Cresthaven Jet Crash

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They went north to save gas instead of going south or taking a layover in Naples.
 

Why Learjet 60 Elevator Broke Mid-Flight, Why It Nosedived​

Jeff Ostroff analyzes the Learjet 60 crash in West Palm Beach on Nov. 1, 2026, using ADS-B flight telemetry data to pinpoint the exact moment a rear elevator detached from the tail's horizontal stabilizer, and exactly where it fell, to help determine where the jet was and what conditions it was seeing when the tail piece ripped apart mid-flight.

Also, the principles of Mach Tuck and Coffin Corner will be explained to determine what role either may have had in the jet crash.

This forensic breakdown maps the aircraft's final flight path to evaluate how aerodynamic principles and shifts in the center of pressure influenced the fatal downward pitch. We examine the specific flight conditions that led to structural failure, helping those interested in aviation safety understand the mechanics behind this tragic event.

By reviewing the Learjet 60 flight data, we pinpoint the state of the aircraft when the critical component failed. This analysis provides a clearer picture of the physics involved in high-speed descent incidents and the variables that NTSB investigators typically prioritize when examining such catastrophic losses.
 

Learjet Engine Found in Crater, What Went Wrong With Radar?​

Analyzing the Learjet crash in Palm Beach to determine why the flight encountered a catastrophic stall and structural failure. New drone video shows a massive NTSB undertaking the search for the Learjet 60 crash debris.

This investigation examines new drone footage and cockpit instrument data to reconstruct the final moments of the flight. We focus on why the pilot may have missed thunderstorm activity on radar and how the horizontal stabilizer detached from the tail during the descent. By reviewing the flight path and weather conditions, we clarify the physics behind this tragic event for those interested in aviation safety.

Our forensic breakdown maps the wreckage site and crater to evaluate how aerodynamic shifts influenced the fatal nose-dive. We also review the role of icing and weather radar limitations to understand why the Learjet 60 lost control. This analysis provides a clear look at the specific variables investigators prioritize when examining high-speed descent incidents.
 
That was a really good explanation!!
If you liked that one, you'll like this one too.

The Physics of a Learjet Crash - Made Ridiculously Simple​







Edited to add the top comment in the vid:

For the first time, I get it. I’ve watched a ton of air disaster docs over the years but your visuals and explanation were so excellent and simple that I think I’ll comprehend the lingo now. Thank you.
 
If you liked that one, you'll like this one too.
What I've gleaned from this thread is basically a Lear jet is a high speed missile.

As long as you pilot it precisely you can get someplace quickly. Make a mistake either side of being perfect and you become a bomb dropping to Earth.

Hard to believe they haven't reinforced the tail section to resist breaking up, or figured some other way to compensate for errors in judgement.

To my way of thinking it doesn't seem that the pilot made any mistakes in judgement. I think the captain knew the tail was gone which is why he was saying the Lord's prayer. The co-pilot was just along for the ride, as co-pilots do and didn't comprehend the gravity of the situation. I think she expected the captain to pull out at any moment. That's why she exclaimed "We're out of time!"

The ice wasn't the problem. Being buffeted 700ft up and down by rising air and the shockwave was.
 

Could This Learjet Still Have Been Saved?​

Could anyone have saved Learjet N722BD? We put a fictional captain, Captain Lane, in the left seat: same jet, same storm, same afternoon. Thirty years in business jets, an upset-recovery instructor, flying exactly by the FAA's own guidance. And he knows how the day ended.

At every point where the real flight made a decision, we stop and ask what he would do: from the weather briefing in Austin, through the descent to 35,000 feet and the radar picture inside the storm, to the climb request and the 77-second fall. Then we take his hindsight away and run the flight one last time.

This is a theory, not a reconstruction. The NTSB has not determined what brought this jet down, and it has not found fault with anyone. Nothing in this video says what the real crew did or did not do. Captain Lane is not a real person. Cockpit scenes with him are illustrations.

The radio calls you hear are the real recordings. Everything else is built on the published weather, flight-tracking data, NTSB statements and the guidance pilots train on.

In memory of the nine people on board.

CHAPTERS
0:00 Cold open
1:43 The real flight
2:54 Decision one: the briefing
4:47 Decision two: "Looks pretty bad"
6:05 Decision three: 35,000 feet
7:07 Decision four: reading the radar
8:45 Decision five: inside the storm
10:28 Decision six: the climb 12:00
Decision seven: 77 seconds
13:53 The limits of skill
16:04 The last test
18:16 The answer
19:36 What comes next
 
If they stopped in Naples as suggested by ATC they would be akive today
 
The more I think about it, the more I think that descending from 41k to 35k was the first link in a chain of unfortunate events that led to the aircrafts ultimate demise.
 
