9 killed in Learjet crash near West Palm Beach
NTSB investigators say the aircraft began breaking apart before it struck a residential street in Greenacres, Florida, on November 1.
By Evelyn Henderson ·
Nine people died when a Learjet crashed into a residential street in Greenacres, Florida, on November 1. The aircraft exploded upon impact in a neighborhood close to West Palm Beach.
A family representative posted a statement on Facebook identifying the passengers. The group included Adam Robinson and Helen Sharp, their children Emma and Charlie, Rachael Reed, Charmi Fehr, and Anita Maria Cetina. One pilot was previously identified by her mother as 20-year-old Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras. The identity of the second pilot has not yet been confirmed.
National Transportation Safety Board member Tom Chapman briefed reporters on Monday about the ongoing probe. He stated that evidence suggests the aircraft started disintegrating before it hit the ground. Chapman noted that debris could be scattered over a wide area. "We do have some indication that the aircraft was breaking up before impact," Chapman said.
Aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti offered a technical perspective on the flight dynamics. He suggested that key tail components may have been lost during turbulence or a nose dive. Guzzetti, a former investigator for the NTSB and the Federal Aviation Administration, explained that losing those parts makes the plane uncontrollable. He said this failure could explain the steep, missile-like profile observed just before impact.
Weather conditions are a central focus of the investigation. Rain battered the region on Sunday. One pilot reported icing conditions at high altitude while communicating with air traffic control. Data from FlightRadar24 combined with the flight path indicates the jet flew into a rapidly expanding storm cell. However, Chapman said investigators must still determine the specific conditions at 35,000 feet.
The plane was originally equipped with a cockpit voice recorder. Investigators are working to recover that device. NTSB investigator Timothy Monville described the on-scene work as a several-day process. He identified recovering the major wreckage from the impact crater on the roadway as the biggest obstacle for the team.
Source: WDRB
