NTSB Recovers Cockpit Voice Recorder From Deadly Florida Learjet Crash That Killed Nine

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has recovered a cockpit voice recorder from a Learjet 60 that crashed near Greenacres, Florida, killing all nine people aboard.

The agency announced the recovery Monday, confirming that investigators located the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) at the aircraft's initial impact site.

"NTSB investigators have recovered the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) of the Learjet 60 that crashed on Nov. 1 near Greenacres, Florida," the agency said in a post on X.

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The recovered device has been taken to the NTSB's Vehicle Recorders Laboratory in Washington, D.C., where it is being evaluated. Investigators have also completed excavation work at the crash site.

The latest development follows several days of recovery operations as investigators collect aircraft components and other evidence to establish what happened before the fatal crash.

NTSB Recovers Learjet Engine Component During Florida Crash Investigation

On Friday, the NTSB confirmed that investigators had recovered part of an engine from the wreckage.

Excavation operations began Wednesday after utility workers drained water from the area and removed other potential hazards, allowing investigators to access the crash site.

During the digging operation, crews located a section of one of the Learjet's engines, according to the agency.

Investigators had also recovered the aircraft's left tail elevator earlier in the investigation. The component, which helps control the aircraft's pitch, was found in three separate pieces. One section was discovered nearly four miles from the initial crash location.

"Even small pieces of the wreckage may contain important evidence that could help investigators determine what happened," the NTSB wrote on X last week.

Weather Conditions Under Investigation After Nine Die in Learjet 60 Crash

The Learjet 60 departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport at approximately 10:37 a.m. Sunday, bound for North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas.

However, the aircraft crashed in Palm Beach County shortly before 1 p.m., killing all nine occupants.

Among the victims were Austin tech entrepreneur Adam Robinson, 45, his wife, Helen Sharp, 40, and their two children, Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2.

The family's nanny, Anita Maria Cetina, also died in the crash, along with Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr.

Heavy rain and thunderstorms were reported across South Florida around the time of the accident. The NTSB has identified weather conditions as a major area of focus in its investigation.

According to information released by investigators, the aircraft was flying at approximately 41,000 feet when an air traffic controller advised the flight crew that moderate precipitation was about five miles away.

The controller offered the pilots the option of turning left or right and cautioned that the route toward Freeport in the Bahamas "looks pretty bad."

The crew was subsequently instructed to proceed toward a waypoint near Naples, Florida.

However, the aircraft deviated toward Palm Beach County as weather conditions worsened. The pilots reported encountering icing and turbulence and asked air traffic control whether there was a "better ride" ahead.

Investigators are continuing to examine the recovered cockpit voice recorder and other aircraft components as they work to determine the circumstances surrounding the crash.

The NTSB has not announced a final determination of the accident's cause.