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Stephen Ray Vaughan

October 3, 1954 - August 27, 1990

From Wiki:

On Monday, August 27, 1990, at 12:50 a.m. (CDT), Vaughan and members of Eric Clapton's touring entourage boarded a Bell 206B helicopter (registration N16933) at Alpine Valley Resort in East Troy, Wisconsin, to travel to Midway International Airport in Chicago, after he concluded an all-star encore jam session at Alpine Valley Music Theatre. A return flight was scheduled for later that night, but when the encore finished, Vaughan was eager to return to Chicago and made the decision to leave immediately. The designated helicopter originally had three seats available, but Vaughan ultimately took the last remaining seat. The helicopter crashed into a nearby ski hill shortly after takeoff.

Vaughan and the four others on board - pilot Jeff Brown, agent Bobby Brooks, bodyguard Nigel Browne, and tour manager Colin Smythe - were all killed. Most fans in the area were unaware of the initial impact, but according to a catering director at the resort, she remembered hearing a boom and felt her trailer shake. The helicopter was identified as being owned by Chicago-based company Omniflight Helicopters. Initial reports of the crash falsely claimed that Clapton had also been killed in the accident.

According to findings from an inquest conducted by the coroner's office in Elkhorn, Vaughan suffered from "massive internal and skull injuries", in addition to severe trauma and rib fractures. The coroner theorized that all five victims were killed instantly, given the severity of their injuries. The bodies were taken to the morgue at Lakeland Medical Center in Elkhorn, where they were kept for relatives and friends to help identify them.

As the subsequent investigation determined, when the aircraft departed, it was operated in foggy weather conditions and visibility was reportedly under two miles, according to a local forecast. The National Transportation Safety Board report stated: "As the third helicopter was departing, it remained at a lower altitude than the others, and the pilot turned southeasterly toward rising terrain. Subsequently, the helicopter crashed on hilly terrain about three-fifths of a mile from the takeoff point." It indicated that the pilot was not qualified to fly the helicopter in foggy weather conditions at night (instrument meteorological conditions). Brown's Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records showed that he was qualified to fly by instruments in an airplane, but not in a helicopter. Toxicology tests performed on the victims revealed no traces of drugs or alcohol in their systems.

Vaughan's funeral services were held on August 31, 1990, at Laurel Land Cemetery in Dallas, Texas. His body was set in a wooden casket that quickly became adorned with bouquets of flowers, which was carried in a white hearse. An estimated 3,000 mourners were in attendance at the procession. Among attendees at the public ceremony were Jeff Healey, Charlie Sexton, ZZ Top, Colin James, and Buddy Guy. Vaughan was entombed under a grave marker that reads: "Thank you... for all the love you passed our way."