Lear Crash in Scottsdale
On a Monday afternoon on the 10th of January at Scottsdale Airport in Arizona, tragedy struck when a Learjet 35A, registered to Vince Neil of Mötley Crüe, veered off the runway and collided with a parked Gulfstream 200. The crash claimed one life—the pilot, Joie Vitosky, aged 78—and left four others injured, including Neil’s girlfriend, Rain Andreani, who suffered five broken ribs, and her friend. Two dogs aboard the jet also survived. Neil was not on the flight, which had just arrived from Austin, Texas.
The Learjet 35A, a midsize business jet, was first introduced in the 1970s by Learjet, a subsidiary of Bombardier Aerospace; it’s a twin-engine workhorse known for its range and efficiency. With a range of just over 2,000 miles, it can seat up to eight passengers in a cabin 12.9 feet long, 4.9 feet wide, and 4.3 feet high, with 40 cubic feet of baggage space—enough for eight standard suitcases. It has a reputation for performance and is flown by the USAF with the designation of C-21.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration and Scottsdale officials, the jet’s left main landing gear failed upon touchdown on Runway 21 at around 2:45 p.m. local time. This failure caused the aircraft to skid off the runway to the left, hurtling into the parked Gulfstream near the Southwest Jet Center hangar. Surveillance footage captured the harrowing moment: the Learjet struggling to stop, its nose scraping the tarmac before smashing into the stationary plane with enough force to shove it several yards. Emergency crews arrived within a minute, but the damage was done—one pilot dead, three others hospitalized, and one person who refused treatment.
Landing gear failures, while rare, are not unheard of in aviation, and the Learjet 35 series has seen similar incidents. In 2008, a Learjet 35A (N19LR) experienced a right main gear collapse during landing in Teterboro, New Jersey, causing the plane to veer off the runway; fortunately, no injuries were reported. Another case in 2015 involved a Lear 35 (N452DA) in Dallas, where the left main gear failed to extend fully, leading to a runway excursion. These incidents may point to potential vulnerabilities in the Learjet 35’s gear system, particularly under stress or due to maintenance issues. Gear collapses can stem from several factors: mechanical failure, such as a hydraulic malfunction or structural fatigue; improper maintenance, where wear and tear go unnoticed; or human error during pre-flight checks. In Scottsdale, the NTSB is investigating whether the gear itself broke under load or if a contributing issue, like a hydraulic leak, was at play.
Weather was likely not a factor, though specifics for Scottsdale Airport at the time are sparse. February in Arizona is typically dry, with average highs around 70°F and lows near 40°F, but microbursts or sudden wind shifts can occur, especially near mountainous terrain like the McDowell Mountains east of the airport. Runway conditions—wet pavement, debris, or ice (though unlikely in Arizona)—could exacerbate a gear failure by reducing traction. The Learjet 35A’s landing speed, around 130 knots (150 mph), means even a slight loss of control can spiral quickly, particularly if the gear fails mid-rollout. Without the left main gear, the plane’s weight shifted unevenly, likely causing it to yaw leftward and off the runway.
This crash adds to a troubling string of aviation incidents in the U.S. Just weeks earlier, on January 29, 2025, a PSA Airlines CRJ200 collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Washington-Reagan National Airport, killing 67. Days later, a jet exploded in Philadelphia, claiming seven lives. These events have heightened public anxiety about air safety, though business jets like the Learjet 35A operate under different regulations than commercial airliners, often with older airframes and less frequent oversight. The NTSB’s investigation into the Scottsdale crash will likely scrutinize the jet’s maintenance records, the pilot’s actions, and any environmental factors, but answers may take months.
For now, the wreckage at Scottsdale Airport reminds us of aviation’s razor-thin margins. A jet celebrated for its range and reliability became a scene of loss, its left main gear a critical point of failure. As investigators piece together the whys and hows, the incident underscores the stakes of mechanical integrity and the unpredictable nature of flight—even for a plane as storied as the Learjet 35A.
