A memorial at the crash site honored the victims on the 50th anniversary.
A federal commission has declined a New England man’s request to reopen the investigation into the 1959 plane crash near Clear Lake that killed three rock ‘n’ roll musicians.
The Civil Aeronautics Board had ruled in 1959 that pilot error was the most likely cause of the crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, “The Big Bopper” J.P. Richardson and pilot Roger Peterson that February. Snow was listed as a secondary cause.
The National Transportation Safety Board last week issued a letter stating that evidence presented in a request from pilot L. J. Coon was not sufficient to have them reconsider the findings of the original investigation.
Coon has said that there were other issues that should be considered as causes of the crash, including weight and balance calculations and fuel-gage readings. Coon did not respond to requests to comment about the NTSB’s decision.
(Reporting by Bob Fisher, KRIB, Mason City)