Joie Vitosky dies in fatal Scottsdale plane crash
Fatal Scottsdale plane crash death of Joie Vitosky – Obituary
Joie Vitosky, a 78-year-old Marine veteran, tragically passed away on February 10, 2025, when the Learjet he was piloting crashed into a parked Gulfstream jet at Scottsdale Airport in Arizona.
Vitosky was flying the private plane, which belonged to Mötley Crüe’s lead singer Vince Neil, when it veered off the runway and struck the stationary jet at approximately 2:39 p.m. local time.
The crash also left several others injured, including Neil’s girlfriend and her friend, but fortunately, Neil was not on board at the time of the incident. Vitosky, who had been flying for over 60 years, was pronounced dead at the scene.
His daughter, Jana Schertzer, expressed pride in her father’s skill as a pilot, stating that his ability to handle the emergency likely saved the lives of the other passengers.
Vitosky, originally from Okemah, Oklahoma, had served in the U.S. Marine Corps, flying helicopters in Vietnam, and later became a certified flight engineer and pilot, continuing to fly well into his later years.
The National Transportation Safety Board is currently investigating the cause of the crash.
