Federal investigators were combing through the wreckage of a business jet that crashed into a South Florida community, killing all nine people aboard and injuring one person on the ground, after encountering ice and turbulence in the air.
A Learjet 60 carrying seven passengers and two crewmembers from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas slammed into the ground near a busy roadway in Palm Beach County at around 12:50 p.m. ET on Nov. 1. The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into the crash, and aviation experts said a central question for investigators will be what led the flight crew to lose control of the aircraft.
NTSB member Thomas Chapman said at a news conference on Nov. 2 that the weather conditions at the time of
the crash will also be "a major concern of the investigation." Heavy rain and thunderstorms were moving through the area at the time, forecaster AccuWeather said in a statement.
Chapman declined to speculate on the cause of the crash but said the probe has already uncovered evidence that the plane had begun breaking apart before impact. Investigators said it would take several days to recover the wreckage from the impact crater, which was filled with water due to the weather, and the wide swath of debris left behind by the plane.
One key target of the search is the cockpit voice recorder, also known as a black box. Chapman said records indicate such a device was installed on the aircraft at some point, but investigators don’t know whether it was still on board before the crash.
Chapman encouraged members of the public who captured video of the fiery crash or located pieces of debris to contact the NTSB.
"Our mission is to understand not just what happened but why it happened and to recommend changes to prevent it from happening again," he said.
In addition to the multidisciplinary team of experts led by the NTSB, the operator of the aircraft may also participate in the investigation, investigators said. The plane was operated by Aurora Airlines, doing business as Upper Jets, according to the NTSB. In a statement to USA TODAY, Upper Jets offered condolences to everyone affected by the crash and said it is cooperating with local, state, and federal authorities.
"Our hearts go out to everyone impacted by this tragedy," the company said. "We are committed to supporting the families of all those who lost a loved one yesterday, and are praying for them as we grieve together."
Here's what we know about the crash:
Harrowing audio reveals final moments before crash
The FAA said the Learjet 60 departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport at 10:37 pm ET and was headed to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas when it crashed about two hours later.
Moments before the crash, the crew reported they were at about 35,000 feet and the temperature outside was -53°F, Chapman, the NTSB member said. A person in the cockpit said the crew was "managing the ice," encountering "moderate" turbulence and seeking "better rides," according to audio posted by LiveATC, a website that broadcasts air traffic control communications.
Less than a minute later, the person issued a mayday call and reported the aircraft was descending at 10,000 feet per minute. Seconds later, they declared an emergency and said the descent rate had accelerated to 20,000 feet per minute.
"We're going to crash into the ground," the person said. About 35 seconds after the initial distress call, the last cockpit transmission was: "We're out of time."
Flight tracking website Flightradar24 said data showed the vertical descent rate at one point exceeded 32,000 feet per minute. Videos captured the jet nosediving into the ground near the entrance to a mobile home community before erupting into flames.
Who are the victims of the Florida plane crash?
Among the first to be identified was copilot Nathalia Filgueiras, 20. In an interview outside her Boca Raton, Florida, home, the sister of Filgueiras said the copilot "fought until the last moment she could."
Giulia Filgueiras, 21,said Nathalia was a brave, "amazing girl" who always followed her dreams. She wanted to be a pilot since she was 12, Giulia Filgueiras said, and "showed any girl could do what it takes."
Family members later identified the passengers as Adam Robinson, 45; his wife, Helen Sharp, 40; their children, Charlie, 4, and Emma, 2; the children's nanny, Anita Maria Cetina; and another couple, Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr.
"We are deeply grateful to the first responders, investigators, and the Palm Beach County community for their care, and to everyone who has reached out with love," the families of the passengers in the crash said in a joint statement on Nov. 2. "Our hearts are also with the families of the pilots, who are grieving alongside us."
April Honnen, who works for East Coast Jets, identified Captain Jeff Gregory as the other pilot. Honnen said in a statement on social media that Gregory worked for East Coast Jets in 2016 and 2017 "before pursuing other opportunities."
"Our prayers go out to Jeff’s family, his fellow crew member, the passengers and everyone affected by this heart breaking tragedy," she wrote.
Contributing: Christopher Cann,Natalie Neysa Alund and Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY;John Bisognano, Tom Eliaand Arianna Otero, The Palm Beach Post
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Officials search wreckage, families mourn after fatal Florida jet crash
