i can't remember bill's exact telling of it in the doc, i have it conflated with daniel's version and gibby haynes' version, who was the first person to tell me about it. it was almost immediately after his triumphant return to Austin to play at the music awards during SXSW...
I can't recall the moment I heard about the crash, but I still clearly remember walking around the packed auditorium during Daniel's mammoth mini-set prior to the ill-fated flight (and seeing him heading out the backstage door afterwards). His performance was awe-inspiring, with a packed crowd going utterly nuts over Dan playing solo acoustic. He was unquestionably the hit of the night, to fans and those who'd never heard of him alike.
It's hard to believe how big a (metaphorical) dive he took in that plane -- he was considered to be such "damaged goods" that I actually had to take part in a conspiracy just to get him back onstage at SXSW three or four whole years later (1997).
- not daniel