Weather and Possible Aircraft Breakup Focus Florida Crash Probe

The Learjet 60 was flying from Austin, Texas, to North Eleuthera in the Bahamas when it crashed in a residential area of Palm Beach County on November 1. The two crew members and seven passengers aboard were killed. The National Transportation Safety Board said Monday that weather and possible aircraft breakup are major areas of its investigation; the cause has not been determined.

At about 12:47 p.m., while cruising at roughly 35,000 feet, the crew reported light clear ice and moderate turbulence, along with altitude variations of about 700 feet. After reporting precipitation, the crew asked to climb to 37,000 feet. Controllers cleared the climb, and within 30 seconds the jet reported descending and issued a mayday call.

The aircraft transmitted that it was in an “overspeed condition” while descending. Further communications indicated a rapid loss of altitude before the jet struck the ground at about 12:50 p.m. NTSB board member Tom Chapman said investigators had evidence suggesting the aircraft was breaking apart before impact, though the circumstances remain under review.

The crash left a crater and scattered debris across a wide area. Investigators expect several days of work at the scene, where recovering the main wreckage from the roadway will be difficult. Hundreds of people were evacuated from nearby homes, including a mobile home community, and officials have not established when residents can return. The Federal Aviation Administration is assisting the NTSB.