Investigators are examining pieces of the Learjet’s tail for clues about what caused the private aircraft to plunge to the ground and crash.
The jet’s elevator, a control surface mounted on the tail, was found in three sections more than a mile from the Florida crash site. The discovery has raised the possibility that the component separated from the aircraft before the Learjet struck a roadway on Nov. 1.
“The elevator is a control surface located on the tail, which controls the up and down pitch of the aircraft,” NTSB member Tom Chapman said during a Nov. 3 press conference. “Knowing that it was lost is a very important piece of evidence in terms of pointing us towards other things to investigate.”
The plane went down at about 12:50 p.m. local time in a residential area near Cresthaven, Fla., the FAA told Oxygen in a Nov. 2 statement. The three elevator sections were located between 1.3 and 3.8 miles from the crash site.
“What that means exactly, in terms of what caused the aircraft to lose control,” Chapman said, “or whether the loss of this piece was a result of the forces on the aircraft, we don’t know yet.”
Although the elevator is a critical aircraft component, investigators have not determined whether the crash could have been avoided if it had remained attached.
“I don’t know that it would have been effective, even if it had still been attached to the aircraft,” Chapman said. “It tells us that at least some important pieces of the aircraft separated before the impact.”
What Happened to the Learjet Before Crashing in Florida?
The business jet had taken off from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was flying to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas, according to the FAA.
The National Transportation Safety Board said early in the investigation that the debris pattern was already offering important clues.
“We do have some indication that the aircraft was breaking up before impact. Some of this is yet to be determined,” Chapman said at a Nov. 2 press conference. “We may find parts of the aircraft some distance away from the actual impact site.”
The victims were identified as Adam Robinson and Helen Sharp; their children, Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2; Rachael Reed; Charmi Fehr; and Anita Maria Cetina. The two pilots were Nathalia Filgueiras and Jeffrey Gregory.
“A transmission from the airplane announced the descent, followed by a mayday call about 12:48 Eastern,” Chapman said. “The airplane transmitted, ‘We are in an over-speed condition, descending,’ with the rest unintelligible. Subsequent communications described that the airplane was descending rapidly and gave an altitude callout. Sadly, all aboard were lost.”
Authorities have not disclosed a possible cause of the crash. Bombardier, the Learjet’s manufacturer, said it would assist investigators.
“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.”
What Was Said in the Learjet’s Cockpit Before It Crashed?
Audio from inside the cockpit captures how manageable weather conditions rapidly escalated into an emergency.
“We have light, clear ice,” 20-year-old Filgueiras said, according to flight audio recorded by LiveATC.net. “That is manageable and moderate turbulence.”
Eighty-three seconds later, after requesting permission to climb amid precipitation, Filgueiras declared an emergency.
“Mayday, mayday. We’re descending 10,000 feet per minute,” she told air traffic control as the situation worsened. “We are in an overspeed condition descending 20,000 feet per minute.”
A controller responded in a steady voice, “Let me know what you need.”
The private jet was dropping hundreds of feet every second.
“We’re going to crash into the ground!” Filgueiras said. Moments later, she added, “Look outside! Holy f–k. We’re out of time.”