A tragic accident at Scottsdale Municipal Airport in Arizona left one person dead and injured at least three others on Monday. The crash involved a business jet owned by Mötley Crüe’s Vince Neil, which struck another plane while landing.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Learjet 35A lost control upon arrival at around 2:45 p.m. and veered off the runway. It then crashed into a parked Gulfstream 200 business jet on private property.
Officials confirmed that Neil was not on the aircraft at the time of the crash. His spokesperson stated that the jet had taken off earlier from Austin, Texas.
Mötley Crüe shared on social media that one of the two pilots lost his life in the accident. Scottsdale police later identified the deceased as 78-year-old Joie Vitosky. Authorities said the Maricopa County Medical Examiner will determine the exact cause of death.
Reports indicate that Neil’s girlfriend and her friend were on board and sustained injuries. However, the band’s initial statement, which mentioned the injured passengers, was removed and replaced with a more general message that did not specify the victims’ names.
“The situation is still developing, and the investigation is ongoing, so further details about the collision are unavailable,” the revised statement read. “Mr. Neil sends his deepest condolences to those affected and appreciates the efforts of the first responders who assisted at the scene.”
An airport representative explained that the plane’s left main landing gear failed during touchdown, which might have contributed to the crash.
