Reba McEntire is now speaking up about the plane disaster that killed eight members of her band over three decades ago. Furthermore, she freely admits that the tragedy was, at times, almost too much for her to handle.
The incident occurred on March 16, 1991, after a concert in San Diego, California. Reba’s manager and seven of her band members left for their tour dates before she did. As a result of the cloudy weather around Otay Mountain, the plane had to make an emergency landing. The pilot and co-pilot, along with everyone else on board, were killed.
What Reba Said About the Plane Crash?
Reba said in an interview with PEOPLE, “I didn’t know if I was going to be able to continue, But it showed me how precious life is. And by the grace of God and my faith, I realised that they went on to a better place.”
The Christian singer from Fancy stated she “never blamed God” for the mishap. When she arrives at the Pearly Gates, though, she still has “questions” since she doesn’t fully grasp the circumstance.
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However, she now realises that the tragedy has taught her to cherish every moment she has with the people that matter most to her while she is still here on Earth. She went on to say that her experience taught her the importance of appreciating the small things in life. “Tell folks in your life how much you love and appreciate them.”
Reba McEntire’s singing career was on the line when she began using her voice to go over her loss. The Grammy-winning singer began work on her album For My Broken Heart right after the tragic accident. It took only eight months after the disaster for Reba to release the album. And to this day, it’s still her best-selling work.
She has close relationships with everyone (the band members). According to Jennifer Bohler, another one of McEntire’s spokespeople, some of her fans have been with her for years.
All of the band members and the tour manager, Jim Hammon, are as follows: Chris Austin, Paula Evans, Terry Jackson, Kirk Cappello, Michael Thomas, Anthony Saputo, Joey Cigainero.
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How the Incident Took Place?
Ten people were killed when a corporate plane carrying country star Reba McEntire and her entourage crashed into a mountain early Saturday morning, according to reports.
Federal Aviation Administration officials said the twin-engine Hawker Siddeley took off from Brown Field, a municipal airstrip in southern San Diego near the international border, at around 1:45 a.m. and crashed into Otay Mountain, which rises to 3,572 feet approximately 10 miles east of the airport. The plane’s pilot and co-pilot, along with seven members of the band and McEntire’s tour manager, perished in the crash.
Brekke stated that the controller made multiple radio calls to the pilot but was unsuccessful. The Navy controller at the North Island Naval Air Station in Coronado called the FAA at around 1:45 a.m., she said, reporting that he had observed a flashing light and an explosion near Otay Mountain.
At 2:14 a.m., the U.S. Border Patrol reported the crash was confirmed.
The debris from the crash was scattered across the snowy south slope of the mountain, according to the investigation team. McEntire had a show set for Saturday night in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, so the jet was first stopping in Amarillo, Texas to refuel.
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What Were the Views of McClanahan?
According to McClanahan, the jet was the first of two planes transporting McEntire’s crew to take off from Brown Field. McClanahan claimed that the interval between each plane’s takeoff was three minutes. The crashed plane was the first to take off. The second pilot couldn’t see anything.
They had no other means of communication other the fact that they had lost radio contact with one another. They persisted with the flight and ended up at Nashville. Bohler stated that the second plane’s band members learned of the crash while refuelling in Memphis.
Prestige Touring in Dallas rented the jet that crashed. Capt. Don Holms and First Officer Chris Hollinger were seasoned aviators, according to a business insider.
San Diego County medical examiner investigator George D. Dickason noted that due to “extensive trauma,” none of the 10 bodies could be positively recognised at first.
Elly Brekke, an FAA spokesman, said the plane was being flown visually, without approval or instruction from an air traffic control tower. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are looking into the disaster (NTSB).
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