NTSB says crucial plane parts found three miles from Florida crash site

What the report says

Federal crash investigators have said key parts of a private Learjet that went down in Palm Beach, Florida, were found miles from the main wreckage, strengthening the theory that at least some pieces separated before impact. The National Transportation Safety Board said the debris included most of the jet’s left elevator, a tail control surface that helps govern the aircraft’s pitch. The plane crashed on Sunday, killing all nine people on board.

NTSB member Tom Chapman said the location of the recovered parts — roughly 1.3 to 3.8 miles from the crash site, according to the BBC’s report — suggests they detached before the aircraft hit the ground. He said investigators are still trying to determine whether the loss of the elevator caused the jet to nosedive or whether it came off because of forces acting on the aircraft during the emergency.

The Learjet 60 had departed Austin, Texas, and was headed to the Bahamas when it crashed into a busy roadway and burst into flames. Air traffic control recordings cited by the BBC indicate the crew reported turbulence, icing and a rapid descent before declaring an emergency. NTSB investigators also said weather will be an important part of the inquiry, while access to the wreckage has been complicated by the size of the impact crater and the damage caused on impact.