Today in Pro Wrestling History (October 4): A Terrible Plane Crash in the Carolinas

Today in Pro Wrestling History: On October 4th, 1975, a twin-engine Cessna airplane carrying Ric Flair, Johnny Valentine, David Crockett, ‘Mr. Wrestling’ Tim Woods, and Bob Bruggers went down near the Wilmington, NC, airport. This incident would have a profound impact on the wrestling world and nearly ended the career of one of its biggest stars before it truly began.

Today in Pro Wrestling History (October 4): A Terrible Plane Crash in the Carolinas

Today in Pro Wrestling History (October 4): A Terrible Plane Crash in the Carolinas
On October 4th, 1975, a twin-engine Cessna airplane carrying Ric Flair, Johnny Valentine, David Crockett, ‘Mr. Wrestling’ Tim Woods, and Bob Bruggers went down near the Wilmington, NC, airport.

The wrestlers miraculously survived the crash despite severe injuries, but sadly, the pilot succumbed to his injuries two months later.

This incident dramatically altered the landscape of Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling and the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA).

For Ric Flair, it marked a turning point in his career.

You can learn more about the event in our piece: 2 Plane Crash Tragedies that Changed Wrestling Forever.

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