Even as panic set in, the pilot of the Learjet that later crashed continued communicating with air traffic controllers until the final moments of the flight.
Recordings from inside the aircraft show how what began as moderate in-flight trouble rapidly escalated into a catastrophic emergency for copilots Nathalia Filgueiras and Jeffrey Gregory on Nov. 1 in Florida.
“We have light, clear ice,” 20-year-old Filgueiras reported, according to flight audio captured by LiveATC.net. She added that the conditions included “manageable and moderate turbulence.”
Just 83 seconds later, after asking to gain altitude while flying through precipitation, Filgueiras declared an emergency.
“Mayday, mayday. We’re descending 10,000 feet per minute,” she shouted as she described the plane’s worsening condition to air traffic control. “We are in an overspeed condition descending 20,000 feet per minute.”
A controller calmly responded, “Let me know what you need.”
The private jet was dropping hundreds of feet every second as the crisis unfolded.
“We’re going to crash into the ground!” Filgueiras warned. Moments later, she cried, “Look outside! Holy f***. We’re out of time.”
The Learjet went down at approximately 12:50 p.m. ET in a residential area near Cresthaven, Fla., the Federal Aviation Administration told Oxygen in a Nov. 2 statement.
The Learjet 60 had taken off from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was bound for North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas, according to the FAA.
What Happened To The Learjet Before Crashing In Florida?
The National Transportation Safety Board is still examining the Nov. 1 crash, while investigators study the debris field for evidence about what happened in the air.
“We do have some indication that the aircraft was breaking up before impact. Some of this is yet to be determined,” NTSB member Tom Chapman said during a Nov. 2 press conference. “We may find parts of the aircraft some distance away from the actual impact site.”
Those killed were identified as Adam Robinson and Helen Sharp; their children, Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2; as well as Rachael Reed, Charmi Fehr and Anita Maria Cetina. Gregory was the flight’s second copilot.
“A transmission from the airplane announced the descent, followed by a mayday call about 12:48 Eastern,” Chapman said. The aircraft then transmitted, “We are in an over-speed condition, descending,” although the rest of the message could not be understood. Later communications indicated a rapid descent and included an altitude callout. “Sadly, all aboard were lost.”
Investigators believe the widely dispersed wreckage could be crucial to determining the sequence of events that led to the crash.
“It’s a half mile by four-tenths of a mile,” NTSB lead accident investigator Timothy Monville said at the briefing. “It’s scattered among ball fields, businesses, personal residences. And the debris is rather small.”
Authorities have not announced a possible cause, but Learjet manufacturer Bombardier said it would assist with the investigation.
“We at Bombardier are deeply saddened by this tragic event and extend our sincerest sympathies to all those affected,” the company said in a Nov. 2 statement to Oxygen. “We cannot comment on the potential cause of this accident until the investigation is complete and we will fully support the investigating authorities and cooperate as needed.”
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