUDES
James Burnett, NTSB Chairman, holds a press conference addressing media questions concerning the accident.
The NTSB deterrmined the probable cause as a cabin fire in the fuselage, but could not determine the source of the fire. However, it was susupected there was a fault in the cabin heater system. The flightcrew was held accountable for failing to follow the emergency procedures checklist.
JULY 26, 2014 - DE KALB, TEXAS
The Williams House Museum located on the main street in De Kalb was a great help in researching the story of this aircraft accident. They maintain a fine collection of historical material related to Rick Nelson.
A portion of this room was devoted to Rick Nelson and the tragic accident that claimed his life and others. The other half of the room is devoted to the late actor Dan Blocker of TV's "Bonanza".
I had the opportunity to view and inspect a portion of the aft fuselage and tailwheel assembly of N711Y. This fragment, now part of the Williams House Museum Collection was recovered from the crash site and taken to Dallas for the investigators to study. It was later brought back to De Kalb for display.
Still attached to the aft fusealge fragment is the aircraft's auto-pilot pitch servo. The unit was manufactured by Collins Radio and still exihibited fire damage.
After the accident, the tailwheel assembly was still attached and probably remained attached during the wreckage recovery.
This photo shows the tailwheel attach points cut by a saw and torch. This was most likely done after the investigation was completed.
I examined the tailwheel and found the only damage to the assembly, other than the attachment cuts, was that the tire had fire damage.
THE ACCIDENT SITE
The accident site covers two parcels of private farm land that is used for cattle grazing. I was able to gain access to the site with permission from the land owners.
This broken telephone pole was the first object to be struck by Nelson's DC-3. The aircraft's right wing sheared about 40 feet of the pole during its emergency landing in the pasture.
The land owner told me that he has been cutting weeds and grass around this broken pole for nearly 29 years. Something he has done in memory of those killed in the accident.
Unlike most of the crash sites I visit in the desert regions, Eastern Texas is a little different in dangerous creatures to watch for.
The farmer made me aware of the possibility of encountering Water Mocassin or Cottonmouth snakes (he said he killed a couple of them the previous week) and of course to be aware of the Bull that wanders the pasture.
It didn't take me long to find the Bull. We kept an eye on each other, and while I didn't go up and give him a hug, he didn't charge at me either. We just kind of stared at one another, each waiting for a wrong move. He left little doubt that this was HIS pasture.
1986
This view of the pasture from January 1, 1986 helped me line up the aircraft's ground track. A photograph such as this is invaluable in orienting the crash site years later.
2014
The same view as the above photo was taken during my visit to the accident site in July 2014.
After crashing through a property boundary fence and trees, the burning DC-3 came to rest at the second treeline.
A mix of lush vegetation covered most of the site. On my visit temperatures were in the upper 90's to low 100's. The humidity was about the same in percentage. Not too comfortable. After a while I found some evidence of an aircraft wreck.
These two small paint chips, plus another I found later was the only physical evidence of the aircraft located at the site. The paint chips appear to have come from one of the aircraft's fabric covered control surfaces.
A aircraft accident recovery service in the Dallas, Texas area maintains the rudder of N711Y on it's hangar wall. The company that owns this fragment was contracted by the NTSB and aircraft's insurance company to recover the wreckage of Nelson's DC-3.
IN MEMORY
Over a 1,500 miles from the quiet and peaceful cow pasture in De Kalb, Texas is a star on Hollywood Blvd. A final tribute to the singing career of Rick Nelson.
Rick Nelson, 45
Helen Blair, 27
Patrick Woodward, 35
Rick Intveld, 23
Andy Chapin, 30
Bobby Neal, 38
Donald 'Clark' Russell, 35
***THE END***