Lear jet crash in Florida

A considered early analysis from an understandably emotional Captain Steeve


I have to say, the young woman copiloting died an absolute hero. She was 20 years old, got licence at 17 and living her dream. Despite everything going on, and with the plane in a near vertical dive, she kept ATC informed every step of the way. She made her callsign on every single call.

And an excellent comment from NASA chief Jared Isaacman
 
More speculation, somewhat ill informed, it was the same plane not the same crew that got caught out earlier I believe. If it’s relevant it will be in the forthcoming report along with actual details of the crew etc.
 
This gives creedence to the reports that parts of the T-tail were missing before impact.

Due to overspeed exceeding structural limits?

Or overspeed + pilot input to pitch up = exceeded structural limits?

Did the overspeed also induced a high speed stall or Mach tuck which essentially also disrupted airflow over the horizontal stabiliser whose normal function is to maintain pitch balance?. Making the loss of the horizontal stabiliser a moot issue?
 
Due to overspeed exceeding structural limits?

Or overspeed + pilot input to pitch up = exceeded structural limits?

AFAIK that hasn't been determined yet. Give them time. I'm sure they have some of the best investigators available working on this.

Also it's been mentioned that they believe this particular aircraft wasn't fitted with a flight data recorder but likely had a coughpit voice recorder fitted.

Whether either type of device could survive such an impact vertically into the ground at something like mach 0.8 is another question.
 
Whether either type of device could survive such an impact vertically into the ground at something like mach 0.8 is another question.
It could be buried deep in the crater.

My understanding is the CSMU (Crash Survivability Memory Unit) in the CVR are designed to survive acceleration at point of impact of >3000G
Aircraft vertical acceleration just prior to impact would be 1G+engine thrust-drag-lift vertical vector)
Mach 0.8 just prior to impact = 53,000 feet/min and less than 1G assuming starting altitude 37,000 feet

At impact the acceleration would depend on final resting place of CVR.
I know of both an A-4 and an F-111 pilot of that age
And responsible for live bombs......
And likely she was the pilot monitoring not the pilot flying.

Imperial War museum
Screen Shot 2026-11-04 at 11.43.36 am.png
 
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It could be buried deep in the crater.

My understanding is the CSMU (Crash Survivability Memory Unit) in the CVR are designed to survive acceleration at point of impact of >3000G
Aircraft vertical acceleration just prior to impact would be 1G+engine thrust-drag-lift vertical vector)
Mach 0.8 just prior to impact = 53,000 feet/min and less than 1G assuming starting altitude 37,000 feet

At impact the acceleration would depend on final resting place of CVR.

And responsible for live bombs......
And likely she was the pilot monitoring not the pilot flying.

Imperial War museum
View attachment 530305
This implies that the youngsters were better pilots as they were less likely to die!
 
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