Latest news with #Vitosky
USA Today
28-02-2025
- Automotive
- USA Today
NTSB report reveals new details on private plane crash in Arizona
NTSB report reveals new details on private plane crash in Arizona The private jet owned by Mötley Crüe singer Vince Neil that was involved in a deadly crash in Arizona earlier this month appeared to experience a landing gear malfunction, a preliminary report released Thursday by the National Transportation Safety Board said. The report said the plane's left landing gear was not in its normal position when it was seen on Feb. 10 descending to Scottsdale Airport, where it crashed into another private aircraft, killing 78-year-old pilot Joie Vitosky and injuring four others. Eight months before the deadly crash, the same plane was involved in a "landing mishap," the report said. On June 20, 2024, the plane made a hard landing just short of a runway in McAlester, Oklahoma, before bouncing several times, causing the left main landing gear's tires to burst. Neil became the owner of the jet within the last several months, after the landing mishap in June, the report said. The Learjet's owner before Neil hired a mechanic who performed a hard-landing inspection. Investigators interviewed the mechanic who said he used a maintenance manual for all the work he performed. More: Pilot killed in Arizona plane crash was veteran who flew for 60 years, daughter says The report added that the Learjet's flight time and maintenance cycles since the hard landing took place remains unknown. However, a mechanic who completed a landing gear servicing in December told investigators "nothing appeared unusual," but noted that the left landing gear "took an excessive amount of grease." On the day of the deadly crash, the flight crew did not make any radio calls about the plane's landing gear not working properly. The report added that the Learjet was not equipped with reverse thrusters and its drag chute was not deployed. An official cause behind the landing gear's failure likely won't be known until the investigation's final report is published. Such reports can take between one to two years before being made available. According to the report, the plane departed from Florida on Feb. 10 before stopping to refuel in Austin, Texas, and heading for Scottsdale. Just after the crash, the report states, the right-seated passenger regained consciousness and woke up the left-seated passenger, who was thrown forward in the passenger cabin. The right-seated passenger then used the emergency exit to get our of the plane before turning back to retrieve the other passenger. Police identified the one fatal victim as Vitosky, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who had decades of flying experience. Neil's girlfriend, Rain Hannah Andreani, 43, is the only person on board the plane who has been publicly identified other than Vitosky. Neil was not on the plane at the time of the crash. The NTSB lists 15 fatal aircraft incidents in the Scottsdale area and four incidents involving a serious injury, with the earliest going back to the 1970s. The last fatal crash at the Scottsdale Airport was in 2018. A pilot, student pilot and four passengers were killed after the plane crashed shortly after takeoff.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Yahoo
Preliminary report: Landing gear appeared to fail in fatal Scottsdale plane crash
The National Transportation Safety Board released the preliminary report on its investigation into a deadly plane crash at Scottsdale Airport, giving new details into what may have transpired. The report lays out how Learjet 35A owned by Mötley Crüe singer Vince Neil crashed into another aircraft after its landing gear appeared to fail, causing it to veer off the runway, killing a pilot and injuring several others. According to the report, the plane departed from Florida on Feb. 10 before stopping to refuel in Austin, Texas. It then took off for Scottsdale where the fatal collision occurred. Investigators reviewed a video from surveillance cameras and witnesses which showed the plane's left landing gear "trailing aft from its normal position." The report states the plane began veering left, leaving the runway before colliding with a parked Gulfstream G200 at around 2:38 p.m. It added that the Learjet was not equipped with reverse thrusters and its drag chute was not deployed. The airport's emergency response fire truck responded in a little over two minutes and sprayed fire retardant on the Gulfstream about five minutes later while the Scottsdale Fire Department arrived at roughly 2:47 p.m. The airport fire truck later sprayed fire retardant on the Learjet's right engine, which was still running, to shut it down. The report states the right-seated passenger regained consciousness first and woke up the left-seated passenger who was thrown forward in the passenger cabin. The right-seated passenger then used the emergency exit at around 2:48 p.m. and exited the plane carrying two small dogs before turning back to retrieve the other passenger. The report notes that the same plane and flight crew had a "landing mishap" on June 20, 2024, in McAlester, Oklahoma, where the plane landed hard just before getting to the runway and bounced several times, causing both of the left main landing gear's tires to burst. The report states the Learjet's owner hired a mechanic who worked on it for the previous owner to perform a hard-landing inspection. Investigators interviewed the mechanic who said he used a maintenance manual for all the work he performed. It added that the Learjet's flight time and maintenance cycles since the 2024 hard landing took place was unknown. The flight crew did not make any radio calls about the plane's landing gear not working properly. An official cause behind the landing gear's failure likely won't be known until the investigation's final report is