The hotbed of pro wrestling was the Mid Atlintic Championship Wrestling in 1975. Some of the top wrestling talent in the United States worked for the Crocketts and it seemed nothing could sidetrack their success. On October 4, 1975, the Mid-Atlantic took a hit when a Cessna 310 plane, carrying promoter Dave Crockett and four wrestlers, took off from Charlotte for Wilmington, NC en route to a show that evening at Legion Stadium. While approaching the runway the plane ran out of gas and started cropping treetops and ended up crashing to the ground! Inside the plane with David Crockett was the legendary Tim Woods (Mr. Wrestling), equally legendary Johnny Valentine, Bob Bruggers, and a young rookie named Ric Flair. Bob Bruggers broke his back and never wrestled again. Johnny Valentine also broke his back and never wrestled again due to a bone fracture wedging itself into his spinal column, forcing his back to be re-attached with a clamp. Ric Flair broke his back and was told he'd never walk again, let alone wrestle, but he miraculously returned a year later and continues to wrestle today over 25 years later! Tim Woods also recovered and enjoyed many more years inside the ring as an active wrestler. The pilot (Joseph Michael Farkas) was not as lucky as his passengers, as he passed away after several weeks of battling for his life.