Kreindler Monitoring Learjet 35A Plane Crash Landing at Scottsdale, Arizona
May 9, 2025
What Happened
On Monday, February 10, 2025, a Gates Learjet 35A airplane veered off the runway following a landing at Scottsdale Airport in Scottsdale, Arizona. The left rear landing gear of the Learjet 35A plane failed to fully extend, causing it to collapse shortly after touchdown. As a result, the aircraft veered off the runway and struck a parked Gulfstream 200 jet on an adjacent runway. The pilot of the Learjet 35A aircraft was killed, and four others were injured as a result of the crash — including the co-pilot of the Learjet, two passengers on the Learjet, and an occupant of the parked Gulfstream aircraft.
The Learjet Model 35A is one of a series of American business jets manufactured by Learjet until 1993. In 1990, Learjet was acquired by Bombardier Aviation, and the aircraft is also known as the Bombardier Learjet 35.
The corporate plane involved in the crash was a Gates Learjet Corp. fixed-wing multi-engine aircraft equipped with a Garrett standard turbo-fan TFE731 Series engine. The Learjet 35A, FAA registry number N81VN, was registered to Chromed in Hollywood Inc., based in Franklin, Tennessee. Media reports say that although he was not on board at the time of the crash, the Learjet is owned by the rock music band Mötley Crüe’s lead singer Vince Neil. And the Gulfstream jet that was involved in the collision is owned by actor Vince Vaughn.
In the Media
Preliminary Report
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the fatal crash and has released its preliminary report. According to the report, a retaining bolt and the pin used to secure it were not properly installed after a December 2024 inspection following a hard landing that occurred in June 2024. The NTSB also noted that it was aware of at least three other instances of the landing gear in a Learjet disconnecting because of a failure to properly secure the retaining bolt and pin.
Kreindler Experience with Learjet Aircraft
Kreindler has represented victims and families of numerous Learjet airplane crash cases, including:
- Learjet 55 Medavac Air Ambulance Flight, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Learjet 31A Airplane Crash, near Apaseo el Alto, Mexico
- Learjet 25 Corporate Airplane crash in Monterrey, Mexico
- Learjet 35A Airplane Crash, near Aspen, Colorado
- Learjet 35A Airplane Crash near Dorchester, New Hampshire
Kreindler Experience with Chartered and Corporate Plane Crashes
Kreindler has handled a large number of aviation accident cases involving chartered planes and corporate jets, including:
- Smith Aerostar 600 chartered plane crash in San Pedro de los Milagros, Colombia
- Nature Air 9916 (Backroads Travel Company), Costa Rica
- Beechcraft C35 Bonanza Aircraft, Hicksville, NY
- Piper Navajo Chieftain PA 31-350 Crash, Nassau, Bahamas
- Gulfstream G-IV Aircraft, Asbell v. SK Travel, LTD, Bedford, MA
- Hawker 800 Airplane, East Coast Jets Flight 81, Owatonna, MN
- Beechcraft 1900 Airplane, Air Serv International, Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Socata TBM 700 Private Airplane, Dartmouth, MA
- Blackhawk International Airways, Cessna 402B, Marsh Harbour, Abaco Islands, Bahamas
- East Coast Aviation Services, British Aerospace Jetstream BAE3101, Wilkes Barre PA
- Colgate Palmolive, Eurocopter MBB-BK117-B2 Crash, New York, NY
- Piper PA-32-300 Airplane Crash, Brandywyne, MD
About Kreindler
Kreindler is the world’s preeminent aviation accident law firm. Our aviation accident attorneys have been appointed leading counsel in nearly every major commercial airline disaster case in the U.S. and internationally. The firm was recently named 2024 Transportation Law Firm of the Year by the National Law Journal. Kreindler’s aviation accident practice is led by attorneys who are also commercial-rated, veteran military pilots. Kreindler’s aviation attorneys have achieved an unmatched record of success representing people globally who have been injured or lost family members in international and domestic airline disasters. Our firm maintains offices in New York, Boston and Los Angeles.