Federal investigators said Tuesday that a vital part of the private jet that crashed into a Florida neighborhood was discovered several miles from the impact site, as crews prepared to pump water from the crater left by the deadly wreckage that claimed nine lives.
NTSB member Tom Chapman was also asked whether the crash’s location—less than 10 miles from President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence—had any connection to Secret Service activity. He rejected the suggestion.
“There is no evidence of connection. Purely coincidence,” he said.
Investigators examine the scene of a plane crash in Greenacres, Fla., Monday, Nov. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Most of the Learjet 60’s left elevator was located across an area stretching from 1.3 to 3.8 miles from the crash site in Palm Beach County, Chapman said at the agency’s final briefing from the scene.
The finding further indicates that the plane began disintegrating before it struck the ground. Located on the aircraft’s tail, the elevator is a movable control surface that helps regulate whether the nose rises or drops.
A Learjet 60 crashed into a South Florida residential neighborhood Sunday afternoon (Palm Beach County Fire Rescue)
Even if the elevator had stayed attached, however, Chapman said he did not think the aircraft could have recovered because of how quickly it was descending.
The Learjet was flying from Austin, Texas, to North Eleuthera in the Bahamas with seven passengers and two crew members aboard. All nine people died in Sunday’s crash.
Crews were preparing to drain the impact crater, where investigators expect to find more pieces of the aircraft. Chapman said any components buried there are likely to be small because of the intensity of the impact.
Heavy weather has slowed portions of the recovery operation and remains a central part of the investigation. Officials have not yet identified what caused the crash.
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Investigators have obtained dashcam video that could help establish what happened during the jet’s final moments, Chapman said. Officials are preserving recovered wreckage for examination and asked members of the public not to handle any debris they find, but instead to contact authorities.
Before the emergency, the crew reported light clear icing and moderate turbulence while cruising at approximately 35,000 feet. They then requested clearance to climb to 37,000 feet. Less than 30 seconds after that request was approved, the pilots reported a descent and issued a mayday call.
About 600 residents living near Military Trail and Cresthaven Boulevard were evacuated following the crash, according to The Palm Beach Post.
Palm Beach County spokesperson John Jamason told the outlet that 40 to 50 people were staying at the Greenacres Community Center. County officials were seeking state assistance to provide displaced residents with housing and transportation as work continued at the crash site.
Military Trail remained closed in both directions between 10th Avenue North and Purdy Lane, officials said during Tuesday’s briefing. They offered no estimate for when the road would reopen or when residents could return to their homes.
The victims included Austin technology entrepreneur Adam Robinson, 45; his wife, Helen Sharp, 40; and their children, Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2.
Adam Robinson, the CEO and co-founder of Retention.com, also headed RB2B and MoltSets. His companies described him as “a friend, a mentor and a bold, outspoken leader who lived life to the fullest.” (Fox News)
Robinson had marked a major business achievement in his final LinkedIn post on the day of the crash, announcing that RB2B had reached $10 million in annual recurring revenue. He was also scheduled to take part in a live business debate Tuesday.
“Adam and Helen were devoted parents, and Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2, were the light of their lives. Helen and Adam were the love affair that will last forever,” the families said in a statement provided to News Media.
“Their warmth, generosity and gift for making people feel welcome touched so many lives. Their loss will be felt deeply by all those who loved them and who they loved in return.”
Chapman expressed confidence that investigators would determine what happened and thanked Florida and Palm Beach County authorities and first responders for their assistance.
Officials added that further investigative updates will be posted on the NTSB’s website.