published. Such reports can take between one to two years before being made available. Read: Scottsdale crash aviation investigation preliminary report Police identified the fatality as 78-year-old pilot Joie Vitosky. Vitosky's daughter, Jana Schertzer, told The Arizona Republic that Vitosky began flying after joining the U.S. Marine Corps where he served several tours in the Vietnam War. Rain Hannah Andreani, 43, is the only person on board the planes who has been publicly identified other than Vitosky. Andreani is the girlfriend of Mötley Crüe lead singer Vince Neil. Neil owned the Learjet, according to a filing with the Wyoming secretary of state. He was not on board, according to the vocalist's legal representative Worrick Robinson IV, who posted a statement about the crash to the band's social media. The NTSB lists 15 fatal aircraft incidents in the Scottsdale area and four incidents involving a serious injury, with the earliest going back to the 1970s. Two of the serious injuries involved student pilots, with one pilot having a hard landing after the plane's engine lost power and another with a pilot having a forced landing after misjudging their altitude and clearance, according to NTSB reports. The last fatal crash at the Scottsdale Airport was in 2018. A pilot, student pilot and four passengers were killed after the plane crashed shortly after takeoff. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Report: Fatal Scottsdale plane crash had previous 'landing mishap'
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
It's been a week since the deadly Scottsdale plane crash: Here's what to know
A week has passed since a plane owned by Mötley Crüe singer Vince Neil crashed into another aircraft at Scottsdale Airport after its landing gear appeared to fail causing it to veer off the runway, killing a pilot and injuring several others. The fatal crash followed a string of incidents involving aircraft across the country beginning with the Jan. 29 incident where an American Airlines regional jet carrying 64 people and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter carrying three people collided near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C. A total 67 people were killed. A small medical jet carrying a child patient crashed into a Philadelphia neighborhood on Jan. 31 killing seven people while a small plane carrying 10 people crashed in Alaska on Feb. 6, killing all 10 prior to the Scottsdale plane crash. The most recent Delta jet carrying 80 people crashed in Toronto on Monday afternoon, becoming the latest in a series of aviation disasters during the first two months of 2025. No one was killed, but there were 18 people injured, as of Monday evening. Here's what to know about the Scottsdale plane crash that killed one. While there isn't an official finding about what exactly caused the crash, airport officials have said the plane's landing gear appeared to have failed during the landing, causing it to slide off the runway. The reason behind the gear's failure will likely be part of the investigation. Police identified the fatality as 78-year-old Joie Vitosky. Vitosky's daughter, Jana Schertzer, told The Arizona Republic that Vitosky began flying after joining the U.S. Marine Corps where he served several tours in the Vietnam War. After leaving the Marines, Vitosky had an eclectic flying career, Schertzer said. He flew people such as Jesse Jackson, Maureen Reagan and owners of oil companies. He flew trips to retrieve parts for companies like FedEx and also flew transplant patients who were awaiting life-saving surgeries. Rain Hannah Andreani, 43, is the only person on board the planes who has been publicly identified other than Vitosky. Andreani is the girlfriend of Mötley Crüe lead singer Neil. Neil owned the Learjet, according to a filing with the Wyoming secretary of state. He was not on board, according to the vocalist's legal representative Worrick Robinson IV, who posted a statement about the crash to the band's social media. Andreani's presence on the plane was confirmed on CNN on Feb. 11 by Mötley Crüe's manager, Allen Kovac. Kovac said Andreani was with a friend, and they were both injured, according to CNN. The National Transportation Safety Board has taken over the investigation and will likely release a preliminary report going over basic facts of the collision within 30 days of the incident. The full report will likely take one to two years before it's released. Cary Grant, an assistant professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, said investigations into fatal aircraft incidents often involve multiple parties, including the manufacturers of the plane's engine and landing gear, air traffic controllers, weather experts and possibly airport staff, given the crash occurred during landing. Officials would likely investigate the training records and backgrounds of the plane's pilots, maintenance records of the plane's landing gear and whether maintenance followed manufacturer recommendations, Grant said. The NTSB lists 15 fatal aircraft incidents in the Scottsdale area and four incidents involving a serious injury, with the earliest going back to the 1970s. Two of the serious injuries involved student pilots, with one pilot having a hard landing after the plane's engine lost power and another with a pilot having a forced landing after misjudging their altitude and clearance, according to NTSB reports. The last fatal crash at the Scottsdale Airport was in 2018. A pilot, student pilot and four passengers were killed after the plane crashed shortly after takeoff. Scottsdale Airport is "one of the nation's busiest single-runway airports," according to Experience Scottsdale, a nonprofit that works with Scottsdale and Paradise Valley to market the area for tourism. The airport logs over 133,000 takeoffs and landings each year, according to the group. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: So many plane crashes lately, including Scottsdale crash
