National

NTSB SAYS LEARJET MAY HAVE BROKEN APART BEFORE FATAL FLORIDA CRASH

November 2, 2026

A Learjet 60 displayed at the 2009 Paris Air Show; file photo of the aircraft type, not the plane involved in the Florida crash.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Investigators say a Learjet 60 may have begun breaking apart before Sunday’s crash in Palm Beach County killed all nine people aboard.

The National Transportation Safety Board said Monday that weather will be a major focus. Its preliminary investigation remains open, and no final cause has been determined.

The flight was traveling from Austin, Texas, to North Eleuthera in the Bahamas. The NTSB identifies its operator as Aurora Aviation, doing business as Upper Jet.

Investigators are examining evidence and the aircraft’s final flight conditions. Early findings should not be treated as a completed accident report.