Rising American rock stars Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P.
“The Big Bopper” Richardson, along with the pilot, were killed
when their chartered Beechcraft Bonanza plane crashed in
Iowa a few minutes after takeoff from Mason City on a flight
headed for Moorhead, Minnesota. Investigators blamed the
crash on bad weather and pilot error.

Pictured above is a Beechcraft Bonanza similar to the one
chartered for the flight.  

Memorial at crash site, 2024.

                   
CARLATA BRADLEY

ED DANAHUE

Jane Fonda with father Henry Fonda.

Actress, activist and fitness guru Jane Fonda, known for
her roles in films like "Klute," "Barbarella" and "9 to 5."
is 88 years young today.

A Delta Air Lines McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30, similar
to the one involved.

On July 31, 1973, Delta Flight 723 struck a concrete seawall
as it descended into Boston’s Logan International Airport
amid heavy ground fog.

The collision broke off some of the fuselage and the plane
slimed into the ground, breaking apart and bursting into
flames.

Almost all on board died instantly in what became the worst
air disaster at Logan and in all of New England.