The plane which crashed into another on an airport runway - killing at least one person - was owned by Mötley Crüe lead singer Vince Neil. Two private jets collided at Scottsdale Airport in Arizona on Monday, killing one person and injuring four others. One of the two midsize business jets was owned by Vince, the rocker who has fronted the heavy metal band since 1981. There were two pilots and two passengers - his girlfriend Rain Andreani and her friend - on the musican’s plane.
Rain, 43, has suffered five broken ribs, sources told TMZ. Her friend Ashley was also on board and it is believed she too has sustained severe injuries and is in hospital. Writing on Mötley Crüe's official X/Twitter page, the band said today: "Earlier today, a private plane owned by Vince Neil was involved in a crash near Scottsdale, AZ. The pilot was tragically killed; the co-pilot and other passengers were taken to local hospitals.
"Vince was not on the plane. Vince‘s girlfriend and her friend suffered injuries, albeit not life-threatening. While details are still emerging, our hearts go out to the families about the pilot who lost his life in the passengers who suffered injuries. Mötley Crüe will announce a way to help support the family of the deceased pilot -stand by for an announcement very soon.". Worrick Robinson Law, the law firm representing Vince, told reporters the musical artist's "thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved, and he is grateful for the critical aid of all first responders assisting today.".
One jet veered off the runway and collided with the Gulfstream 200 jet that was parked, according to Kelli Kuester, aviation planning and outreach coordinator at Scottsdale Airport. It is thought Vince's aircraft was the arriving jet, which had come from Austin, Texas. Four people were aboard that aircraft. Its primary landing gear failed, the early understanding is. Scottsdale Fire Department Captain Dave Folio said: "Our thoughts and prayers go out to everybody involved in this.".
The runway has been closed and will remain shut "for the foreseeable future," Ms Kuester said. The airport is a popular hub for jets coming in and out of the Phoenix area, especially during big sports weekends like the Waste Management Phoenix Open golf tournament, which attracts huge crowds just a few miles away. A statement from Worrick Robinson Law reads: "At 2:39p.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 there were two pilots and two passengers. Mr. Neil was not on the plane. "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 the first responders assisting today.".
Ms Kuester said:"A Learjet aircraft on its arrival from Austin veered off the runway and collided with another jet, a Gulfstream 200 aircraft, that was parked. It appears that the left main gear failed upon landing, resulting in the accident.". The Learjet is registered to Chromed in Hollywood, which is registered in Wyoming with a principal agent listed as Vince Neil of Motley Crew with a Franklin, Tennessee mailing address, according to WTVF.
Mötley Crüe, formed in Hollywood, have sold more than 100 records worldwide. The band was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2006, by which time they'd been nominated for two Grammy Awards. They are best known in the UK for the 1987 power ballard You're All I Need, a song widely praised, including by rock legend Jon Bon Jovi. The Scottsdale collision comes after three major US aviation disasters in the past two weeks. A commercial jetliner and an Army helicopter collided near the nation’s capital on January 29, killing 67 people.
