An aviation expert is raising questions about whether severe weather triggered the deadly nosedive of a private jet that killed all nine people aboard in Florida.
David Ingram, a Learjet type-rated captain who reviewed footage and data from the aircraft’s final moments, said that thunderstorms “could have exposed the aircraft to powerful air currents and severe turbulence.” The crash occurred Sunday in a residential district of Greenacres, Palm Beach County, at approximately 12:50 p.m. EST.
The Learjet 60 had departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was bound for North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas. Pilots reported turbulence while traveling eastbound at 35,000 feet and requested permission to climb 2,000 feet higher moments before the rapid descent began.
“We have light, clear ice that is manageable and moderate turbulence,” the pilot could be heard saying on air traffic control audio.
The aircraft dropped approximately 35,000 feet in just over a minute. Ingram described the descent in stark terms.
“What we saw today is a jet coming out of high altitude very quickly,” he said. “If the pilot flew into the tops of one of the thunderstorms, in that very rough air, he could have damaged the airplane to the point where he lost control.”
No official cause has been established, and it remains unclear whether the pilot actually encountered or flew into the thunderstorms. Air Traffic Control described the weather as “pretty nasty” as the aircraft crossed the Florida Peninsula, according to MyRadar data.
At 12:37 p.m., roughly thirteen minutes before impact, the captain communicated concerns about conditions ahead.
“[We] may need a slight left deviation for that weather up ahead,” the captain reportedly said. Air Traffic Control approved these deviations while the plane was approximately eight minutes and 80 miles from the thunderstorm cell.
The pilot later declared an emergency after flying into heavy rainfall and requesting permission to climb to a higher altitude.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy addressed the crash on X, formerly known as Twitter, confirming federal response efforts. “Please join me in praying for the families and loved ones of those we lost — @FAANews & @USDOT are closely monitoring this crash and will share updates as we learn more,” he wrote. He added that the FAA is sending a team to support the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation.
The NTSB has not yet commented on the specific factors under examination. The crash in the residential area drew emergency responders to the Palm Beach County scene where the aircraft came down with no survivors among the nine on board.