1 dead and 4 injured after jets collided at Arizona airport, authorities say
PHOENIX — At least one person is dead and multiple people are injured Monday after private jets collided at an Arizona airport, authorities said, the latest incident at a time of heightened scrutiny of U.S. air safety.
Kelli Kuester, a spokesperson for Scottsdale Airport, said at an evening news briefing that a Learjet arriving from Austin veered off the runway into a parked jet. The arriving plane's left main gear appeared to have failed upon landing, causing the collision, Kuester said.
The Scottsdale Airport is located about 22 miles northeast of Phoenix.
On Monday afternoon, Capt. Dave Folio, a spokesperson for the Scottsdale Fire Department, confirmed the death and four injuries, adding that two people are in critical condition. Folio said the runway is an active investigation scene.
Officials declined to identify those injured or killed Monday evening.
"A Learjet 35A veered off the runway after landing and crashed into a Gulfstream 200 business jet on the ramp at Scottsdale Municipal Airport in Arizona around 2:45 p.m.," the Federal Aviation Administration confirmed in a statement. "There were four people on board the Learjet and one person on board the Gulfstream."
Authorities said the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash. The NTSB will also lead the investigation and provide updates on the incident.
Plane owned by Mötley Crüe's Vince Neil
According to records reviewed by The Arizona Republic, part of the Paste BN Network, the jet is registered to Chromed in Hollywood, Inc., a Wyoming-based company, and listed Mötley Crüe lead singer Vince Neil as the owner.
A statement released by Worrick Robinson, the singer's legal representative, confirmed to Paste BN that Neil was not on board the plane.
"At 2:39 p.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," the statement read. "On board Mr. Neil's plane were two pilots and two passengers. Mr. Neil was not on the plane."
Kellie Kuester, an aviation planning and outreach coordinator for Scottsdale Airport, said Neil's Learjet was arriving from Austin, Texas, and veered off the runway before colliding with a Gulfstream G200 jet parked on private property.
"It appears that the left main gear failed upon landing, resulting in the accident," Kuester confirmed.
Latest deadly crash in the U.S.
Monday's crash is the latest incident as the nation grapples with heightened air safety concerns.
National Transportation Safety Board investigators are probing three deadly crashes in recent weeks; the midair collision of a passenger jet and U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter in Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people; a medical jet crash in Philadelphia that killed seven people; and a plane crash in Alaska that killed 10 people.
Gary Mascaro, aviation director for Scottsdale Airport, offered his condolences to Monday's crash victims.
"It's certainly a tragedy that occurred," Mascaro said.
Contributing: Pamela Avila and Charles Ventura, Paste BN; Reuters
(This story was updated to add new information.)