Learjet control parts found miles from Florida crash site
Investigators believe components of the private jet may have broken off before the plane hit the ground on Sunday.
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators found crucial components of a Learjet 60 between 1.3 and 3.8 miles away from the crash site in Palm Beach, Florida, according to BBC News on Tuesday.
NTSB board member Tom Chapman said the majority of the aircraft's left elevator was located in three pieces. The elevator is a control surface on the tail used to manage the upward and downward movement of the plane's nose.
Chapman stated that because the parts were found at such a distance from the impact site, investigators believe they detached before the crash. He noted that identifying the loss of this part is significant evidence for the ongoing investigation.
The NTSB is working to determine if the loss of the elevator caused the aircraft to nosedive or if the component separated due to forces acting on the plane. Chapman suggested the part might not have functioned properly at the aircraft's travelling speed.
The Learjet 60 was flying from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas when it crashed into a multi-lane highway on Sunday, killing all nine people on board. Air traffic control recordings captured the crew reporting moderate turbulence, ice, and precipitation before the plane began a rapid descent.
The investigation is ongoing, with the NTSB planning to examine the role weather played in the accident. All nine victims, including passengers Adam Robinson, Helen Sharp, and their two children, died in the crash.