Randall William Rhoads

Randall William Rhoads (December 6, 1956 – March 19, 1982)

A devoted student of classical guitar, Rhoads combined his classical music influences with his own heavy metal style. Known for combining classical and heavy metal music together, his work on Osbourne's first two solo albums "Blizzard of Ozz" and "Diary of a Madman" are hailed today for their ingenuity, and songs like "Crazy Train" and "Flyin' High Again" are considered heavy metal classics. At the time of his death, Rhoads had already made the decision to part ways with Osbourne once his contractual obligations had been fulfilled. Although he had a good relationship with Osbourne, Rhoads grew increasingly frustrated at Osbourne's heavy drug use and how it was affecting the band's performances. Rhoads played his last show on Thursday, March 18, 1982, at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum. After driving much of the night, the group stopped at Flying Baron Estates in Leesburg, Florida, to fix a malfunctioning air conditioning unit on the bus while Osbourne remained asleep. On the property, owned by the Calhoun Brothers tour bus company, there was an airstrip with small helicopters and planes. Without permission, tour bus driver and private pilot Andrew Aycock took a single-engine Beechcraft F35 plane registered to a Mike Partin. Aycock had, according to a report from the National Transportation Safety Board, commandeered the aircraft from the nearby Flying Baron Estates after deciding to stay the night at plane owner Jerry Calhoun's home -- a Georgian-style mansion adjacent to the airstrip. Aycock, who lived nearby, was reportedly friends with Calhoun, a country singer. Osbourne, his manager and future wife Sharon, bassist Rudy Sarzo, drummer Tommy Aldridge and keyboardist Don Airey were asleep in an adjacent tour bus. Aycock made as many as three passes over the home, apparently in a joy-riding attempt to buzz over the other band members. On the final pass, the plane clipped the tour bus, spun out of control, hit a nearby pine tree and then nose dived into the house. The ensuing fireball killed all three passengers, who were left unrecognizable by the flames.

Rhoads had to be identified by his jewelry. Remarkably, no one was injured in Calhoun's home. The report issued from the NTSB, which investigates plane crashes like Rhoads', said this tragedy was the result of of poor judgment: "The pilot, who was a rock group driver, took an aircraft from the hangar without permission to joy ride members of the group," the report states. The FAA conducted toxicology tests on the plane's occupants, concluding that Rhoads had only nicotine in his system. Aycock reportedly tested positive for trace amounts of cocaine. Rhoads was 25 at the time of his death, and is interred at Mountain View Cemetery in San Bernardino, California.