A Learjet owned by Mötley Crüe singer Vince Neil crashed on February 10, 2024, at the Scottsdale Airport in Arizona, resulting in the death of the pilot and injuring four others. The pilot, identified as 78-year-old Joie Vitosky, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran with decades of flying experience, lost his life in the incident. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the crash.
The ill-fated aircraft had a history of mechanical issues. Eight months prior to the crash, the Learjet suffered a hard landing just short of a runway in McAlester, Oklahoma. During this incident, the left main landing gear's tires burst. Following this, a mechanic who serviced the landing gear in December noted that it "took an excessive amount of grease," but stated that "nothing appeared unusual."
The plane's safety features were notably lacking. It was not equipped with reverse thrusters, and crucially, the drag chute was not deployed during the Arizona crash. Despite these concerns, the flight crew did not report any issues with the landing gear on the day of the accident.
On the day of the crash, the Learjet departed from Florida and made a refueling stop in Austin, Texas, before heading to Scottsdale. Vince Neil, who became the owner of the jet after the landing mishap in June, was not on board at the time of the crash.
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