On This Day in 1990: Guitar Legend Stevie Ray Vaughan Killed in Helicopter Crash Alongside Eric Clapton’s Crew
via Dektopika / YouTube
Tragic Accident Unfolds
On August 27, 1990, guitar star Stevie Ray Vaughan died in a helicopter crash near Alpine Valley in East Troy, Wisconsin — he was 35 years old. After a show opening for Eric Clapton, Vaughan and three members of Clapton’s entourage boarded a Bell 206B Jet Ranger helicopter that crashed into a ski slope in thick fog just after takeoff. All five aboard were pronounced dead on arrival. The National Transportation Safety Board ruled the crash was due to controlled flight into terrain; the pilot did not reach enough height to clear the hill. No signs of drug or alcohol use were found. The coroner recorded the deaths as misadventure. Vaughan was buried on August 31 in Dallas, Texas.
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Final Moments and Details
In the backstage area, Vaughan had joked about a nightmare of seeing thousands at his funeral. After the concert, he and his brother Jimmie and Jimmie’s wife Connie learned there was only one seat available on the helicopter. Vaughan said, “Do you mind if I take the seat? I really need to get back.” He boarded along with Clapton’s agent, Bobby Brooks; bodyguard Nigel Browne; assistant tour manager Colin Smythe; and pilot Jeff Brown. At about 1:00 a.m., the helicopter lifted off in dense fog and crashed nearly half a mile away, hitting a ski hill sharply at high speed.
Album Released After His Death
Less than a month later, on September 25, 1990, the album Family Style, the only studio work by Stevie and his brother Jimmie, was released. It hit number 7 on the Billboard 200. The album went on to win the 1991 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album.
In the months following Vaughan’s death, more than 5.5 million albums were sold in the U.S. by him. His total album sales in the U.S. now exceed 15 million units.
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