Just the facts....NOT.

My buddy Chuck Rosetti challenged me and some of our friends (on Facebook) to "tell a story that most people wouldn't know bout you or would be surprised to hear."

I've done a lot of dumb things in my radio career. This is just one of many..

Back in the mid eighties when I was at KBIG, there was a report of Crash and Rescue units setting up at the Hilo Airport runway. I was immediately dispatched with a Two Way Unit to go and report live what was happening. I got to the area known as "Blue Lights" where several other gawkers were already there, wondering if we were gonna see an emergency landing. My heart was pounding in my chest. I got on the two-way and told the station that I was ready to go on.

This is where I should've stopped. I should've asked for some details. Plus,I wasn't even a newsman anyway.I was going on pure adrenalin. Parked next to me was a friend who shall go nameless. (Hi Darryl) He was as full of it as I was and started saying what he THOUGHT was going on.

"Looks like they've got an emergency landing situation. I've seen this before. The plane is probably flying around and dumping it's fuel. Stewardess is probably going over emergency procedures with the passengers." He sounded like he knew what he was talking about.

"DC here at Blue Lights. Right now...the plane is dumping it's fuel..probably... somewhere out beyond the Big Island. Maybe out far where no houses will get hit..with...um, fuel oil. Gas. We're being told that um.. .um..somethings wrong with the landing gear and that's why the emergency crews are being called out to be ready for the plane's ..um..imminent arrival. Stewardesses are explaining emergency procedures. That's all we know. Back to you at base."

About a minute after I made my report, our newsman Joe Ruble came over on the Two Way Unit:

"Civil Defense just called. It's a drill."

I just sat there in the station jeep with my mouth open. I looked over at Darryl and he was already digging out. I rolled up my windows and quickly drove off.

To this day, whenever I see Rodney Pacheco, we 'cry laugh' recalling this story.

I'm sure this is why I've never been asked to be a newsman.

DC


(DC is host of the B97-B93 morning show on the Big Island of Hawaii. He's afraid to fly but covers it up with non-stop chatter during takeoff)