Yahoo Lifestyle Where Was Mötley Crüe Singer Vince Neil During His Private Jet's Deadly Incident?
While Vince Neil's private jet was involved in a fatal accident earlier this week, killing his longtime pilot and injuring three others, the rocker was not onboard at the time of the incident.
Now, one of his good friends has revealed why Neil was not traveling on the ill-fated flight when it lost control upon touching down in Scottsdale, Ariz on Monday, Feb. 10.
It turns out, turning 64 may have saved his life. The Mötley Crüe singer was celebrating his birthday in Florida, his pal Lance Graves told TMZ, and decided to soak up a little more sun on the beach with his friends before joining his girlfriend, Rain Andreani, out west for the Royal Crown barrel racing competition.
According to Graves, Andreani had to check in for the horse race early, while Neil didn't plan to be there until Thursday. However, as a result of the injuries sustained in the crash—including five broken ribs—Andreani pulled out of the competition, with Graves noting she needs "time and grace" to heal.
Andreani's friend and the plane's co-pilot also sustained injuries in the crash, while the dogs traveling with them survived—though the extent of any injuries sustained by the canines is unknown.
Tragically, Neil's longtime personal pilot, Joie Vitosky, did not survive the crash, which has preliminarily been attributed to a landing gear failure—although the official cause is still pending investigation.
Vitosky, 78, was a Marine veteran who had six decades of experience under his belt and had been flying Neil for years. In an interview with the Arizona Republic, his daughter, Jana Schertzer, credited her father's skill with saving the lives of the rest of the people onboard.
"I honestly, wholeheartedly believe that the reason those other passengers are alive — it's because of how he handled it," she said.
Graves added of Vitosky, "...few people are that kind and loyal in today's world."
Neil broke his silence on the tragic accident the following day through his representative.
"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," a statement posted on the band's Instagram read.
"More specific details regarding the collision are not available as this is a rapidly evolving situation and there is an ongoing investigation."
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