Learjet Broke Apart Before Impact, Killing Nine in Florida Crash

Nine people died when a Learjet 60 crashed near Palm Springs, Florida, on Sunday afternoon. The National Transportation Safety Board reported on Monday that early evidence suggests the aircraft began breaking apart before it struck the ground.

The jet departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport at approximately 10:37 a.m. local time, heading for North Eleuthera in the Bahamas. Two flight crew members and seven passengers were on board. At 12:47 p.m., the crew reported light icing and moderate turbulence while flying at 35,000 feet. They requested permission to climb to 37,000 feet, which air traffic control granted.

Less than 30 seconds after the approval, the plane entered a rapid descent. The crew transmitted a mayday call and reported an overspeed condition. Cockpit audio recordings obtained by FOX 13 captured the pilot stating the aircraft was descending at 10,000 feet per minute. The pilot later reported a descent rate of 20,000 feet per minute and a 60-degree bank. The final intelligible transmission from the cockpit was the phrase, "Look outside."

NTSB Member Tom Chapman and Investigator-in-Charge Timothy Monville briefed reporters on the findings. Chapman expressed condolences to the families of the victims. The agency noted that the outside temperature was minus 47 degrees Celsius, or minus 53 degrees Fahrenheit, at the time of the incident. Investigators are examining weather conditions and attempting to recover a cockpit voice recorder.

Nathalia Gadelha, 20, was identified as the co-pilot. Her mother and stepfather told the New York Post that Gadelha earned her private pilot license at age 17 through the West Boca Raton High School Aviation Academy. She had graduated from American Flyers flight school and was pursuing a career in commercial aviation. Authorities have not yet released the names of the other eight victims.

The impact created a large crater near a roadway. Debris from the jet scattered across nearby homes and businesses. Dashcam footage shows the plane descending nose-first before erupting into flames. One person in a vehicle leaving the area suffered a leg injury. Palm Beach County declared a state of emergency, and officials believe hundreds of people were evacuated.

The NTSB team, which included about 20 investigators arriving Sunday evening, is working to recover the main wreckage from the roadway. Weather is delaying operations at the scene. The agency is interviewing witnesses and examining the aircraft's history, though no prior crashes involving this specific model have been identified. Officials are coordinating with local leaders to provide temporary housing and transportation vouchers to affected residents.