NTSB focuses on weather in Florida Learjet crash that killed nine

NTSB focuses on weather in Florida Learjet crash that killed nine

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Florida Learjet Crash Kills Nine as Investigators Focus on Severe Weather and Icing

Weather conditions have emerged as a primary focus in the investigation of a devastating plane crash in Palm Beach County, Florida, that claimed the lives of all nine people on board, according to transportation officials. The tragedy unfolded on Sunday when a Bahamas-bound Learjet 60 plummeted into a residential neighborhood, leaving a massive crater near a mobile home park and triggering the evacuation of approximately 600 local residents.

The aircraft, operated by Aurora Aviation under the name Upper Jets, departed from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas at 3:37 p.m. Irish time on Sunday, heading for North Eleuthera in the Bahamas. According to CNN records, the flight encountered extreme atmospheric conditions shortly before the disaster, registering an outside temperature of -47 degrees Celsius while severe turbulence bounced the aircraft by roughly 700 feet.

Distress Calls Detail Rapid Descent and Cockpit Icing

National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) member Tom Chapman outlined the flight’s final moments during a public briefing, confirming statements captured on audio recordings posted to liveatc.net and obtained by major news networks. Someone in the cockpit reported encountering “moderate turbulence,” noting that the crew was “managing the ice” and “picking up precipitation” before urgently requesting to climb.

“We’re descending 8,000 – mayday, mayday. We’re descending 10,000 feet per minute,” the co-pilot radioed, followed by the pilot declaring an overspeed condition and warning: “We are in an overspeed condition descending 20,000 feet per minute. We’re going to crash into the ground.”

Within approximately 35 seconds of the initial mayday call, the pilot delivered a final transmission: “We’re out of time.” The Bombardier plane, which went into service in 2004 and underwent renovation in 2018 according to Jettly, plunged into the Cresthaven area approximately nine miles from Mar-a-Lago, creating a fireball that narrowly missed nearby cars and homes.

Victims Identified as Families Confirm Losses on Social Media

The victims include Adam Robinson, 45, and his wife, Helen Sharp, 40, along with their two young children, four-year-old Emma and two-year-old Charlie. Also killed were the family’s nanny, Anita Maria Cetina, and another couple, Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr.

In the wake of the tragedy, a social media post previously published on X by Adam Robinson regarding work-life balance and prioritizing family presence went viral. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis described the impact to reporters at the scene as a cataclysmic event, noting that it “looked like a missile going down.” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed that the Federal Aviation Administration is actively assisting the NTSB in the ongoing inquiry.

NTSB focuses on weather in Florida Learjet crash that killed nine
Photo: The Independent

Flight Crew Credentials and Open Questions Remain Under Scrutiny

The pilot has been named as Jeff Gregory and the co-pilot as 20-year-old Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras. Ms. Filgueiras had earned her pilot’s license at age 17, amassed more than 1,300 flight hours, and joined the Fort Lauderdale-based private charter firm roughly nine months prior to the crash. Investigators have not yet determined which crew member was actively operating the controls when the aircraft encountered severe distress.

Key technical questions remain unresolved as the probe advances. NTSB officials confirmed that while aircraft maintenance logs indicate a cockpit voice recorder was previously installed on the jet, investigators do not yet know if the device was physically on board at the time of the crash or if it can be successfully recovered. Representatives for Aurora Aviation and Upper Jets did not immediately respond to public requests for comment.

More on this story: Learjet 60 Crashes in Florida Leaving Nine Dead After Rapid Descent · All Nine Killed After Private Jet Crashes Near Florida Neighborhood

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More on Upper Jets

Florida Learjet crash victims identified; Private jet may have broken apart midair, NTSB says
NTSB: Learjet crew reported ice, turbulence before deadly Florida crash
NTSB: Learjet crew reported ice, turbulence before deadly Florida crash
NTSB SHARES DETAILS | NTSB details crew’s reports before fatal Florida Learjet crash.

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