Rossington was one of twenty passengers who survived the infamous October 20 , 1977 , plane crash near Gillsburg , Mississippi , that claimed the lives of Lynyrd Skynyrd members Ronnie Van Zant , Steve Gaines , Cassie Gaines , and three others . As the passengers braced for impact , Rossington recalls hearing what sounded like hundreds of baseball bats hitting the plane 's fuselage as it began striking trees . The sound got louder and louder until Rossington was knocked unconscious ; he awoke some time later on the ground with the plane 's door on top of him . Days later , Rossington was informed in hospital by his mother that Van Zant and the others had been killed . Despite breaking both arms , legs , wrists , and ankles , as well as his pelvis , Rossington recovered from his injuries and played on stage again ( with steel rods in his right arm and right leg )
plane crash
1977 Mississippi CV-240 crash
Gary Rossington