Aurora Aviation Learjet Crashes in Greenacres, Killing Nine
The aircraft broke apart during a rapid descent from 35,000 feet, leaving a large crater near a shopping center in Palm Beach County.
By Fatou Mitchell ·
A private Learjet 60 owned by Aurora Aviation crashed into a roadway in Greenacres, Florida, on Sunday afternoon, killing all nine people on board.
The aircraft, operating under the trade name Upper Jets, was en route from Austin, Texas, to North Eleuthera in the Bahamas when it struck the ground near Military Trail. The impact created a deep crater in the road and scattered debris across a field approximately one-half mile by four-tenths of a mile. One man in a vehicle parked adjacent to the crash site sustained a leg injury.
NTSB board member Tom Chapman stated that the plane was likely breaking apart before it hit the ground. He noted that investigators may find parts of the jet far from the main impact site. The crew had reported moderate turbulence and light clear ice at 35,000 feet shortly before the crash. The outside temperature was minus 53 degrees Fahrenheit at the time. After requesting permission to climb to 37,000 feet, the crew declared an emergency and began a rapid descent.
Anthony Robinson, the brother of one of the passengers, identified the victims as Adam Robinson and Helen Sharp. Their two young children, Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2, were also on the plane. Robinson described the couple as a "love affair that will last forever" in an online statement. The co-pilot was identified as 20-year-old Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras. Authorities have not yet released the names of the other four passengers, as the medical examiner's office is processing DNA samples.
County officials evacuated hundreds of residents from 77 mobile homes in the area following the crash. NTSB investigator in charge Timothy Monville said that recovering wreckage from the crater is the primary challenge for the investigation team. Rainwater has seeped into the hole, complicating the recovery efforts. Investigators will remain at the scene for several days to collect evidence.
The jet took off from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport around 10:37 a.m. ET on Sunday. Air traffic control records show the crew maintained contact with facilities along the flight route until the emergency call. The investigation will focus heavily on weather conditions, with the reported turbulence cited as a key factor in the timeline of events.
