NTSB finds Learjet tail broke apart before Greenacres crash

National Transportation Safety Board investigators recovered portions of the tail from the Learjet 60 that crashed in South Florida on Sunday, with fragments located as far as 3.8 miles from the point of impact.

The aircraft, operated by Upper Jets, departed Austin, Texas, en route to the Bahamas. It struck the ground in Greenacres, approximately seven miles southwest of West Palm Beach, on Sunday afternoon. The impact created a crater and ignited a fireball. Debris from the crash scattered across a wide area, displacing roughly 600 nearby residents. Only one injury was reported on the ground.

The flight crew included pilot Jeff Gregory, 55, and co-pilot Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras. Passengers included technology entrepreneur Adam Robinson, his wife Helen Sharp, and their two young children. Gregory lived in Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania, and held airline transport pilot and flight instructor certificates. He had previously worked for a charter company in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Minutes before the crash, Filgueiras reported severe turbulence and ice accumulation to air traffic controllers. She stated that the plane was thrown up and down by more than 700 feet. In the final moments of the flight, her radio transmissions shifted from calm communication to urgent calls for help. A recording captured a man’s voice reciting the Lord’s Prayer in the background. Friends and family members believe the voice belonged to Gregory, a devout Christian.

Filgueiras also sent texts to her boyfriend about ten minutes before the impact. She wrote, “I’ve got turbulence, I’ve got ice.” These messages were sent before the situation became critical. FAA rules for charter flights allow pilots to use cellphones during cruise altitude, though they are prohibited during takeoff and landing.

NTSB Member Tom Chapman addressed the media on Tuesday regarding the debris field. He stated that the tail’s elevator was broken into three separate pieces. The elevator controls the pitch of the aircraft. Chapman noted that without an intact elevator, the pilot would not have been able to pull the jet out of its nose dive. He said, “The function of the elevator is to control the pitch up and down.”

Chapman acknowledged that the plane likely began breaking apart before it hit the ground. He described the loss of the elevator as a key piece of evidence. He said, “knowing that it was lost is a very important piece of evidence in terms of pointing us towards other things to investigate.” Weather conditions will be a primary focus of the investigation.

Thomas Noetzel, the director of operations at Upper Jets, launched a GoFundMe campaign to support Gregory’s wife and children. Noetzel described Gregory as a close personal friend. Noetzel’s father, Walter, posted on Facebook that Gregory was a devoted and conscientious man. He wrote, “His journey on earth may have ended, but I like to think he is now flying among the angels, soaring peacefully in the presence of our Lord.”

April Honnen, director of charter sales for East Coast Jets, Inc., issued a statement regarding Gregory’s death. She said, “We are deeply saddened to learn that Captain Jeff Gregory was among those who lost their lives.” Honnen extended the company’s prayers to Gregory’s family, the remaining crew member, and the passengers.

The NTSB plans to release a preliminary report describing the sequence of events in approximately one month. Investigators expect to take more than a year to determine the final cause of the crash. The agency will continue to analyze the recovered wreckage and flight data.