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Learjet tail section found miles from Florida crash site as NTSB investigates breakup
Developing story first seen 1 hour ago
Investigators have recovered part of the Learjet’s tail elevator up to 3.8 miles from the Florida crash site, adding evidence that aircraft components may have separated before impact. The NTSB is examining whether the separation contributed to the crash or happened as the aircraft descended.
The Learjet 60 crashed in Greenacres, near West Palm Beach, on Sunday, creating a crater and scattering debris. The co-pilot reported ice accumulation and severe turbulence before the crash, which investigators say may have been a significant factor. The NTSB says the crash’s proximity to Mar-a-Lago and a temporary no-fly zone was coincidental, with no evidence linking them.
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In short
- Tail debris was found up to 3.8 miles from the crash site.
- Investigators are probing when and why parts separated.
- Severe weather may have contributed to the crash.
How this story developed
- 18 minutes ago Investigators refined the tail elevator’s recovery distance to between 1.3 and 3.8 miles and said severe weather may have played a significant role in the crash.
- 38 minutes ago Investigators recovered part of a Learjet 60’s tail elevator up to 3.8 miles from the Greenacres crash site, while examining whether it came off before impact or during the aircraft’s descent; the co-pilot had reported ice and severe turbulence, and the NTSB said the nearby no-fly zone and Mar-a-Lago were unrelated to the crash.
Full account
Investigators examining the Learjet 60 that crashed in Greenacres, Florida, have found a section of its tail several miles from the impact site. At a Tuesday briefing, National Transportation Safety Board member Tom Chapman said the aircraft’s tail elevator had been recovered between about 1.3 and 3.8 miles from the crater. The jet struck a road near West Palm Beach on Sunday and caught fire; debris was scattered across a wide area.
The finding adds to evidence that parts of the aircraft separated before impact, though investigators have not established whether an earlier failure triggered the crash or whether the forces of the descent caused the separation. Chapman said the elevator had broken into three pieces. Because it controls the aircraft’s pitch, losing it would have been significant, he said, while cautioning that at the speed the jet was travelling it might not have been effective even if still attached.
The plane was travelling from Texas towards the Bahamas when it encountered severe weather. The co-pilot reported that ice was building up and that turbulence had moved the aircraft sharply up and down, according to the Associated Press report. Earlier, the NTSB had identified severe weather as a significant line of inquiry. The aircraft crashed in Greenacres, southwest of West Palm Beach, killing all nine people on board, the AP reported.
The crash occurred near Mar-a-Lago while temporary flight restrictions and increased security measures were in place in the area. Chapman said investigators had found no link between the crash and the security measures, describing the timing as coincidental. The reports give different levels of attention to this issue: one foregrounds the nearby restrictions and military deployments, while the AP focuses on the aircraft’s breakup, the crew’s communications and pilot Jeff Gregory’s life.
Where outlets differ
From the full account, which is AI-written from the sources:
Source 1 gives a range of 1.3 to 3.8 miles for the recovered tail section; the AP describes it as more than a mile from the crater. The AP adds that the elevator was in three pieces and explains its role in controlling pitch, while Source 1 emphasises the possible proximity to Mar-a-Lago and says the crash was unrelated to the security measures. The AP also reports the co-pilot’s account of icing and turbulence and includes tributes to Gregory. Source 1 names passengers and describes the jet’s speed and descent, but its supplied text ends mid-sentence.
Explained simply
The Learjet 60 is a business jet that carries passengers and crew. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the US agency that investigates civil aviation accidents, is examining why the aircraft crashed in Greenacres, near West Palm Beach.
Aircraft parts can break away during a crash, or separate earlier if the plane is under severe strain. Investigators will use where the tail section was found, along with flight and weather evidence, to establish when it came off and whether it played a part in the crash.
The crew had reported ice buildup and severe turbulence, which can affect an aircraft’s handling. The crash site’s proximity to Mar-a-Lago and a temporary no-fly zone has been described by investigators as coincidental, with no evidence linking them to the crash.
Coverage · 2 sources
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Daily Mail as “Debris from doomed Learjet scattered for miles across Palm Beach as plane fell apart in downward spiral before final impact”.