The day of the plane crash

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Paul Wolfe
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The day of the plane crash

Post by Paul Wolfe »

A few years ago I read an article in a magazine (Guitar World?) called The Plane Truth. In that article there was mention of Ozzy going into the burning house to pull out the owner, who was deaf.

So the other day I was reading an article from Sounds magazine dated April 24th, 1982. In this article Ozzy says, "Don Airey deserves a George Cross. He went into the house that was on fire to try and save someone."

I found it interesting that a month after the fact, Ozzy said it was Don who went into the house and decades lter it is reported that it was Ozzy who went in.
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Ell
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Post by Ell »

From what i've heard about Don I wouldn't be surprised if it was him, according to most people he is a really good person. Maybe the press made a mistake assuming it was just Ozzy because he is very well known or I don't know. But I think it definately could have been Don.
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Post by skezza »

I WAS TOLD IT WAS TOMMY ALDRIDGE :shock:
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Ell
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Post by Ell »

"Hold on, I thought it was Sharron!", I can't wait till I hear this one. Maybe in her next book.
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Post by GUITARIDOL5682 »

From what i've read over the years it was Don Airey who went into the burning building to see if anyone was in the house.I think the owner was asleep and he dragged him out.Ozzy later mentions in an interview that Don Airey should of been giving a medal for what he went through that day.So the Ozzy going into the house tale has been a bit glossed up for the press.Ozzy and Sharon were both asleep until the accident happened,and i couldn't see Ozzy being that alert.Plus Don had just been up in the plane prior to Randy and Rachel taken photos of the tour bus below.
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Post by GUITARIDOL5682 »

skezza wrote:I WAS TOLD IT WAS TOMMY ALDRIDGE :shock:
Yeah Joe,
You are correct on this one when you read Rudy's book (if you haven't read the book do not read this bit) it goes into detail from the plane crashing, and who was where! doing what ! etc.Tommy and Don went over to the crash site and tried to put the flames out with a small fire extinguisher but it was useless.They entered the house and the owner was sitting having breakfast reading his newspaper.He was very hard of hearing and he didn't know what had happened until he seen the smoke.They got him out of there quick and looked for a phone,to get in touch with the emergency services,remember this was the days before cellular/mobile phones.So Tommy and Don did all they could in a useless situation which was doomed from the minute Randy stepped onto that plane.
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Post by Paul Wolfe »

Does Rudy mentio Tommy and the big bag of cocaine he found by the driver's seat?
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Post by GUITARIDOL5682 »

RockyRhoads wrote:Does Rudy mentio Tommy and the big bag of cocaine he found by the driver's seat?
Hi Rocky,
I haven't finished the book yet but up to now the only mention of cocaine with Andy Aycock is on the toxology reports.
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Post by Stiltzkin »

GUITARIDOL5682 wrote:up to now the only mention of cocaine with Andy Aycock is on the toxology reports.
I wonder if he was stoned when he flew the plane
or if he had taken it on an earlier occasion ? :shock: :?:
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Post by Paul Wolfe »

According to the autopsy reports, the pilot had coke in his blood.

For those uninitiated with the story, Tommy Aldridge has said that during all the chaos of the accident, he found a "gallon-size" ziplock freezer bag of cocaine in the compartment next to the bus driver's seat (where the driver would keep his personal belongings). Tommy thought it'd cause a lot of problems if the cops found the drugs with a etal band, so he through it into the woods...
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Post by Stiltzkin »

I never heard about the drivers stash, just that he had coke in his blood.
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Post by GUITARIDOL5682 »

Stiltzkin wrote:I wonder if he was stoned when he flew the plane
or if he had taken it on an earlier occasion ? :shock: :?:
I would say that he was stoned when he went up in the plane.If he had a LARGE bag of driving dust i think he would of been taking it to keep him awake.Plus he had just done a long drive prior to offering people joy rides in planes.Anyone else would of been tired and would of been in need of some sleep.When you read Off the Rails he (Andy Aycock) sounds like he was a bit of a loner and didn't bother to mix with the crew or the band while on tour but then starts offering them plane rides etc.I think he must of been some what hyper that day.
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Post by SunKing »

I just finished reading Rudy's book. It seems to me that Rudy feels Andy may have crashed the plane intentinally. Rudy mentions that Andy was having relationship troubles, and that his wife was on the tour bus - yet didn't receive a scratch. Rudy seemed suspicious of her story.
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Post by The Flying Dutchman »

Tommy Aldrigde thinks it was just a stupid plane accident.
It would be nice to hear Don Airey's comments on that, he saw it all and also the possible struggle. Rudy was still in the bus.

I have finished Rudy's book as well, and one thing I found a bit particular though:
On the last night ( 18 march) the band was watching a movie about Midway....... In the movie "Midway" there is a lot of Japanese kamikaze flying with actual footage taken during that battle. Maybe Andy had seen that movie as well and got 'inspired' somehow? I suspect he was just 'joking' and it went terrible wrong..... I don't think he had the intention to kill anyone, but who knows.....?
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Post by dogfall »

The most Important part of this I think everyone is missing is... Don and Jake went up First and everything is smooth no problems!
And the driver offered a ride to Rachael Youngblood ,this was suppose to be a short flight because she had a heart condition and any acrobatic flying stunts could have caused her to have an attack he knew that and it was discussed before they took off.

This was the only reason Randy agreed to fly because it was suppose to be short and safe for Rachael's sake as discussed. Why would this Idiot act out knowing Rachael's condition? it just don't add up .
It's clear he had other things on his mind.

The only other thing I could think of is maybe the guy was way coked up and had a stroke himself in flight or it was FUI aka DUI related.

I know The struggle is believed by a few people inside the Rhoads camp and also makes this subject very hard to speak about around some people.

In my opinion and personal experiences,anyone who keeps a gallon bag of coke under the seat has issues.
Last edited by dogfall on Thu May 03, 2007 2:15 am, edited 1 time in total.
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