NTSB begins months-long probe into Florida Learjet crash

The National Transportation Safety Board has launched a detailed investigation into why a business jet crashed in Florida last week. All nine people aboard the Learjet were killed when the plane struck the ground with such force that it created a crater and shattered the airframe.

Investigators are currently on the ground gathering physical evidence. A team from the NTSB is working to locate every fragment of the aircraft. On Tuesday, officials confirmed that pieces of the elevator, a tail component that controls the plane's pitch, were found more than a mile from the main impact site. This distance indicates the plane began to break apart before it hit the earth.

The search for the cockpit voice recorder is a priority for the board. NTSB member Tom Chapman said the device could hold vital information about the pilots' final communications. The co-pilot radioed air traffic controllers that the plane was being tossed up and down more than 700 feet. She requested a different route through the area. Chapman noted that while the recorder is helpful, the team can still determine the sequence of events through other detective work if the device is not found.

Weather conditions are complicating the initial site assessment. Heavy rains in Florida over the past week have filled the crater with water. This may be hiding parts of the wreckage. Investigators also had to remove a utility pole near the site to access the area. The NTSB has asked the public to report any plane parts they find so the team can collect them.

A preliminary report is expected within the next month. This document will list the factual events of the crash but will not yet include an analysis of the cause. That deeper analysis will appear in a final report, which typically takes 12 to 18 months to finish. The board currently has more than 1,200 active investigations and employs roughly 400 workers.

Aviation experts are already examining the flight path. Retired airline pilot John Cox questioned why the pilots descended from a cruising altitude of 41,000 feet as they approached the storms. Cox said he preferred to stay higher to see over the weather. He observed that the pilots steered around a large storm cell but headed directly into a smaller one that was developing rapidly. Investigators will review the plane's weather radar and other data to understand this decision.

The board is collaborating with the National Weather Service and the Federal Aviation Administration to reconstruct the atmospheric conditions. Images of the flight path show the Learjet flew directly into a small red storm cell. Experts are looking at what the pilots encountered at around 35,000 feet. They will also review maintenance records for the plane and interview officials from Upper Jets, the company that operated the flight. The crew departed from Austin, Texas, for a destination in the Bahamas.

The NTSB will collect bystander videos and surveillance footage to supplement the physical evidence. In high-profile cases, the board may hold investigative hearings to question witnesses. While the NTSB can recommend safety changes to prevent similar crashes, it cannot force the industry or Congress to adopt them. The responsibility for implementing those changes lies with the FAA and other regulatory bodies.