Learjet Parts Found Miles from Florida Crash Site, NTSB Says

Parts of the private jet that crashed in Florida on Sunday killing nine people were found miles from the impact site, suggesting they broke off before the plane hit the ground, according to US air safety investigators.

(Bloomberg) -- Parts of the private jet that crashed in Florida on Sunday killing nine people were found miles from the impact site, suggesting they broke off before the plane hit the ground, according to US air safety investigators. 

Most of the Learjet 60’s left elevator was located in three pieces within a range of about 1.3 to 3.8 miles from the crash site, US National Transportation Safety Board member Tom Chapman told reporters Tuesday. The elevator is located on the tail of the aircraft and controls whether the nose is pointed up or down.

“Knowing that it was lost is a very important piece of evidence in terms of pointing us towards other things to investigate,” Chapman said. The distance suggests it broke off before impact but the NTSB is still trying to determine if losing the piece contributed to the accident or if it was the result of forces on the plane when it began plummeting toward the ground. 

Investigators have been digging into what caused the fatal crash in Palm Beach County, Florida. In communications with air traffic controllers, one of the pilots of the Learjet 60 reported moderate turbulence, ice and precipitation. The aircraft briefly climbed before nosediving at a high speed. The crash created a large crater on a roadway. 

The NTSB previously said weather conditions are a major focus of its investigation. 

A public relations firm for the families of the crash victims said technology entrepreneur Adam Robinson was on the flight with his wife, Helen Sharp, and their two children. The children’s caretaker, Anita Maria Cetina, as well as Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr, were also among the passengers, the joint statement said. 

News outlets have reported that the pilots of the aircraft were 55-year-old Jeff Gregory and 20-year-old Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras. 

Authorities haven’t publicly confirmed the victims’ identities, but Chapman said Tuesday that NTSB was aware of the names of the victims and “keeping them in our thoughts.”