Investigators have found the cockpit voice recorder of a Learjet 60 business jet that crashed in Florida last week, killing all nine people on board. The device was found at the site of the initial impact and has been sent for evaluation to the laboratory of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board in Washington.
It is still unclear whether the recorder was damaged or was operating during the flight. If data can be recovered from it, they could show what the pilots said to each other when they encountered severe turbulence and icing and lost control of the aircraft.
“It is entirely possible that the information from the recorder survived. If it can be recovered and it is confirmed that the device is from this flight, it will be a tremendous help to investigators,” aviation expert Jeff Guzzetti told the Associated Press.Crew reported turbulence and icing
The plane crashed on November 1 near Greenacres, in Palm Beach County. The Learjet took off from Austin, Texas, at around 10:37 a.m. local time and was heading to North Eleuthera in the Bahamas.
According to the National Transportation Safety Board, the crew reported moderate turbulence and light icing at an altitude of about 35,000 feet. The aircraft was experiencing altitude deviations of more than 700 feet, while the temperature outside was around minus 47 degrees Celsius.
The crew requested clearance to climb to 37,000 feet. Less than 30 seconds later, the aircraft began descending, followed by a distress call. A radio transmission reported that the aircraft was overspeeding and descending.
Tail parts found far from the impact site
Before finding the recorder, investigators had located parts of the left rudder at a distance of approximately 1.3 to 3.8 miles from the main crater. This component controls the aircraft’s movement along the vertical axis.
The National Transportation Safety Board said the discovery confirms that parts of the aircraft separated before impact. So far, it has not been determined whether the damage to the tail caused the crash or occurred as a result of the forces to which the aircraft was subjected during the rapid descent.
Specialists will analyze the recorder and the wreckage, as well as the aircraft’s maintenance records. Representatives of operator Upper Jets, air traffic controllers and employees at Austin Airport will be interviewed. The investigation could take at least 12–18 months, and even longer in complex cases.
Sources: apnews.com, cbsnews.com, abcnews.com