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Yahoo
Dallas veteran was pilot killed in Arizona plane crash involving singer Vince Neil's jet
The Brief 78-year-old Joe Vitosky has been identified as the pilot killed in a plane crash in Scottsdale, Arizona. Vitosky was flying Mötley Crüe singer Vince Neil's jet from Austin, Texas, to Arizona on Monday when it crashed with a parked Gulfstream Jet. Vitosky was killed. Three others on the plane were hurt. One person on the parked Gulfstream was injured. Vitosky was a seasoned aviator with experience as a military pilot and commercial flight instructor. He called Dallas home for 25 years. The NTSB investigation into the crash is ongoing. DALLAS - An experienced aviator from Dallas has been identified as the man killed in a plane crash in Arizona this week. Joe Vitosky, 78, was piloting the jet owned by Mötley Crüe singer Vince Neil when it crashed, killing him. The pilot's daughter says she heard the majority of the information through the news Monday. She learned the plane belonged to Neil, and she knew immediately. What we know Joe Vitosky was piloting a jet on Monday from Austin, Texas, to Scottsdale, Arizona. Video from the runway shows the Learjet colliding with a parked Gulfstream Jet. Officials say the Learjet's landing gear failed. Vitosky was killed. Three others on the plane were hurt. One person on the parked Gulfstream was injured. "If there would have been anybody there who could have done anything in this situation, I wholeheartedly believe he did it, and he saved their lives," said Jane Schertzer, Vitosky's daughter. Multiple investigations into the crash are still underway. Debris was still being cleared from the Scottsdale Airport on Wednesday. Schertzer says at 78, her father was still mentally and physically fit. "You still have to go through all these physicals and other things," she said. "They won't let you fly if you can't pass them. Well, he passed with flying colors." The backstory Joe Vitosky spent his life mostly in the air. The seasoned aviator flew choppers and fighter jets in the U.S. Marines, serving in Vietnam. Vitosky worked for American Airlines and then went on to become a longtime flight instructor at Southwest Airlines. In addition to time with commercial aviation, Vitosky flew private charter planes. Dallas was his home for 25 years. Schertzer, who lives in Mississippi, wants her father's life to be remembered with deep ties to North Texas. "My dad lives there, and he is married. His wife lives there and overseas between the two. He always travels back and forth. He's literally a world traveler," she said. What's next Schertzer is still working on her father's funeral plans. Vitosky's body is still part of the ongoing NTSB investigation. The Source Information in this article comes from an interview with Joe Vitosky's daughter and the Scottsdale Police Department.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Pilot Killed in Arizona Plane Crash Saved Motley Crue Singer Vince Neil's Girlfriend, Daughter Says
The pilot killed in a plane crash involving Mötley Crüe singer Vince Neil's private jet helped save Neil's girlfriend, Rain Hannah Andreani, and other passengers in his final moments, said his daughter. One person, believed to be the pilot, was killed and four others injured after Neil's plane veered off course and collided with another jet on Monday, February 10, at Scottsdale Airport in Arizona. Neil was not on board the plane, his representative said. Scottsdale police identified the slain pilot on Tuesday, February 11, as Joie Vitosky, 78, per the Arizona Republic. "I honestly, wholeheartedly believe that the reason those other passengers are alive — it's because of how he handled it yesterday," said Jana Schertzer, Vitosky's daughter, told the outlet. Motley Crue Rocker Vince Neil's Four Marriages and Relationship History According to Schertzer, Vitosky had been flying for around 60 years after beginning his career as a helicopter pilot in the U.S. Marine Corps. After leaving the military, Vitosky began flying privately for guests including Jesse Jackson and Maureen Reagan. "It's a lot of stuff that can happen on a private plane. A lot of rich people, but he had a lot of people who needed something immediate,' said Vitosky's daughter, noting that he also flew owners of oil companies and even transplant patients awaiting surgery. Celebrity Deaths of 2025: Aubrey Plaza's Husband Jeff Baena and More Stars We've Lost This Year Schertzer said that her father was in good health at the time of his death. 'Like, nothing wrong. His vision was perfect — better than 20/20 vision,' she told the Arizona Republic. 'Instead of, you know, retiring and doing nothing, he did it literally until the day he died," she added. According to TMZ, Andreani, Neil's girlfriend, suffered five broken ribs in Monday's crash, while her friend also sustained injuries. The dogs the two women were traveling with survived the crash as well. Both women and the jet's co-pilot were taken to the hospital. 'At 2:39 p.m. local time, a Learjet aircraft Model 35A owned by Vince Neil was attempting to land at the Scottsdale Airport. For reasons unknown at this time, the plane veered from the runway causing it to collide with another parked plane. On board Mr. Neil's plane were two pilots and two passengers. Mr. Neil was not on the plane,' a representative for Neil said in a statement shared via Mötley Crüe's Instagram account Monday. 'More specific details regarding the collision are not available as this is a rapidly evolving situation and there is an ongoing investigation. Mr. Neil's thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved, and he is grateful for the critical aid of all first responders assisting today,' the statement continued.
