Ricky Nelson died in a plane crash on December 31, 1985. The crash occurred when a fire rapidly spread in the cabin of his Douglas DC-3 aircraft mid- flight near De Kalb, Texas. The fire was believed to have been caused by a faulty in-cabin heater. Nelson, along with six other passengers including his fiancé and several band members, died from burns and smoke inhalation. Both pilots survived the accident. Investigations ruled out drug use as the cause of the fire, though traces of cocaine were found in some passengers' bodies. Nelson had purchased the plane earlier that year, and it had experienced mechanical issues prior to the crash. He was 45 years old at the time of his death.
