Absolutely not! This is probably the question that I get asked most in e-mail about the Feb. 3, 1959 plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valend & J.P. Richardson. Actually this is an urban legend that somehow got started on the internet and no one seems to know who started it. In any case, it is absolutely untrue. The plane, a Beechcraft Bonanza was only identified by it's number, N3794N. The owner at the time of the crash was Jerry Dwyer of Mason City Iowa and the pilot was 21-year-old Roger Peterson. There are many sites on the net that dispel urban legends and below is a link to one that discusses the rumor about the plane. Quite honestly, I think this one probably got started because Don McLean paid tribute to Buddy Holly in 1971 with the song American Pie. (Don dedicated that album to Buddy) However, that was many many years down the road from 1959. At the time of the crash, Buddy Holly was a very popular rock and roll star but not the legend that he is today. Anyway, if you hear anyone spreading this certain urgan legend around, send them here: