Kaylah Walton
A tragic incident occurred at Scottsdale Airport in Arizona on Monday, resulting in the death of one individual and injuries to others when a private jet owned by Vince Neil, the lead singer of Mötley Crüe, struck another aircraft, as reported by local authorities.
As Neil’s plane was attempting to land, it went off the runway and collided with a stationary plane, according to Worrick Robinson, IV, a spokesperson for Neil. The jet had two pilots and two passengers on board, but Neil was not present at the time.
“Vince Neil extends his thoughts and prayers to everyone affected, and he is thankful for the prompt response of emergency services,” Robinson stated.
The incident occurred as the plane was landing, veering off the runway to hit a parked Gulfstream 200. Kelli Kuester, the aviation planning and outreach coordinator for Scottsdale Airport, mentioned that the failure of the main landing gear on Neil’s aircraft led to this collision.
Kuester detailed that four individuals were aboard the landing plane, which arrived from Austin, Texas, while only one was on the parked Gulfstream.
According to Scottsdale Fire Department Captain Dave Folio, two individuals from the incident were transported to trauma centers, and one was reported to be in stable condition. Efforts were being made to recover the deceased from the site.
“Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this situation,” Folio added.
The runway has been closed indefinitely, according to Kuester.
Scottsdale’s Mayor, Lisa Borowsky, issued a statement expressing that she is closely observing the developments and remains in contact with airport, police, and federal agencies.
“On behalf of Scottsdale, we extend our heartfelt condolences to all impacted by this incident and to those receiving care at our trauma center,” he stated. “Our prayers go out to everyone involved in this unfortunate event.”
The airport serves as a key hub for flights in and out of the Phoenix area, particularly during major sporting events like the Waste Management Phoenix Open golf tournament that attracts large audiences nearby.
An Ongoing Crisis in US Aviation
This collision is part of a troubling trend, following three significant aviation accidents in the US over the past two weeks. A commercial aircraft and an Army helicopter crashed near Washington D.C. on January 29, claiming 67 lives.
A medical transport plane crashed in Philadelphia on January 31, resulting in the deaths of all six onboard and one individual on the ground.
Additionally, last week, a small passenger plane went down in western Alaska en route to Nome, leading to the death of all ten individuals aboard.
