TORONTO – On Feb. 3, 1959 an airplane carrying music legends Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson crashed, killing everyone on board.
On Wednesday, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said they’re considering reopening an investigation into the tragic crash, according to a report by the Mason City Globe Gazette.
The original Civil Aeronautics Board investigation 56 years ago blamed the crash on poor weather and pilot error. The tragedy shook the music world and was later dubbed “the day the music died” by singer Don McLean in his hit song “American Pie.”
Pilot L.J. Coon asked NTSB to reopen a probe into the deadly event and to reconsider the original findings, the Globe Gazette reported.
Coon told the Globe Gazette said he hopes the NTSB reviews his actions during the fateful flight and realizes “the heroic effort that took place in those 4.9 miles.” Earlier this year Coon told the Pilot Tribune the originally findings are an injustice for Roger Peterson, the 21-year-old pilot also killed in the crash.
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“What got me is they said he was not familiar with this airplane, which is a crock. If you drove your car out to California and to new York and Florida a few times, you would probably be familiar with how the lights worked and a few other things,” Coon told the Tribune.
“If the NTSB determines that this petition meets the criteria, then we will examine any new evidence presented and determine its merit,” the NTSB said in a statement.
According to the NTSB, petitions to review previous investigations are only considered upon the discovery of new evidence or if the original findings are erroneous.
Holly, who had just left his band the Crickets, had teamed up with Valens and Richardson for a concert in Clear Lake, Iowa on Feb. 2, 1959. The group had experienced bus trouble and chose instead to charter a small plane to their next tour date in Moorhead, Minnesota.
The plane went down shortly after takeoff, killing the young musicians and the pilot.
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