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The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has recovered the cockpit voice recorder from the Learjet that crashed in Palm Beach County, Florida, on November 1, killing all nine people on board. The private jet was en route from Texas to the Bahamas when it lost altitude and crashed. The NTSB hopes the voice recorder will provide insights into the cause of the crash, according to WPBF.
The cockpit voice recorder, often referred to as the "black box," captures all conversations in the cockpit. John Gagliano, a former Navy pilot and aviation lawyer, explained that the recorder might reveal conversations not transmitted to air traffic control, which could be crucial in understanding the events leading to the crash. The NTSB has sent the device to its Vehicle Recorders Laboratory in Washington, D.C., for analysis.
The crash site excavation is now complete, and residents of a nearby mobile home park in Greenacres have been allowed to return home. However, some residents still face challenges, such as lack of water service, CBS12 reports.
Weather conditions at the time of the crash are being considered as a possible factor. The crew had reported ice forming on the plane and turbulence before the crash, CNN notes. The NTSB is also examining the plane's maintenance history and the decisions made by the pilots and air traffic control.
The NTSB plans to release a preliminary report in about a month, but determining the probable cause could take one to two years. Meanwhile, Military Trail remains closed between 10th Avenue North and Cresthaven Boulevard.