9 killed as Learjet plunges at 350 feet per second
A family of four, including two toddlers, died in the Palm Beach County crash that created a deep crater in a roadway.
By Rebecca Foster ·
A Learjet 60 crashed into a roadway in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday, killing all nine people on board. The aircraft, owned by Aurora Aviation and operating under the name Upper Jets, was traveling from Austin, Texas, to North Eleuthera in the Bahamas when it struck the ground.
Victims included Adam Robinson and Helen Sharp, along with their two young children, Emma, age 4, and Charlie, age 2. Anthony Robinson, Adam's brother, confirmed the family's presence on the plane. He described Helen and Adam as a couple whose warmth touched many lives. The co-pilot was identified as Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, a 20-year-old woman. The other two crew members and remaining passengers have not yet been formally identified.
The National Transportation Safety Board stated that the aircraft plummeted at 350 feet per second. NTSB board member Tom Chapman said there is indication the plane was breaking apart before it hit the ground. Debris scattered across a field measuring roughly half a mile by four-tenths of a mile, landing on ball fields, businesses, and houses near the crash site.
Chapman outlined a timeline of the final moments. At 12:47 p.m. ET, the crew reported moderate turbulence and light clear ice. They were at an altitude of 35,000 feet, where the turbulence caused altitude deviations of about 700 feet. The outside temperature was recorded at minus 53 degrees Fahrenheit. The crew requested to climb to 37,000 feet, a move approved by air traffic control.
Less than 30 seconds after receiving clearance, the aircraft transmitted that it was in an overspeed condition and descending. The crew subsequently issued a Mayday call. Chapman noted that the crew reported experiencing icing and turbulence, which he said is certainly a factor in the investigation. It remains unclear if the jet flew through an active thunderstorm during the descent.
NTSB investigator in charge Timothy Monville said the crash left a huge crater near a shopping center. Rainwater has since seeped into the crater, complicating recovery efforts. Monville described the recovery of wreckage from the crater as the biggest obstacle for the team. One man in a vehicle adjacent to the crash site sustained a leg injury.
Palm Beach County officials evacuated hundreds of people from 77 mobile homes in the Greenacres community following the crash. Authorities said the medical examiner's office is in the lengthy process of collecting and assessing DNA to officially release the identities of the victims. NTSB investigators plan to remain at the scene for several days to collect evidence.
The FAA confirmed the presence of a cockpit voice recorder on the jet, though it is unclear if the device remained aboard during the flight. The crash occurred just before 1 p.m. ET near Military Trail, between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue.
