Preparing For Impact
That’s when most of them, the sober ones at least, saw that the right propeller was no longer working. Terror engulfed the cabin, and the pilots were frantically trying to radio into the local Houston Air Traffic Control. They stated that they had a fuel issue and were going to have to make an emergency landing. As soon as it seemed like the worst of the flight was going to pass, the true nightmare set in.
Source: lparchive.org
Band members Artimus Pyle and Billy Powell went to the cockpit to see what was happening. Apparently, the pilots’ eyes were full of terror, and they told the guys to go back to their seats and prepare for impact. Following orders, the band buckled in. Gene Odom then took Van Zant, who was drunk and laying in the middle of the aisle and strapped him into the seat upfront.