Federal investigators said Monday they are examining the role of 20-year-old co-pilot Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras in the Learjet crash that killed all nine people aboard.
The $2 million private jet was flying in temperatures as low as 50 degrees below zero when it encountered ice buildup and severe turbulence, authorities said.
The aircraft began breaking apart before hitting the ground, scattering wreckage across an area spanning roughly half a mile.
Part of the crater at the crash site is filled with water, complicating efforts to determine what caused the Bombardier Learjet 60 to go down near a trailer park in Palm Beach, Florida, the National Transportation Safety Board said Monday.
The jet had climbed to approximately 37,000 feet to get above severe weather. Its crew then reported icing and turbulence before the aircraft abruptly plunged toward the ground.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Connecticut School Principal Suspended Amid IRS Investigation, Community Shocked
The latest on the deadly Learjet crash in Florida
“We do have some indication the aircraft was breaking up before impact,” NTSB investigator Timothy Monville said.
The jet was en route from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas and descended at a rate of about 32,000 feet per minute before crashing near the trailer park.
Co-pilot Filgueiras was among those killed. She reportedly texted her boyfriend about icing and turbulence shortly before the crash.
The pilot and seven passengers aboard the aircraft have not been publicly identified.
Investigators have not yet determined the cause of the crash or whether ice accumulation contributed to it.
