Jet broke apart before Florida crash

A business jet began to disintegrate before it struck the ground in South Florida on Sunday afternoon, a federal investigator said. The National Transportation Safety Board member, Tom Chapman, told reporters on Monday that the plane was breaking up before impact. He expects wreckage to be found miles away from the crash site.

The aircraft was heading to the Bahamas when it lost control. It slammed into the ground near Greenacres, roughly seven miles southwest of West Palm Beach. The impact created a large crater and a fireball. All nine people on board died.

Air traffic control recordings show the pilot reported ice buildup and severe turbulence before the crash. The jet was flying at 35,000 feet when the pilot said ice was accumulating. Turbulence shook the plane by up to 700 feet. The pilot declared an emergency as the jet dropped rapidly.

"We are in an overspeed condition descending 20,000 feet per minute," the pilot radioed to controllers. Seconds later, the pilot said, "We are going to crash into the ground." Video from nearby residents shows the plane banking sharply right before it hit the pavement and exploded.

Anthony Blackmon, a neighbor, said debris hit his house. "The road was on fire," Blackmon told NBC affiliate WTVJ. He said the event felt closer than news reports ever did. Palm Beach County Commissioner Joel G. Flores said the county does not know when the roughly 77 mobile home residents will return home. They are currently staying in shelters.

The jet departed from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas. Authorities have not released the names of the victims. One pilot has been identified as Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, 20. Her stepfather confirmed her identity. She earned her pilot license in 2023 while a senior in high school. Her license allowed her to fly that specific Learjet model but did not make her the commanding officer.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis described the scene as a cataclysmic crash. He said it looked like a missile falling from the sky. Palm Beach County Mayor Sara Baxter asked the public to keep the victims in their thoughts and prayers. The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office declined to discuss the investigation details, noting the process is in its early stages.