Law & Justice
Learjet 60 Crash in Palm Beach: NTSB Finds Possible Pre‑Impact Breakup
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) says early evidence suggests the Learjet 60 that crashed near Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday may have broken up before hitting the ground, killing all nine people aboard and injuring a person on the ground. NTSB member Tom Chapman told reporters in Florida that investigators are still determining whether parts such as the horizontal stabilizer detached before impact. The investigation also focuses on adverse weather, including moderate turbulence and icing reported by the pilots. The aircraft, which had departed Austin for the Bahamas, began a rapid descent around 12:48 p.m. local time, with the pilot reporting an overspeed condition. The final transmission from the cockpit was “out of time.” The Learjet was operated by Aurora Aviation Inc., doing business as Upper Jets; attempts to contact the company’s representatives were unsuccessful. Weather at Palm Beach airport at the time of the crash included gusting winds, rain and low clouds, but the NTSB is still working to determine conditions at altitude. The crash site was near a highway, and dashboard camera footage showed an almost vertical plunge before impact and explosion. One person on the ground sustained a leg injury while driving near the impact site. The NTSB has not yet identified the cause of the accident. The incident displaced about 400 people from the area, and local officials are working to relocate affected residents. The NTSB continues to investigate the crash, with no definitive conclusions yet. The New York Times reported that one of the pilots, 20‑year‑old Nathalia Filgueiras, had earned her pilot’s license at 17 and logged more than 1,300 flight hours. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman defended the pilot on X, stating she was “doing her job, communicating with ATC right to the end in a terrifying situation.” No further details have been released at this time.