Florida Learjet broke apart before crash that killed 9, NTSB says
What's next: Investigators expect a preliminary report in about 30 days, but the full cause could take more than a year to determine.
Federal investigators say a Learjet 60 that crashed in Palm Beach County, Florida, killing all nine people aboard began breaking apart before impact. The National Transportation Safety Board said most of the jet’s left elevator was found 1.3 to 3.8 miles from the crater, indicating the aircraft came apart in flight. The plane was traveling from Austin, Texas, to North Eleuthera in the Bahamas on Sunday when it went down after encountering severe weather. Investigators are also searching for the cockpit voice recorder, reviewing dashcam footage and draining rainwater from the impact crater to recover more wreckage. Weather and possible icing remain central to the inquiry.