A Learjet crashed into a residential neighborhood in Greenacres, near West Palm Beach, on Sunday, killing all nine people on board. A family statement identified passengers Adam Robinson and Helen Sharp, along with their children, Emma and Charlie. Three other passengers, Rachael Reed, Charmi Fehr and Anita Maria Cetina, also died, and a 20-year-old pilot, Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, was identified by her mother.
NTSB investigators say the evidence suggests the aircraft was breaking up before impact, and debris may be scattered far from the crash site. Tom Chapman of the NTSB told reporters the breakup would have made the plane uncontrollable in its final moments. Investigators are also weighing weather as a factor, after a pilot reported icing conditions at high altitude to air traffic control.
The cause remains under investigation and will take time to determine. For those of us along the Suncoast who fly often, the story raises questions about weather awareness and aviation safety. What do you pay attention to before boarding a flight? Tell us on our social pages.
