Randy Rhoads, a renowned virtuoso guitarist known as a member of Ozzy Osbourne’s band and Quiet Riot, tragically died on March 19, 1982, in a plane crash. Rhoads’ death became one of the most heartbreaking events in rock music history. Here is the complete chronology of the incident:
On March 18, 1982, the tour bus carrying Ozzy Osbourne’s band stopped in Leesburg, Florida, for an air conditioning repair. They stopped at the property owned by Jerry Calhoun, a friend of the tour bus driver, Andrew Aycock, who happened to be a licensed pilot.
On the morning of March 19, 1982, Aycock invited several tour members for a short flight using a Beechcraft Bonanza F-35 aircraft owned by the homeowner. This was a small aircraft with a four-passenger capacity. Randy Rhoads, tour photographer Rachel Youngblood, and Aycock himself were on the plane. Rhoads, known for his fear of flying, was initially hesitant but eventually decided to join. On the first flight, Aycock took keyboardist Don Airey and tour manager Jake Duncan as passengers. Duncan later revealed that Aycock tried to “buzz” the bus in an attempt to wake up drummer Tommy Aldridge. After successfully completing a short flight without incident, the plane safely landed again.
On the second flight, Aycock took Randy Rhoads and makeup artist Rachel Youngblood as passengers. Rhoads had tried to persuade bassist Rudy Sarzo to join, but Sarzo chose to sleep in longer. During this second flight, Aycock performed dangerous maneuvers by flying low near the tour bus. This attempt was made several times, and on the first two passes, he successfully “buzzed” the tour bus. However, on the third attempt, around 10 AM, the plane was airborne for about five minutes when one of its wings clipped the top of the tour bus, causing the wing to break and the plane to lose control. The collision caused the plane to spin, and the heads of Rhoads and Youngblood struck the windshield. The plane then hit a pine tree, crashed into a nearby mansion’s garage, and burst into flames. All three occupants, Randy Rhoads, Andrew Aycock, and Rachel Youngblood, died instantly in the crash. Their bodies were burned beyond recognition, and Rhoads was identified through dental records and personal jewelry.
#Randy Rhoads
#ozzy Osbourne
