It was 38 years ago today that Lynyrd Skynyrd lost significant members in a tragic plane crash.

On October 20, 1977, after Lynyrd Skynyrd performed at Greenville Memorial Auditorium in South Carolina, the band boarded a chartered plane to Baton Rouge, Louisiana where they were scheduled to play at Louisiana State University. During the flight, the plane ran low on fuel due to a faulty engine and the pilots attempted to make an emergency landing. The plane crashed just outside Gillsburg, Mississippi killing six people on board including lead singer and co founder Ronnie Van Zant.

Three days before the plane crash, Lynyrd Skynyrd released their album Street Survivors which went on to be the groups second platinum album. Members of Lynyrd Skynyrd disband after the tragedy but would later come back together in 1987 headed by Ronnie Van Zant’s younger brother Johnny.