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Pilots’ push to level jet may have torn off key piece found miles from Florida crash, former NTSB expert says
A Learjet 60 crashed in Palm Beach County, Florida, killing all nine people aboard, after reporting icing and moderate turbulence at about 35,000 feet. Investigators found the left tail elevator, which controls pitch, in three pieces up to 3.8 miles from the crash site; a former NTSB investigator said this may indicate the aircraft broke apart in flight.
Investigators are examining whether the elevator came off and contributed to the crash, or whether forces on the aircraft tore it loose. Former investigator Greg Feith suggested a pilot’s attempt to level the jet may have overstressed its structure, but this is not a confirmed cause. The NTSB is also focused on weather conditions, and has yet to find or confirm the presence of the cockpit voice recorder.
In short
- A key tail control was found in pieces up to 3.8 miles away.
- Investigators are examining a possible in-flight breakup.
- Icing and turbulence are major focuses of the probe.
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The case for
The elevator’s separation and recovery miles from the crash site could support the possibility that the aircraft broke apart in flight. If the crew tried to level the jet amid icing and turbulence, that manoeuvre may have placed additional stress on an already vulnerable structure, as former investigator Greg Feith has suggested.
The case against
The evidence does not establish that a pilot’s manoeuvre caused the elevator to detach or the crash. Severe weather could have contributed to the aircraft’s loss of control or structural failure, and the elevator may have torn free as a consequence rather than initiating the breakup; investigators have not confirmed the cause.
Explained simply
A Learjet 60 is a small business jet. Its elevator is a movable part of the tail that helps pilots control whether the aircraft’s nose points up or down. Icing can affect how air flows over an aircraft, while turbulence can jolt it.
The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigates aircraft accidents and works to establish what happened. Investigators examine the wreckage, flight data and weather, among other evidence. A former NTSB investigator has offered one possible explanation, but the cause has not been established.
The findings matter because they may help explain how the crash happened and whether any safety changes are needed. The aircraft’s cockpit voice recorder could provide evidence about what was said in the cockpit, but its presence has not been confirmed.