On November 1st local time, a private jet in the United States crashed into a residential area in Palm Beach County, Florida. An explosion occurred instantly upon hitting the ground, leaving a huge crater on the surface.
A U.S. federal investigator said that evidence indicates that the aircraft began disintegrating before it struck the ground.
At the time of the accident, heavy rainfall was occurring in the area. Officials said that weather conditions will be a major focus of the preliminary investigation. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will also investigate the actions of the crew members and determine whether there were any mechanical failures with the aircraft.
It is reported that the accident resulted in the death of 9 people, including a family of four from Texas, their two friends and one nanny, as well as a captain and a first officer.
Currently, about 600 residents in the vicinity still cannot return home, and reports indicate that one person was injured on the ground.
Scene of the accident – Guardian video screenshot
At a press conference on November 2nd, NTSB member Tom Chapman stated that evidence gathered by investigators indicated that the aircraft had begun to disintegrate before hitting the ground, and debris may have been scattered in various directions.
"We may find some wreckage of the plane in a distance from the main crash site." Chapman said.
Former NTSB and Federal Aviation Administration investigators Jeff Guzzetti believes that a key component of the aircraft's tail may have fallen off during turbulence or when the aircraft was diving downward, causing the aircraft to become uncontrollable. “This likely explains the missile-like profile of the aircraft before it crashed.”
Chapman said on the 2nd that the weather conditions in southern Florida on the 1st were 'quite crazy', and that the weather will be a focus of the investigation. 'You've all seen the weather conditions on the surface, but we need to determine the weather conditions at high altitudes.'
According to reports, on the 1st, heavy rain hit the area, and a pilot on the involved aircraft reported encountering icing conditions.
When the aircraft entered Florida, air traffic control had already issued warnings to the pilots about the approaching storm. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration also issued official weather warnings earlier on.
According to AccuWeather, a private meteorological service company in the United States, some storm clouds reach heights of up to 45,000 feet (about 13.7 kilometers), making it difficult for aircraft to pass above them. Dan DePodwin of AccuWeather pointed out that weather radar on aircraft has limitations and cannot always show upward air currents that cause more precipitation.
Chapman said that investigators need to determine the weather conditions at a height of 35,000 feet (approximately 10.7 kilometers). It was at this altitude that the pilot began reporting problems with the aircraft.
Chapman said that the plane was originally equipped with a cockpit voice recorder, and investigators hope to find it. However, the continuous rain in Florida has made the investigation difficult, as the crater caused by the plane crash has been filled with rainwater.
According to a joint statement released by some family members of the victims, Texas technology entrepreneur Adam Robinson, his wife Helen Sharp, and their children—4-year-old Emma and 2-year-old Charlie—all lost their lives in this crash.
Adam Robinson's Family – BBC
Their family members describe the two as “parents with a spirit of dedicating themselves”, and call their children “the light of their life.”
According to Robinson's LinkedIn profile, he is the founder and CEO of RB2B and Retention.com, as well as the CEO of Moltsets. He has worked at Lehman Brothers and the Barclays Bank Group.
Multiple media reports indicate that Sharp is an artist. Her father said that receiving news about his family on that plane was a "great shock" for him.
The two friends of this family, Rachel Reid and Chami Fair, as well as the child's nanny, Anita Setina, also lost their lives in this accident.
The family joint statement said that Reid and Fair were “full of fun and adventurous spirit,” while Settina “tended to Emma and Charlie with tenderness and loyalty, making her a true member of this family.”
It is reported that the captain of the aircraft involved was Jeff Gregory, a 55-year-old pilot from Pennsylvania. He is an experienced pilot.
Twenty-year-old Phier Gaeras was the copilot of the involved aircraft; she obtained a pilot's license at the age of 17.
Phil Gerras, The Guardian
