Investigators recovered a major piece of the private jet that crashed into a Florida neighborhood several miles from the impact site, as crews prepared to drain the crater where the aircraft came down. Nine people were killed.
At a briefing Tuesday, National Transportation Safety Board member Tom Chapman said the crash’s location, less than 10 miles from President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home, was unrelated to Secret Service activity. He described the proximity as a coincidence and said investigators had found no connection.
Most of the Learjet 60’s left elevator was found between 1.3 and 3.8 miles from the crash site in Palm Beach County. The movable part of the tail helps control the aircraft’s pitch, and its recovery suggests the jet may have begun breaking apart before impact.
Chapman said he did not think the elevator would have allowed the plane to recover, even if it had stayed attached, because the aircraft was descending so quickly.
The jet was flying seven passengers and two crew members from Austin, Texas, to North Eleuthera in the Bahamas when it crashed Sunday. Everyone aboard died.
Investigators expect to find more aircraft pieces in the impact crater as they remove the water. Chapman said the force of the crash likely left any buried debris in small fragments.
Bad weather has complicated some recovery work, and weather conditions are an important part of the investigation. Officials have not determined what caused the crash.
Investigators have obtained dashcam video to help piece together the aircraft’s final moments. Wreckage recovered so far is being kept for analysis. Officials asked people who find debris not to handle it and to contact authorities.
Before the crash, the crew reported light clear icing and moderate turbulence while flying at about 35,000 feet. They then requested permission to climb to 37,000 feet. Less than 30 seconds after air traffic controllers approved the request, the crew reported that the plane was descending and issued a mayday call.
About 600 people living near Military Trail and Cresthaven Boulevard were evacuated. County spokesperson John Jamason said 40 to 50 people were staying at the Greenacres Community Center. Officials were seeking state assistance for housing and transportation as work continued at the crash site.
Military Trail remained closed in both directions between 10th Avenue North and Purdy Lane as of Tuesday’s briefing. Officials gave no estimate for when the road would reopen or when residents could return home.
Those killed included Austin technology entrepreneur Adam Robinson, 45; his wife, Helen Sharp, 40; and their children, Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2.
Robinson was chief executive and co-founder of Retention.com. In a LinkedIn post on the day of the crash, he announced that his company, RB2B, had reached $10 million in annual recurring revenue. He was also due to take part in a live business debate on Tuesday.
The families described Adam and Helen as devoted parents and said their children were the center of their lives. They also remembered the couple for their warmth, generosity and ability to make others feel welcome, saying their loss would be deeply felt.
Chapman said he was confident investigators would establish what happened. He thanked Florida and Palm Beach County officials, along with the first responders who assisted at the scene.
The NTSB said it would post further updates about the investigation on its website.
