What caused the Florida Learjet crash, which claimed nine lives, is not yet known. However, investigators have made a major announcement that could be another piece of the puzzle: they have recovered the cockpit voice recorder.
The tragic accident in Florida, when the private jet, traveling from Austin with sights set on the Bahamas, crashed in Palm Beach, still has many questions unanswered. Nine people died, including a family of four with two toddlers, as well as the 55-year-old pilot and 20-year-old co-pilot.
A newly circulated recording is offering a disturbing glimpse into the final moments before the aircraft plunged toward the ground.
The audio captures warnings about severe weather, reports of ice forming on the plane, and an increasingly tense exchange as the situation appeared to spiral out of control.
Among those on board were a young family with two small children, their nanny, two friends, the pilot, and the co-pilot. The recording begins with a warning from a controller at the Miami Air Route Traffic Control Center.
“The turn to Freeport looks pretty bad; there is moderate to extreme precipitation,” the controller tells the crew.
Despite the warning, the aircraft continued toward the area. Shortly afterward, 20-year-old co-pilot Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras reported that ice was beginning to form on the aircraft.
Cockpit voice recorder found in Florida Learjet wreckage
“We have light clear ice that is manageable and moderate turbulence,” she said.
As conditions worsened, Filgueiras asked air traffic control to recommend another route to help the crew avoid the storm.
But then, the situation took a terrifying turn. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the jet plunged from 35,250 feet to just 8,750 feet in a little over a minute. That meant the aircraft lost more than 26,000 feet of altitude in roughly 60 seconds.
The NTSB is still investigating the crash, and it has not confirmed exactly what went wrong. However, investigators have now retrieved an important part from what remains of the plane: the cockpit voice recorder. Investigators hope it could help explain what happened during the aircraft’s final moments.
However, one major question remains: can investigators recover the recordings?
As reported by the Associated Press (AP), the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed on Monday that the device had been found at the site where the Learjet crashed near Greenacres, Florida.
The agency has since taken it to its laboratory in Washington, D.C., where experts are examining its condition. If the recordings have survived, they could provide crucial information about what the pilots experienced and discussed shortly before the plane went down.
“Huge help” to investigators, expert says
Moreover, the recording could also answer why the plane appeared to steer around a large storm before heading toward a smaller storm that was rapidly developing.
Aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti told AP that there was reason to be hopeful that the information might have survived the impact.
“It’s very plausible that any info on the recorder survived,” Guzzetti said. “If they can recover it, and it’s from the accident flight, that will be a huge help to investigators.”
However, while investigators recovered the cockpit voice recordings, there are no guarantees they will help. For example, in a previous case involving a medical transport plane that crashed in Philadelphia in January 2025, investigators recovered the cockpit voice recorder. Still, they found it likely hadn’t been working for several years.
The voice recorder is not the only important piece of evidence investigators have recovered so far. Parts of the aircraft’s tail, including the elevator, were found more than a mile from the main crash site.
Investigation could take years
Investigators are also examining maintenance records and plan to speak with people connected to the company that operated the flight, as well as air traffic controllers and airport personnel.
The NTSB previously said that aircraft crash investigations usually take between 12 and 18 months.
Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by the Florida Learjet crash. May the victims rest in peace.
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