Investigators say Florida private jet may have broken up before impact
The NTSB is investigating a Learjet 60 crash in Palm Beach that killed nine people on board on Sunday.
Investigators believe a private jet that crashed in Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday may have broken apart in the air before hitting a highway. The Learjet 60 was travelling from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas when it nosedived and exploded on Military Trail, according to reports from BBC News and Mint.
The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said weather conditions would be a major focus of the investigation. NTSB member Tom Chapman said there is evidence of an aircraft breakup before impact, though investigators are still working to determine if the horizontal stabilizer came off.
Air traffic control audio recordings indicate the crew reported moderate turbulence and icing before the plane began a rapid descent. One voice in the cockpit was heard saying the plane was in an overspeed condition and stating, "we are going to crash into the ground."
The crash killed all nine people on board, including tech entrepreneur Adam Robinson, his wife Helen Sharp, and their two children, Emma and Charlie. Also killed were Rachael Reed, Charmi Fehr, Anita Maria Cetina, pilot Jeffery Gregory, and 20-year-old copilot Nathalia Filgueiras.
The NTSB is facing difficulties accessing the wreckage due to a large crater on the roadway that was partially filled with water from severe storms. One man in a car on the ground sustained a leg injury during the accident.
Officials are currently trying to determine if a cockpit voice recorder was on board and if it can be recovered. The aircraft was operated by Aurora Aviation Inc., doing business as Upper Jets.