Who is Vince Neil? Motley Crue rockstar owns plane involved in Scottsdale Airport crash

One person died and multiple others were injured when a Learjet owned by heavy metal legend Vince Neil crashed into a parked Gulfstream jet after veering off the Scottsdale Airport runway on the afternoon of Monday, Feb. 10.

On Monday evening, officials declined to identify those injured or killed. Motley Crue issued a statement on social media late Monday that Neil, who rose to fame in the glam-metal ‘80s scene as the voice of the band, was not on board the Learjet.

“Mr. Neil’s thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved, and he is grateful for the critical aid of all first responders assisting today," the statement said.

Four people were aboard the Learjet. One person was on board the Gulfstream jet.

A Scottsdale Fire Department spokesperson said Monday that three people were injured — two in critical condition — and taken to metro Phoenix hospitals.

The runway was shut down after the crash, which occurred around 2:30 p.m. Officials said it appeared the landing gear failed on the plane.

What is Vince Neil famous for?

Vince Neil is the lead vocalist for glam-metal legends Mötley Crüe, who formed in 1981 and topped the Billboard album charts in 1989 with the six-times-platinum “Dr. Feelgood” album.

Neil has also released three solo albums, most recently 2010’s “Tattoos & Tequila."

Where does Vince Neil live?

Vince Neil lives in Nashville, Tennessee.

What do we know about Vince Neil's plane?

Vince Neil’s plane is a Learjet 35A. It veered off the runway and crashed into a Gulfstream G200 jet at Scottsdale Municipal Airport.

Was Vince Neil on the plane in the Scottsdale Airport crash?

Vince Neil was not on the plane, according to a statement from Motley Crue.

What to know about Motley Crue

Formed in 1981, Motley Crue quickly rose to the forefront of the Sunset Strip glam-metal scene with the release of their first album, 1981’s “Too Fast For Love,” and got a major profile boost in 1983 for the controversy surrounding the satanic imagery of a sophomore album called “Shout at the Devil.”

Their first Top 40 entry on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1985 was a cover of the Brownsville Station classic “Smokin’ in the Boys Room,” which helped make “Theatre of Pain” their first of five consecutive releases to go Top 10 on the Billboard charts.

Their biggest album, “Dr. Feelgood,” topped the charts in 1989, going on to be certified six-times-platinum.

Their biggest hits include “Girls, Girls, Girls,” “Dr. Feelgood,” “Without You” and “Don’t Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)." Twenty-two Motley Crue songs have gone Top 40 on the mainstream rock charts.

Released in 2019, the soundtrack to a lurid Netflix biopic “The Dirt,” based on their best-selling autobiography of the same name, topped the iTunes album chart.

In 2022, they co-headlined a stadium tour with Def Leppard, aptly titled the Stadium Tour.

What did the statement from Motley Crue say?

Motley Crue put the following statement out late Monday on X:

What are Vince Neil's ties to Arizona?

Although Vince Neil has no obvious ties to metro Phoenix, he did play Alice Cooper’s Christmas Pudding in 2013 and Motley Crue has played here many times since 1983, when the "Too Fast For Love" Tour played at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Here’s a look at other Motley Crue dates in the Valley:

• 1983: "Shout at the Devil" Tour plays Centennial Hall in Mesa.
• 1985: "Theatre of Pain" Tour plays Compton Terrace in Chandler.
• 1987: "Girls, Girls, Girls" Tour plays two nights at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix.
• 1990: "Dr. Feelgood" Tour plays Compton Terrace in Chandler.
• 1997: Motley Crue vs. the Earth Tour plays America West Arena in Phoenix.
• 1998: Greatest Hits Tour plays Phoenix Civic Plaza.
• 1999: Maximum Rock Tour plays Desert Sky Pavilion in Phoenix.
• 2000: Maximum Rock Tour returns to rechristened Blockbuster Desert Sky Pavilion in Phoenix.
• 2005: Red, White & Crue Tour plays Cricket Pavilion in Phoenix.
• 2005: "Carnival of Sins" Tour plays Glendale Arena.
• 2006: Route of All Evil Tour plays Cricket Pavilion in Phoenix.
• 2008: Crue Fest Cricket Wireless Pavilion in Phoenix.
• 2011: Summer Tour plays Ashley Furniture HomeStore Pavilion in Phoenix.
• 2012: The Tour plays Ashley Furniture HomeStore Pavilion in Phoenix.
• 2014: The Final Tour plays Ak-Chin Pavilion in Phoenix.
• 2015: The Final Tour plays Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix.
• 2022: The Stadium Tour with Def Leppard plays State Farm Stadium in Glendale.

Vince Neil has also played the Valley many times on solo tours, most recently in 2023, when he came to the Marquee Theatre in Tempe.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

Ed has covered pop music for The Republic since 2007, reviewing festivals and concerts, interviewing legends, covering the local scene and more. He did the same in Pittsburgh for more than a decade. Follow him on X and Instagram @edmasley and on Facebook as Ed Masley. Email him at ed.masley@arizonarepublic.com.