Mötley Crüe frontman Vince Neil was not aboard his private aircraft when it crashed into another jet at Scottsdale Airport in Arizona on Monday, Feb. 10. According to PEOPLE, the accident resulted in one fatality and multiple injuries requiring hospitalization.
Hours after the crash, the band released a statement on social media from Worrick Robinson, IV, whom they identified as Neil’s representative.
The statement explained that Neil’s Learjet was attempting to land when, for reasons yet unknown, it veered off the runway and collided with a parked plane.
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The aircraft, a 35A model, had two pilots and two passengers on board. As the situation continues to unfold, further details remain unavailable due to the ongoing investigation.
In a now-deleted post, Mötley Crüe previously stated that Vince Neil’s girlfriend and her friend were aboard his private jet and suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The band also revealed that the pilot had “tragically” lost his life, while the co-pilot and other passengers were receiving treatment at local hospitals.
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Authorities later confirmed the fatality during a news briefing on Monday afternoon.
Scottsdale Fire Department spokesperson Capt. Dave Folio stated in a news briefing, as reported by Fox 10 Phoenix, that the incident involved five individuals. One person was pronounced dead upon arrival and remained on board one of the planes. “We’re doing everything we can to extricate and save the one soul that’s still on board,” Folio added.
In a subsequent briefing, officials, including Kuester, explained that the crash resulted from the arriving aircraft’s “left gear failing upon landing.”
Vince Neil (born Vincent Neil Wharton on February 8, 1961) is an American musician, best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Mötley Crüe. Born in Hollywood, California, Neil grew up in Southern California and developed an early passion for music. He joined Mötley Crüe in 1981, bringing his signature high-energy vocals to the band’s debut album, Too Fast for Love.
Throughout the 1980s, Mötley Crüe rose to fame with multi-platinum albums like Shout at the Devil (1983), Theatre of Pain (1985), Girls, Girls, Girls (1987), and Dr. Feelgood (1989). Known for their wild lifestyles, the band became one of the defining acts of glam metal. Neil left Mötley Crüe in 1992 to pursue a solo career, releasing albums like Exposed (1993) and Carved in Stone (1995), before reuniting with the band in 1997.
Beyond music, Neil has dabbled in business ventures, including a tequila brand and tattoo parlors. His personal life has been marked by legal issues, including a fatal 1984 DUI crash, and multiple marriages. Despite ups and downs, he continues to perform with Mötley Crüe, participating in their recent reunion tours.
