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Weather conditions at altitude, icing, turbulence and possible structural failure are among factors the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) plans to focus on as it investigates the Nov. 1 Learjet 60 crash in near Greenacres, Florida, which killed all nine on board.
Dashcam video of the Learjet 60 hitting the ground and exploding appears to show the T-tail business jet missing its horizontal stabilizer. But it is not known whether loss of the tail caused the crash or the structure failed during the aircraft’s high-speed plunge from 35,000 ft.
“We do have some evidence that there was some breakup of the aircraft before impact,” NTSB Member Tom Chapman said during a media briefing on Nov. 2. The aircraft came down in a residential area, but there were no reports of injuries on the ground.
Chapman said maintenance records show the aircraft, registration N722BD, had been fitted with a cockpit voice recorder, but whether it was installed at the time of the accident, and whether it can be recovered from the crash site, remain to be determined, he said.
The 22-year-old Learjet 60, serial number 271, was owned by L60271 LLC and operated by Aurora Aviation, doing business as Upper Jets. Operating a Part 135 charter flight, the aircraft took off from Austin Bergstrom International Airport, Texas, en route to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas carrying two crew and seven passengers, including two children.
“About 12:47 p.m. Eastern Time, the crew transmitted to [air traffic control] that they were encountering light, clear ice, which was manageable, and also moderate turbulence,” said Chapman.
The crew told Miami Air Route Traffic Center that they were at 35,000 ft., with an outside air temperature of -47C (-53F), in moderate turbulence resulting in altitude deviations of about 700 ft., he said.
“Very soon after, the crew transmitted, ‘We are picking up ice, requesting to climb to 37,000 ft. if able’, which was approved by FAA air traffic control. Less than 30 sec. later, a transmission from the airplane announced a descent, followed by a mayday call,” he said.
“About 12:48 Eastern, the airplane transmitted, ‘We are in an overspeed condition descending,’ with the rest unintelligible. Subsequent communications described that the airplane was descending rapidly and gave an altitude callout,” Chapman said.
Air traffic control audio captured by LiveATC.net shows the crew first reporting a descent rate of 10,000 ft./min., increasing to an overspeed condition of 20,000 ft./min. The website ADS-B Exchange shows the aircraft descending 27,000 ft. in 1 min. before data cuts off.
“The weather conditions are a major focus of the investigation,” Chapman said. There was heavy rain and scattered thunderstorms in the area at the time of the crash. “What we have to determine is what the weather conditions were like at altitude,” he said.
Thomas Noetzel, Aurora Aviation director of operations, said the operator is cooperating with local, state, and federal authorities "to ensure an objective understanding of what occurred." He said any further information regarding the accident will come from the NTSB and other relevant authorities.
"We would like to provide our condolences to everyone affected by the catastrophic event of Nov. 1," Noetzel said in an email statement to Aviation Week. "Our hearts go out to everyone impacted by this tragedy. 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."
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