78-year-old Dallas aviator Joe Vitosky tragically lost his life in a plane crash in Scottsdale, Arizona this week while piloting a jet owned by Mötley Crüe singer Vince Neil. The Learjet Vitosky was flying collided with a parked Gulfstream Jet, with officials attributing the crash to a failure of the Learjet’s landing gear. Vitosky was killed in the crash, while three others on the plane sustained injuries. One person on the parked Gulfstream Jet was also hurt.
Vitosky, a seasoned aviator with a long career in aviation, served in the U.S. Marines, where he flew choppers and fighter jets in Vietnam. He later worked for American Airlines and then became a flight instructor at Southwest Airlines. Despite being 78 years old, Vitosky was described as mentally and physically fit, passing all required physical examinations to continue flying.
The investigation into the crash is ongoing, with debris still being cleared from the airport. Vitosky’s daughter, Jane Schertzer, is working on arranging his funeral. She fondly remembers her father’s deep ties to North Texas, where he spent 25 years living in Dallas. As the aviation community mourns the loss of a respected pilot, the National Transportation Safety Board continues to investigate the crash.
Information for this article was sourced from an interview with Schertzer and the Scottsdale Police Department. The aviation community has lost a talented pilot with the passing of Joe Vitosky, whose legacy in the skies will be remembered by those who knew him.
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