Authorities in Arizona say that Vince Neil, lead singer of the band Mötley Crüe, owned a private jet that quickly skidded off a runway and crashed into a parked private jet on Monday, killing the co-pilot of the other jet. The landing gear failed.
Along with Neil, the second pilot, Neil’s girlfriend Rain Hannah, and her friend were also hurt in the crash at Scottsdale Airport. A fifth person in the parked jet refused emergency help. Neil wasn’t on the flight.
The City of Scottsdale said on its website, “Based on early reports, the Learjet’s left main landing gear failed during landing, causing the collision.” “Airport operations staff and emergency personnel from Scottsdale Fire Station 609 responded to the scene within one minute of the collision.”
Fox 10 Phoenix says that the Learjet’s wheels could be seen about 100 yards from the scene of the crash.
The Scottsdale Police Department said the pilot who died was Joie Vitosky, who was 78 years old. Records from the FAA show that he has been licensed as a flight engineer since 1978 and as a pilot since 2019.
Ann Vitosky, Vitosky’s ex-wife, told the Associated Press that he joined the Marine Corps when he was in his early 20s because he wanted to fly. Vitosky was from Okemah, Oklahoma. He trained to be an officer in the Marine Corps and flew helicopters in Vietnam in 1969, she said. He started flying Learjets after being in the Marine Corps for more than ten years.
His death was in line with what he loved, and she thought he would be okay with that. She said, “His fire was flying.”
She said they have three kids and four grandkids together.
Dramatic video footage shows the Learjet sliding along the tarmac at high speed with its nose pressed against the concrete. It then careens off the runway and heads straight for an Israel Aircraft Industries Gulfstream 200, a bigger private jet that is parked nearby.
The out-of-control Learjet then hits the side of the stopped Gulfstream so hard that the bigger jet’s front end lifts and moves forward a few feet.
The event happened at 2:39 p.m. in the city, they said.
Tucson Airport Director Gary P. Mascaro said in a statement, “I am very thankful to the first responders and airport operations staff who were on the scene today for their quick action and service.” “We offer our deepest condolences to those affected by this tragedy.”
Phoenix Fire Capt. Dave Folio said that someone was stuck in Neil’s jet after it crashed, but that they were freed from the rubble. The person was taken to a trauma center and is in serious condition there.
A report from TMZ says Hannah broke five ribs. The two people also had dogs on the plane, and both of them survived the crash.
Rescue workers were able to separate the two planes later on Monday. Picture from the scene shows that the Learjet’s cockpit is almost fully caved in on the left side, and there is a red tarp over it.
Eyewitness Gordan Johnson, who has worked in flight for 35 years, told Fox 10 that he saw the front landing gear fall off and then saw the jet slide off the plane to the left.
When it crashed, the plane was coming from Austin, Texas. Records looked at by Fox News Digital show that the jet is registered to Chromed in Hollywood, Inc., a company based in Wyoming that names Neil as its head.
The crash is being looked into by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
Scottsdale Airport said Monday at 10:38 p.m. that the runway was once again open.
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