Says Pilot Wasn't Drinking While Flying

Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee spoke out recently against allegations David Martz, his friend and frequently his helicopter pilot, flew erratically and under the influence of alcohol in an incident two weeks ago.

"There was nothing scary about it. Motley Crue did a show in Palm Springs, out in the desert, and we were flying the helicopter back. This house was on fire about 30 minutes outside of Van Nuys airport, where we were going to land," Lee told contactmusic.com.

"So there was this house on fire, you could see all this smoke coming up. And I said, 'Let's go over there and check it out.' We flew close to the house to check it out, and apparently we got into the police's airspace. But we were so far away from them. I still don't understand. Like, there was no way we (were) that close."

Lee insists his pilot wasn't drinking while flying. "We were on the ground, and I had in my backpack a bottle of vodka mixed with lemonade. As soon as we landed my pilot, Dave, said, 'Hey! Where's that vodka?' I grabbed it, and he takes two big giant sips straight out of the vodka bottle.

"Right when he was drinking it the (LAPD) cops walked out and said, 'Who's the pilot of that helicopter?' And he's like, 'That would be me.' So they thought he was drinking. But he doesn't drink and fly - ever. That's stupid. So that's what the whole deal was. They gave him a sobriety test and all that. He's like, 'Guys, I just had two shots of vodka after we landed, now it's a little late to be testing me, do you know what I mean?' So that was it. No big deal."

The FAA is investigating this incident... as well as a lewd videotape made during a 2007 flight by Martz, with passenger adult film actress Puma Swede.

FMI: www.lapdonline.org, www.tommylee.tv