A Learjet 35A business jet has suffered a runway excursion while landing at Scottsdale Airport (SDL) close to Phoenix, Arizona. According to reports, the aircraft experienced a main landing gear failure on touch-down, leading to the aircraft departing the paved runway surface and colliding with a parked Gulfstream G200 aircraft. One person is reported to have died in the collision, with four others injured.
The accident occurred at around 14:40 local time, as the Learjet, registered N81VN landed on runway 21 at Scottsdale after a flight from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) in Texas. The registered owner of the aircraft is listed as being owned by Vince Neil, a musician with the US-based heavy metal band, Mötley Crüe. The Gulfstream G200 involved is registered as N199DF and is listed as owned by WW Aviation and operated by Jet Pros.
The National Transport Safety Board (NTSB) has already dispatched a team of investigators to the scene and has commenced an investigation as to the possible cause of the incident. However, local airport officials have already disclosed that the left main landing gear leg failed as the Learjet touched down, which resulted in the aircraft veering to the left and departing the runway.
🔴 Violente sortie de piste d’un Learjet 35A à l’aéroport de Scottsdale en Arizona.
— air plus news (@airplusnews) February 11, 2025
▫️Le Learjet a percuté un Gulfstream G200 stationné après sa sortie de piste.
▫️Le pilote est décédé, et 4 autres blessés à bord. pic.twitter.com/C6v8unSfBZ
The Learjet lost control midfield and entered an area close to the Southwest Jet Center private hangar complex at the airport where the Gulfstream was parked. The two aircraft collided, although it is understood that there was no resulting fire. Local reports indicate substation damage was caused to both aircraft by the collision, with one person pronounced dead once they had been extracted from the wreckage.
In a hastily convened news conference held at the airport following the incident, Scottsdale Fire Public Information Officer Captain Dave Folio shared more information about the extent of casualties among those onboard the aircraft.
“I can tell you that we have five souls: One – DOA, two immediates that have been transported to local trauma centers, one – delayed, stable to a local hospital. This is a still active scene; we’re still working on extricating one soul out of one of the airplanes.”
While Folio did not disclose any specific details of any of those injured, he did state that one person had been transferred to hospital in a critical condition. Learjet owner Vince Neil is not thought to have been involved in the accident. Jet Pros, which has confirmed that it was the operator of the Gulfstream at the time of the collision, expressed its condolences to the family members of those affected by the accident and thanked airport personnel for their swift response to the scene.
Developing News: A Learjet 35A (Registration N81VN) owned by Mötley Crüe’s Vince Neil crashed at Scottsdale Airport after veering off the Runway 21 while landing in Arizona, shutting down the runway.
— FL360aero (@fl360aero) February 11, 2025
The aircraft also struck a parked Gulfstream G200 (originally IAI Galaxy)… pic.twitter.com/In6G5qs2KB
According to the authorities, the runway at Scottsdale Airport was closed immediately following the accident and will remain so “for the considerable future” while the NTSB carries out its investigation. The airport serves as one of the main executive jet airports serving the greater Arizona conurbation, with business aviation accounting a predominant part of its annual movement total.
The accident comes as the fourth major aviation accident in the US in the past two weeks. On January 29, 2025, a PSA Airlines CRJ200 regional jet collided with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter as it made its final approach to Washington-Reagan National Airport (DCA), killing 67 people. Then, on January 31, 2025, a medical evacuation Learjet crashed as it departed Philadelphia killing all five persons onboard.
Most recently, on February 6, 2025, a Cessna 208 Caravan operated by Bering Air disappeared while crossing the Bering Sea while operating a domestic flight from Unalakleet to Nome, carrying nine passengers and one pilot on board. The wreckage has since been found with no survivors reported among those onboard.
More details have emerged regarding the occupants of the Learjet owned by Vince Neil. According to reports, the captain died during the collision while the co-pilot was seriously injured. The two passengers included Neil’s partner Rain Hannah plus a companion. While both suffered injuries, these are not thought to be life-threatening. The other person involved was on the Gulfstream at the time of the impact but was uninjured and refused medical attention at the scene.
The members of the band Mötley Crüe have now released a statement regarding the accident. The statement reads, “For reasons unknown at this time, the plane veered off the runway causing it to collide with another parked plane. Mr Neil’s thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved, and he is grateful for the critical aid of all first responders for assisting. Mötley Crüe will announce a way to help support the family of the deceased pilot – standby for a further announcement very soon.”
(This is a developing story and this article will be updated as more information becomes available. Check back for further updates.)