Death of Ricky Nelson
| Date | December 31, 1985, at 17:14 (CST) |
|---|---|
| Summary | In-flight fire |
| Site | Near De Kalb, Texas, U.S. |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Douglas DC-3 |
| Operator | privately owned |
| Registration | N711Y |
| Flight origin | Guntersville Municipal Airport, Guntersville, Alabama, U.S. |
| Destination | Dallas Love Field, Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
| Occupants | 9 |
| Passengers | 7 |
| Crew | 2 |
| Fatalities | 7 |
| Survivors | 2 |
American pop singer Ricky Nelson died during the crash-landing of his band's aircraft on December 31, 1985. The plane, a Douglas DC-3, was brought down mid-flight outside De Kalb, Texas, by a fire that rapidly spread from a suspected faulty in-cabin heater. Nelson and six others—including several band members and his girlfriend—were killed in the accident. Both pilots survived.