Federal investigators have recovered the cockpit voice recorder from the deadly Learjet crash in South Florida that killed all nine people on board, including a family of four and their friends. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed the retrieval of the device, which could hold critical clues about why the jet slammed nose-first into a street during thunderstorms last week.
The recorder is now being analyzed at the NTSB’s Vehicle Recorders Laboratory in Washington, D.C., as part of the agency’s probe into the crash. Officials say excavation work at the impact site has been completed, with a preliminary report expected by December.
Focus on Thunderstorm Encounter
The investigation will zero in on how the pilots and air traffic controllers assessed the thunderstorms in the area before the crash. “Who knew what and when and what actions were taken—that’s exactly what we’re trying to determine,” said NTSB member Tom Chapman during a briefing. The agency aims to wrap up full investigations within one to two years.
Audio previously released from air traffic control captured the final moments of the flight, as the pilots—Jeff Gregory, 55, and Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, 20—reported battling turbulence and “light, clear ice.” Filgueiras urgently requested permission to climb before issuing a mayday call, with the jet descending at a staggering rate of 20,000 feet per minute.
Witnesses Describe Chaos
Dashcam footage showed the aircraft hitting the ground explosively, leaving a massive crater as witnesses described the sound as “like a missile.” Aviation experts suggested the Learjet may have suffered catastrophic damage from severe turbulence inside an isolated thunderstorm.
“If the pilot flew into the tops of one of those thunderstorms, the rough air could have damaged the airplane to the point where he lost control,” said DeWitt Ingram, a Learjet-rated captain.
The private jet was en route from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas when it encountered the extreme weather. Among the victims were tech entrepreneur Adam Robinson, his wife Helen Sharp, their two young children, their nanny, and two family friends.
Source: www.dailywire.com — https://www.dailywire.com/news/investigators-recover-key-piece-of-evidence-from-deadly-florida-jet-crash