WEST PALM BEACH, Florida — A Learjet 60 carrying nine people broke apart midair and crashed into a roadway near West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday, killing all aboard in a fiery accident that has prompted a wide-ranging investigation by federal authorities.
The aircraft had departed Austin, Texas, earlier in the day bound for the Bahamas. While crossing into Florida, the crew reported icing conditions at 35,000 feet, with ambient temperatures reaching minus 47 degrees Celsius, and reported moderate turbulence and precipitation. Air traffic controllers had warned the crew about approaching storm systems. The pilots requested clearance to climb to 37,000 feet to avoid the weather, but the aircraft subsequently entered a steep descent.
Air traffic control recordings captured the pilot declaring a mayday as the descent rate accelerated. The descent began at roughly 8,000 feet per minute and increased to 20,000 feet per minute, with the pilot warning the aircraft was in an overspeed condition. In one of the final transmissions, the pilot told air traffic control: "We're going to crash into the ground!". Flight-tracking data indicates the aircraft eventually plunged at a rate of around 27,000 feet per minute before communications were lost.
The National Transportation Safety Board said investigators are examining whether ice accumulation, turbulence, or mechanical failure contributed to the aircraft breaking apart before impact. NTSB member Tom Chapman said findings suggest the jet began disintegrating in flight, meaning debris could be scattered across a considerable distance from the primary crash site. AccuWeather reported that some storm cloud tops in the region reached 45,000 feet, potentially forcing aircraft to navigate through or around severe weather.
Former NTSB and FAA investigator Jeff Guzzetti said key components of the jet's tail may have been lost during turbulence or the steep descent, potentially rendering the aircraft uncontrollable. "That very well could explain the missile-like profile just before it hit the ground," Guzzetti said.
All nine occupants were killed. The victims included pilot Jeff Gregory, 55, and co-pilot Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, 20. Also among the dead were technology entrepreneur Adam Robinson, 51, his wife Helen Sharp, and their children Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2. The family was travelling with three other passengers: Rachel Reed, Charmi Fehr, and Anita Maria Cetina. Robinson founded and led companies including RB2B and Retention.com and had previously worked at Lehman Brothers and Barclays.
Heavy rainfall has complicated recovery operations, with the impact crater partially filled with water. Investigators are working to recover the cockpit voice recorder to establish the events of the final moments, though NTSB investigator Timothy Monville said the process would be complicated by the water-filled crater. Around 600 nearby residents were displaced following the accident, and one person on the ground suffered a leg injury.
The NTSB investigation is ongoing. No determination on the probable cause has been made.
