A Learjet 60 operated by Aurora Aviation, doing business as Upper Jet, crashed near Lake Worth Beach, Florida, on 1 November while flying from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport to North Eleuthera in the Bahamas. The NTSB’s initial timeline places reports of icing, turbulence and precipitation less than five minutes before impact. Investigators also have preliminary evidence that the aircraft began breaking apart before it hit the ground, but have not determined why.
At about 12:47 p.m. Eastern, while cruising at 35,000 feet, the crew reported light clear icing and moderate turbulence. The aircraft then encountered precipitation, and the crew requested clearance to climb to 37,000 feet. Air traffic control approved the request. Less than 30 seconds later, the crew reported a descent and issued a Mayday.
At about 12:48 p.m., the crew reported an overspeed condition while descending. The NTSB has not confirmed which components, if any, separated before impact or established the sequence of events. The aircraft crashed at about 12:51 p.m.
Weather conditions are among the investigation’s key lines of inquiry, given the crew’s reports shortly before the rapid descent. The possible in-flight breakup will also inform investigators’ examination of the wreckage and reconstruction of the failure sequence. The NTSB’s investigation remains ongoing, and no probable cause has been determined.