National Transportation Safety Board member Tom Chapman said Monday that evidence indicates the aircraft began breaking up before impact, and wreckage may be found far from the main crash site in Greenacres, about seven miles southwest of West Palm Beach. The Bahamas-bound jet crashed Sunday afternoon, erupting into flames and leaving a crater. Resident Anthony Blackmon told NBC affiliate WTVJ that debris struck his house and the road caught fire.
The flight originated at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas. According to air traffic control recordings captured by LiveATC.net, the pilot reported light, clear ice that was manageable and moderate turbulence jolting the aircraft by as much as 700 feet while at 35,000 feet. Rain was pounding the region at the time.
Palm Beach County Commissioner Joel G. Flores said roughly 77 mobile homes in the area were evacuated and there is no timeline for residents to return. The county "doesn't have a clue" when people can go back, Flores said at a news conference. Mayor Sara Baxter asked for sympathy for the victims.
Authorities have not released the names of the nine people killed. Camila Corteleti told the New York Post and New York Times that her daughter, 20-year-old Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, was one of the pilots. Her license showed she was rated to fly the Learjet model but not to serve as pilot in command. The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said the death investigation is in early stages.
Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
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