Vince Neil’s private jet was involved in a shocking and tragic accident on February 10 at Scottsdale Airport in Arizona. The Mötley Crüe singer wasn’t on board the jet, but his girlfriend, Rain Hannah Andreani, and her friend were. As the plane attempted to land, it veered off course and crashed into a parked jet. While the passengers survived with injuries, the pilot, Joie Vitosky, 78, tragically lost his life.
A Skilled Pilot’s Final Moments
Joie Vitosky, a seasoned pilot with nearly 60 years of experience, had spent his career flying as a U.S. Marine Corps helicopter pilot before working for private clients. His daughter, Jana Schertzer, strongly believes her father’s expertise saved the lives of those on board.
“I honestly, wholeheartedly believe that the reason those other passengers are alive — it’s because of how he handled it,” she told the Arizona Republic.
Jana also shared that her father was in excellent health at the time.
“Like, nothing wrong. His vision was perfect — better than 20/20 vision. Instead of, you know, retiring and doing nothing, he did it literally until the day he died.”
Survivors Recovering from Injuries
According to TMZ, Rain suffered five broken ribs, while her friend, who has not been identified, was also injured. Both women, along with an unnamed co-pilot, were taken to the hospital. Miraculously, their dogs also survived the crash.
Vince Neil’s representative confirmed the incident, explaining that the Learjet 35A, owned by Neil, lost control while landing. “For reasons unknown at this time, the plane veered from the runway causing it to collide with another parked plane,” his lawyer stated.
Airport spokesperson Kelli Kuester later revealed that the jet’s main landing gear had failed, causing the crash. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the accident to determine what went wrong.