The NTSB has recovered most of the left elevator from a Learjet 60 in three pieces, found between 1.3 and 3.8 miles (2.0 and 6.1 km) from the crash site in Greenacres, Florida. The jet crashed on 1 November while flying from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas, killing all nine people aboard. The debris confirms that at least part of the aircraft separated before impact, but investigators have not determined why.
NTSB board member Tom Chapman said the fragments would be retained for analysis. The elevator, mounted on the tail, controls the aircraft’s pitch. Investigators do not yet know whether its separation contributed to the loss of control or resulted from forces during the descent.
The crew reported icing and turbulence before the Learjet entered a steep descent. Weather is among the investigation’s initial areas of focus. A preliminary report is expected in about a month; determining the probable cause could take more than a year.