Died On This Date (February 3, 1959) Roger Peterson / Pilot of Flight Carrying Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens & The Big Bopper
themusicsover Roger Peterson
May 24, 1937 – February 3, 1959
Roger Peterson was a young pilot who happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time when the small aircraft he was piloting during a cold wintry morning in 1959 crashed, killing three of pop music’s biggest stars in a tragedy that has been called “the day the music died.” On board the Beachcraft plane on that tragic day were Buddy Holly, J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson, and Ritchie Valens – all, including Peterson, were killed when the plane crashed into an Iowa cornfield. In the immediate aftermath of the crash, Peterson was the target of blame by family and fans of the performers, but he would later be vindicated. One theory is that the plane was equipped with an unusual gyroscope that read upside down from what most pilots were accustomed to. Peterson may have thought he was gaining altitude when he was actually descending. Another theory is that he was not informed of the treacherous weather conditions as he should have. Either way, Roger Peterson, a well-trained and experienced pilot went down with his plane at the age of 21.
