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.

A Learjet 35A crashed at Scottsdale Airport, Arizona, killing one and injuring three others. The plane, owned by musician Vince Neil, experienced a landing gear failure and collided with a stationary Gulfstream.