Federal investigators said Tuesday that a key part of the private jet that crashed into a Florida neighborhood was found several miles from the impact site as crews prepared to pump water from the crater left by the deadly wreck.
The crash occurred less than 10 miles from President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. Asked whether the accident had any connection to Secret Service activity, National Transportation Safety Board member Tom Chapman rejected the suggestion.
“There is no evidence of connection. Purely coincidence,” Chapman said.
Investigators examine the site of a plane crash in Greenacres, Florida, on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Most of the Learjet 60’s left elevator was recovered between 1.3 and 3.8 miles from the crash site in Palm Beach County, Chapman said during the NTSB’s final briefing at the scene.
The find is further evidence that the aircraft may have begun breaking apart before it hit the ground. The elevator is a movable tail surface that helps control the aircraft’s pitch, including whether its nose rises or drops.
A Learjet 60 crashed into a South Florida neighborhood Sunday afternoon. (Palm Beach County Fire Rescue)
Still, Chapman said he did not think the aircraft could have recovered, even if the elevator had remained attached, because of the jet’s rapid descent.
The Learjet was carrying seven passengers and two crew members from Austin, Texas, to North Eleuthera in the Bahamas when it went down Sunday. All nine people aboard were killed.
Investigators are preparing to drain the impact crater, where they expect to find more aircraft debris. Chapman said any components buried there will probably be small because of the force of the crash.
Severe weather has complicated parts of the recovery operation, and weather conditions remain a central focus of the investigation. Officials have not determined what caused the crash.
Investigators have obtained dashcam video that could help them reconstruct the jet’s final moments, Chapman said. Wreckage recovered from the site is being preserved for examination, while officials urged residents who find debris not to disturb it and to contact authorities.
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The crew reported light clear ice and moderate turbulence while flying at roughly 35,000 feet. They then requested permission to climb to 37,000 feet. Less than 30 seconds after air traffic controllers approved the request, the crew said they were descending and issued a mayday call.
About 600 residents living near Military Trail and Cresthaven Boulevard were evacuated following the crash, according to The Palm Beach Post.
Palm Beach County spokesperson John Jamason told the newspaper that between 40 and 50 people were staying at the Greenacres Community Center. County officials were seeking state assistance to provide displaced residents with housing and transportation while work continued at the crash site.
Military Trail remained closed in both directions between 10th Avenue North and Purdy Lane as of Tuesday’s briefing. Officials did not say when the road would reopen or when displaced residents could return to their homes.
Those killed included Austin technology entrepreneur Adam Robinson, 45; his wife, Helen Sharp, 40; and their children, Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2.
Adam Robinson was the CEO and co-founder of Retention.com and also led RB2B and MoltSets. His companies remembered him as “a friend, a mentor and a bold, outspoken leader who lived life to the fullest.” (Fox News)
Robinson, the CEO and co-founder of Retention.com, marked a business milestone in his final LinkedIn post on the day of the crash. He announced that RB2B had reached $10 million in annual recurring revenue and was preparing for a live business debate scheduled for Tuesday.
“Adam and Helen were devoted parents, and Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2, were the light of their lives. Helen and Adam were the love affair that will last forever,” the families said in a statement provided to News Outlet.
“Their warmth, generosity and gift for making people feel welcome touched so many lives. Their loss will be felt deeply by all those who loved them and whom they loved in return.”
Chapman said he was confident investigators would determine what happened and praised Florida and Palm Beach County officials, along with first responders, for their assistance.
Additional updates on the investigation will be posted on the NTSB’s website, officials said.
