By Salma El-Sakka
Investigators believe a private jet that crashed in Florida, killing all nine people on board, may have broken apart before impact. The Learjet 60 was en route to the Bahamas from Austin, Texas, when it nosedived into a six-lane highway in Palm Beach on Sunday, exploding on impact.
Investigation focuses on weather and wreckage recovery
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said weather conditions will be a major focus. Lead investigator Tim Monville said the biggest obstacle is recovering major wreckage from a large crater on Military Trail, which partially filled with water due to severe storms. Heavy rainfall and thunderstorms were reported at the time of the crash, and debris was scattered across sports fields, businesses, and homes.
Evidence of mid-air breakup
NTSB official Tom Chapman said there is evidence the aircraft broke up before impact, and parts may be found far from the main crash site. Officials are also trying to determine whether a cockpit voice recorder was on board and if it can be recovered.
Final moments from flight data
Flight analysis indicates the jet was plummeting hundreds of feet per second before the crash. Air traffic control audio captured the crew reporting moderate turbulence and managing ice, then saying the plane was picking up precipitation and needed to climb. Moments later, the descent rate reached 10,000 feet per minute, then 20,000 feet per minute, before the crew declared an emergency and said they were going to crash into the ground.
Victims identified
The seven passengers were tech entrepreneur Adam Robinson, his wife Helen Sharp, their children Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2, family friends Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr, and nanny Anita Maria Cetina. The pilot was Jeffrey Gregory, 55, and the co-pilot was Nathalia Filgueiras, 20, who earned her pilot's license at 17. One person on the ground sustained a leg injury.
Tributes to victims
Robinson's family described the couple as devoted parents and their children as the light of their lives. Robinson was founder and CEO of technology companies RB2B, Retention.com, and Moltsets. Sharp was an artist. Cetina was praised for her tenderness and devotion to the children. Reed and Fehr were described as full of joy and adventure. Filgueiras' mother said her daughter loved the freedom of flying.
