What's this? This is an unbiased just-the-facts news timeline ('newsline') about Ritchie Valens, created by Newslines contributors. Become a contributor

Ritchie Valens

Ritchie Valens1 post
Biography view > Click for Latest News view
3 Feb, 1959

Dies in airplane crash

Death0 Comments

Holly-plane-crashOn their wayu to Moorhead, Minnesota, the next venue in their Winter Dance Party Tour, Buddy Holly, 22, Jiles P Richardson, 28, and Ritchie Valens, 17, die in a plane crash shortly after take-off from Clear Lake, Iowa, at 0100 local time. Holly hires the single-engined Beechcraft Bonanza plane after heating problems developed on his tourbus. Reports from the scene suggest the aircraft spun out of control during a light snowstorm. The performers where thrown clear on impact. The pilot is also killed, his body was found inside the wreckage. Only the pilot’s body was found inside the wreckage as the performers were thrown clear on impact.