Arizona private jet crash: Landing gear malfunction revealed, investigation could take years

The private jet involved in a crash in Arizona earlier in February month appeared to have suffered a landing gear malfunction, according to a new report.

The preliminary report, released on Thursday by the National Transportation Safety Board, stated that the plane’s left landing gear was not in its normal position when it was observed on February 10.

The jet, owned by Motley Crue singer Vince Neil, crashed into another private aircraft, killing 78-year-old pilot Joie Vitosky and injuring four others.


According to the report, the aircraft departed from Florida, made a refuelling stop in Austin, Texas, and then continued its journey to Scottsdale.

The plane’s history of mishaps

The report revealed that the same jet was involved in a landing mishap eight months before the fatal crash. On June 20, 2024, the aircraft made a hard landing just short of a runway in McAlester, Oklahoma, bouncing multiple times and causing the left main landing gear tyres to burst.

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Neil became the owner of the jet in the months following the June incident, the report stated.

Issues with the left landing gear

The jet’s previous owner hired a mechanic to carry out a hard-landing inspection. Investigators spoke to the mechanic, who confirmed he had followed the maintenance manual for all repairs.

The report noted that it remains unclear how much the Learjet had been flown or maintained since the hard landing. However, a mechanic who worked on the landing gear in December told investigators that everything appeared normal—though he did observe that the left landing gear required an unusually large amount of grease.

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FAQs

1. What does ‘landing gear malfunction’ mean?
A landing gear malfunction refers to a problem or failure with the system that allows an aircraft to land and take off safely.


2. What caused the Arizona plane crash?
The plane crash in Arizona on February 10, 2025, was caused by a landing gear failure on a Learjet 35A owned by Motley Crue singer Vince Neil. The aircraft veered off the runway at Scottsdale Airport and collided with a parked Gulfstream G200.