New information has been released in the tragic case of the Learjet which recently crashed in Florida. As reported by the New York Post, it could paint a picture as to what happened in the final moments before the harrowing crash.
A statement from the National Transportation Safety Board's spokesperson, Thomas Chapman, explains what happened. He explained that the plane's left elevator was "found in three pieces." They were found "in a range of around 1.3 to 3.8 miles from the accident site."
"It tells us that at least some components, some pieces of the aircraft, important pieces of the aircraft separated before the impact," Chapman explained. He continued by explaining that the distance between the parts of the aircraft meant that they broke off prior to the crash.
However, while this is very important information that will undoubtedly help the investigation - it isn't immediately obvious what it spells in the Learjet investigation.
As Chapman put it, "What that means exactly in terms of what caused the aircraft to lose control, or whether the loss of the piece was a result of the forces on the aircraft, we don't know yet," he added. "It's going to take some more analysis."
Videos by Wide Open Country
Harrowing Air Traffic Control Audio May Also Help the Learjet Investigation
This comes after harrowing audio was released from the Learjet just moments before the crash. We reported on it when it was released. It could further help shape the investigation as it continues.
The plane appears to begin a sharp decline of altitude in the audio, according to what the pilot says. "We're descending 8,000 - mayday, mayday! We're descending 10,000 feet per minute!"
In the span of 20 seconds, the plane then reportedly dips further down to "20,000 feet".
And then comes the gut-wrenching part - the pilot says, "We're going to crash into the ground, 722 Bravo Delta." A high pitched scream can be heard before she screams, "F***! We're gonna crash! Holy f***, we're out of time!".
We hope that some conclusions can be gathered in this investigation. May all who lost their lives rest in peace.
