On Nov. 1, a Learjet 60 that had taken off from Austin‑Bergstrom International Airport at about 10:37 a.m. crashed just off a busy road in Palm Beach County, Florida, near the community of Greenacres. All nine people on board were killed.
Victims identified
The aircraft was carrying Austin tech entrepreneur Adam Robinson, 45, his wife Helen Sharp, 40, their children Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2, and the children’s nanny Anita Maria Cetina. The second couple on board, Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr, also perished, as did the pilots, Jeffrey Gregory and Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras.
911 callers describe a “bomb” sound
Emergency dispatchers received multiple 911 calls shortly after 12:50 p.m., the time the plane struck the ground. Callers reported hearing a loud explosion that they likened to a bomb or rocket, describing the house shaking and a brief power outage. One female caller said she saw black smoke and sparks and initially thought the noise might have been lightning, though she noted she did not hear the typical crack of a storm.
Weather and investigation
Heavy rain and thunderstorms were sweeping across South Florida at the time of the crash. Federal investigators have said the weather will be a major focus of their probe. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed that the cockpit voice recorder was recovered from the crash site and will be examined at its Vehicle Recorders Laboratory in Washington, D.C.
Community response
Local residents expressed shock and sorrow over the tragedy, noting the proximity of the crash to a residential area and a major roadway. The incident underscores the risks associated with private aviation, especially when severe weather is present.
Next steps
The NTSB will conduct a thorough investigation to determine the precise cause of the accident. Findings will be released in due course, providing answers for the families of the victims and the broader community.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
