Florida Learjet May Have Broken Apart Mid-Air Before Crash That Killed Nine, NTSB Says

A Learjet 60 carrying nine people may have begun breaking apart in mid-air before crashing in Palm Beach County, Florida, killing everyone on board, US investigators have said.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) identified evidence of a possible in-flight break-up at a briefing on Monday, 2 November. Board member Tom Chapman said parts may have separated before impact, but stressed that the finding was preliminary and the cause had not been established.

The aircraft was travelling from Austin, Texas, to North Eleuthera in the Bahamas when it crashed near Greenacres at 12:50pm on Sunday, 1 November. The impact left a crater beside a road.

Investigators Examine Possible Mid-Air Break-Up

'We do have some indication that the aircraft was breaking up before impact,' Chapman told reporters. He said components could be found some distance from the main impact site.

Heavy rain left water in the crater, complicating recovery work. NTSB investigator Timothy Monville said recovering the main wreckage would be a major challenge and the investigation would take several days.

Chapman said maintenance records showed that a cockpit voice recorder had originally been fitted. Investigators were trying to establish whether it remained on board and could be recovered.

Pilots Reported Icing Before Emergency Descent

Weather is a major focus of the investigation. The crew reported light, clear icing and moderate turbulence at about 35,000 feet, according to the NTSB's account of communications with air traffic control.

The pilots later reported precipitation and requested permission to climb to 37,000 feet. Controllers approved the request. Less than 30 seconds later, the crew reported a descent and declared an emergency.

One transmission gave a descent rate of 10,000 feet per minute. A subsequent communication described an overspeed condition and a rate of 20,000 feet per minute before the message became unintelligible.

Flightradar24 separately said its tracking data showed a vertical descent rate exceeding 32,000 feet per minute. The figure was from Flightradar24's analysis, not an NTSB measurement.

Investigators have not determined whether weather, a mechanical problem or another factor contributed to the crash. The inquiry will examine weather, crew actions and possible mechanical issues.

Nine People Were on Board

The seven passengers included technology entrepreneur Adam Robinson, his wife Helen Sharp, their children Emma, four, and Charlie, two, family friends Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr, and nanny Anita Maria Cetina, according to reports.

The pilots were co-pilot Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, 20, and captain Jeffrey Gregory, 55. Filgueiras was identified by her family, while CBS News Miami reported Gregory's identity, citing a source with direct knowledge and a flight manifest.

Filgueiras made the final radio transmissions, according to accounts of air traffic control recordings. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman paid tribute to her.

Residents Evacuated After Crash

About 600 residents were evacuated from the nearby mobile home community. Local officials said a shelter had been set up for people from almost 80 mobile homes. Palm Beach County Commissioner Joel Flores said there was no confirmed timetable for their return.

A driver near the crash site suffered a leg injury, according to the NTSB.

The NTSB has not determined the cause and is examining the aircraft, weather, crew communications and maintenance records.