Investigators say Learjet parts broke off before Florida crash

Scattered pieces of the Learjet may lie far from the crater where it hit a Florida road. National Transportation Safety Board member Tom Chapman said investigators found signs that the plane began breaking apart before impact. All nine people aboard died, and one person on the ground suffered a leg injury. This finding is an early clue, not an explanation for what caused the crash. ^1,2

The debris field stretches across the Greenacres area, where the Learjet 60 went down on Nov. 1 while flying from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas. Before the crash, a pilot told air traffic control the crew was dealing with ice and moderate turbulence and asked for a smoother ride. The plane then plunged toward the ground. Investigators are looking at weather, the crew’s actions and possible mechanical problems, and hope to recover the cockpit voice recorder. ^2,7

The recorder could help investigators understand what the pilots experienced and did as the plane descended. Storm clouds in the region reached as high as 45,000 feet, while the crew reported icing at about 35,000 feet. But officials have not confirmed the conditions at the plane’s altitude or that ice caused the breakup. The deaths have brought deep grief to two families, including a couple whose children were 4 and 2, as well as the children’s nanny and two friends. ^2,8

The nine people who died also included co-pilot Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, 20, and the other pilot. Families identified the passengers and described the children as the light of their parents’ lives. Investigators still need to gather and examine wreckage, including any pieces found away from the crash site. The NTSB’s next step is to recover key evidence and use it to find out how the plane came apart. ^1,7