Aerodynamics: NTSB traces jet crash to detached tail component

National Transportation Safety Board investigators concluded that a critical control surface detached from the private jet before it struck the ground in Palm Beach, Florida. The discovery provides a physical link to the sudden loss of altitude that killed all nine people on board the Learjet 60 on Sunday.

NTSB board member Tom Chapman stated that the majority of the aircraft's left elevator was recovered in three separate pieces. These components were located between 1.3 and 3.8 miles from the crash site. Chapman explained that this distance confirmed the parts fell away prior to impact. He noted that the loss of this specific control is a key piece of evidence for the ongoing inquiry.

The left elevator manages the vertical movement of the aircraft's nose. Chapman said investigators are currently determining whether the separation caused the plane to nose-dive or if external forces on the airframe caused the part to break off. He added that the control may not have been effective at the high speeds the jet was traveling during the incident.

The aircraft was en route to the Bahamas from Austin, Texas, when it plunged into a multi-lane highway. Air traffic control recordings captured the crew reporting moderate turbulence and active ice management. Minutes later, the pilots indicated they were picking up precipitation and needed to climb. The voice on the recording then reported a descent rate of 10,000 feet per minute.

The crew declared an emergency and reported an overspeed condition while descending at 20,000 feet per minute. They stated they were going to crash into the ground before the jet exploded on impact. The force of the collision created a large crater in the road, which has complicated access to the wreckage. Chapman said the impact severely damaged the remaining debris.

The NTSB is investigating the role of weather in the crash. Seven passengers died in the accident. A joint statement identified them as tech entrepreneur Adam Robinson, his wife Helen Sharp, their two children Emma and Charlie, and friends Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr. Anita Maria Cetina, the family's nanny, also died. Media reports named 55-year-old Jeffrey Gregory as the pilot and 20-year-old Nathalia Filgueiras as the co-pilot.