The pilot of a Learjet that crashed in Palm Beach County, Florida, killing all nine people on board, reported icing and turbulence before issuing a series of Mayday calls, air traffic control recordings show.
The aircraft had departed from Austin, Texas, and was heading for the Bahamas when the pilot said: “We’re managing the ice, but it is moderate turbulence.”
Moments later, the pilot reported a rapid descent, saying: “722 Bravo Delta, we’re descending 8,000, Mayday, Mayday, we’re descending 10,000 feet per minute.”
The final messages became increasingly urgent. “Declare an emergency 722 Bravo Delta, we are in an overspeed condition descending 20,000 feet per minute,” the pilot said.
Data transmitted by the jet showed it at nearly 9,000ft before it plunged at more than 32,000ft per minute – about 363mph.
Investigation into Florida plane crash
The aircraft came down in a residential area beside a busy road, bursting into flames and leaving a large crater. No one on the ground was killed, although one person suffered a leg injury.
The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation. Board member Tom Chapman said there were indications the aircraft may have broken apart before hitting the ground, meaning investigators could find wreckage some distance from the impact site.
Robert Sumwalt, a former NTSB chairman and transportation safety expert, said regaining control of an aircraft after icing had caused it to become unstable could be extremely difficult.
“One, it adds weight, but more importantly, it disrupts the smooth flow of air across the top of the wings and any disruption to the flow of air across the top of the wing can severely affect the aerodynamic performance of the airplane,” he said.
The co-pilot was identified as 20-year-old Nathalia Filgueiras, while the captain was named as 55-year-old Jeffrey Gregory.
Among the passengers were Austin couple Adam Robinson, 45, and Helen Sharp, 41, and their two children, aged two and four. Two other passengers were in their 30s and another was in their 20s; their names had not been released pending confirmation that relatives had been notified.
Witnesses described hearing a whistle followed by a powerful impact. Aki Kuusisto said: “It felt like it was right next to us. Like driving down the road, we heard the whistle and the boom and you could feel it in the car, it was that close.”
Other people nearby said their homes shook and lights flickered after the crash.