The moderate turbulance cut their options when they decided to go against the odds. I guess they did not take things seriously until there were no options.
 
Good news

🚨UPDATE: BLACK BOX RECOVERED FROM DEADLY FLORIDA PLANE CRASH - NEW DETAILS EMERGE

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has confirmed that investigators recovered the cockpit voice recorder from the Learjet 60 that crashed near Greenacres, Florida, on November 1st, killing all nine aboard.

The recorder was discovered at the aircraft’s initial impact site and has now been transported to the NTSB’s Vehicle Recorders Laboratory in Washington, D.C., where investigators are examining it. Despite the devastating impact and fire, investigators were able to recover the device. However, it is not yet known whether the audio can be successfully retrieved.

Investigators discovered THREE pieces of the aircraft’s left elevator, a critical flight-control surface located on the tail, scattered between approximately 1.3 and 3.8 MILES from the main crash site. This indicates that portions of the aircraft separated before it struck the ground.

Flight-tracking analysis also suggests the aircraft was descending at a staggering rate of more than 30,000 FEET PER MINUTE at certain points. The jet had been flying above 35,000 feet before its catastrophic descent unfolded in roughly a minute.

Shortly before the crash, the flight crew reported moderate turbulence, light clear icing, and altitude fluctuations of approximately 700 feet. They requested clearance to climb to 37,000 feet. Less than 30 seconds after receiving clearance, a transmission announced a descent, followed by a Mayday call.

The aircraft’s 20-year-old copilot, Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, had also reportedly texted her boyfriend about turbulence and icing shortly before the crash.

Investigators have recovered major sections of both wings, both engines, the flight deck, and portions of the tail. Additional wreckage was found scattered across nearby properties and rooftops. The excavation of the impact site is now complete.

 

Chilling New Questions in Florida Learjet Crash​

Newly released 911 calls are revealing new details about the moments surrounding a devastating Learjet crash in Palm Beach County, Florida, that claimed the lives of all nine people on board. As federal investigators continue their search, Law&Crime’s Jesse Weber breaks down the latest findings alongside former NTSB board member and aviation safety expert John Goglia.
 

NTSB Finds Learjet Cockpit Voice Recorder! More Updates​

We analyze the Learjet 60 as the NTSB finds the Cockpit Voice Recorder and wraps up its debris evidence collection operations at the West Palm Beach crash site on Military Trail. Once data is released, we will be using recovered flight data to explain why the aircraft suffered a fatal structural failure.

This forensic breakdown examines the flight telemetry to reconstruct the final moments of the flight. By reviewing the descent path and speed, we clarify the aerodynamic forces that caused the jet to enter a terminal nose-dive over West Palm Beach. We focus on the specific variables investigators prioritize, including how the horizontal stabilizer detached during the descent and the impact of weather radar limitations on pilot decision-making.

Our investigation maps the wreckage site and crater to evaluate the physics behind this tragic event. We examine how icing conditions and potential aerodynamic shifts influenced the flight path, providing a clear look at why the aircraft lost control. This analysis helps those interested in aviation safety understand the mechanics behind catastrophic high-speed incidents.
 
Voice recorder won't give much. Too bad they didn't have data recorder.
I know, right?

It seems that in this day and age one should be in every plane that can carry passengers for hire.


Knowing exactly what (or if anything) went wrong with the controls during and just before a crash is a big part of what's allowed air transport safety to be at the high level that it is.

It you don't know exactly what was going on with the plane before a crash, how could you know what practice(s) to change so that it never happens again?

Having a flight data recorder just seems like a no-brainer on any passenger plane.
 
The rainy weather in Florida was unusually bad. They may have skated around a tupical thunderstorm, but this time there was masdive flooding. It would have been dangerous to drive too.
 
That would require actually going around it though.

They went right through it.
I think it was the video in post #49 above...

Remember, they're flying in the clouds using radar to guide them.

When they made the turn the storm wasn't on their radar. The storm came up under them. Apparently, the radar can be pointed down as well as forward.

Making a SWAG here: there's was forward.

It reminds me of the price of gold recently. They dropped the price to engage all the stops that were set at support and yes, they (brokers) definitely can SEE the stops! They do a clean sweep and buy them on the cheap before letting the market find its 'level'.

This happened to me 20 years ago when I had 10K shares of DROOY. I set a stop ridiculously low and they dropped it down until my stop was activated. Another reason I don't play on wall street!

"If you don't hold it, you don't own it." Ponce
 
Remember, they're flying in the clouds using radar to guide them.
Were they?

Normally thunderstorms tower up above any surrounding cloud deck.

At 35,000', you don't typically get solid clouds. That happens in the Troposphere.
 
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