Ninety people identified after private jet crashes in Florida

The families of Adam Robinson and Helen Sharp confirmed the identities of all nine people aboard the Learjet 60 that crashed into a road in Greenacres, Florida, on Sunday. The aircraft was en route from Austin, Texas, to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas when it went down around 12:50 p.m. Eastern Time. The Federal Aviation Administration reported that no one survived the impact.

The victims included Robinson and Sharp, their four-year-old daughter Emma, and their two-year-old son Charlie. The family also listed Rachael Reed, Charmi Fehr, and Anita Maria Cetina, a caregiver described in a family statement as having raised the children with tenderness and devotion. The pilot, Jeff Gregory, and the twenty-year-old co-pilot, Nathalia Filgueiras, were also killed. East Coast Jets, where Gregory worked from 2016 to 2017, confirmed his death in a statement, saying the company was deeply saddened by the news.

The crash site is located about seven miles southwest of West Palm Beach. The impact left a large hole in the roadway and closed Military Trail between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North. NTSB member Tom Chapman told reporters on Monday that evidence at the scene suggests the plane was falling apart before it hit the ground. He noted that some debris was found at a distance from the main wreckage, indicating the jet disintegrated in flight.

Witnesses described the moment of impact as resembling a meteor or missile strike. Abelino Temaj, a resident of a nearby mobile home community, said he heard a loud noise and felt the ground shake. Anthony Blackmon, who lived about 500 feet from the crash, said debris struck his house and the road caught fire. Roger Forcelle said the jet passed over his home just before crashing less than half a mile away, causing the structure to vibrate. He saw a cloud of smoke rise from the area and was unable to return home immediately.

The crash forced the evacuation of hundreds of people living in a mobile home park near the scene. Joel Flores, the commissioner for District 3, said authorities were working to ensure that approximately 600 affected residents had a safe place to stay for the night of Sunday.

Air traffic control recordings show the pilot reporting clear ice and moderate turbulence while flying east at 35,000 feet. The pilot stated the ice was light and manageable. The situation worsened quickly as the jet lost altitude rapidly. The pilot requested permission to climb another 2,000 feet and declared an emergency. Radio transmissions captured the pilot reporting a descent rate of 8,000 feet per minute, followed by a report of an overspeed condition with a descent of 20,000 feet per minute. The pilot then stated, "We're going to hit the ground." The plane tilted sharply to the right before exploding on impact.

The LearJet 60 is a mid-size business jet manufactured by Bombardier Aerospace. The aircraft is 58 feet long and has a maximum capacity for two crew members and eight passengers. It has a maximum range of slightly more than 2,400 nautical miles.

The crash occurred during a period of rain in the region. Investigators are examining the debris field to determine the exact cause of the disintegration. The road remains closed while repairs are assessed and the area is cleared of remaining wreckage.