BREAKING: Learjet Pilots Were Warned 16 Minutes Before the Crash - Full ATC

Summary

The video reviews air-traffic-control recordings from the Learjet 60 crash in Palm Beach County, Florida, which killed all nine people aboard. It emphasizes that the crew was warned about severe weather and permitted to deviate around it, but the recordings alone do not show how far the aircraft turned or what the crew saw on its onboard weather radar.

Timeline

About 16 minutes before the crash, a Miami Center controller warned the crew that its route toward Freeport intersected moderate-to-extreme precipitation spanning roughly 100 miles. The crew acknowledged the warning, requested a direct route to Freeport, and then said they would “look at it.” They later requested to fly via the FIMET waypoint. The controller approved deviations to the left or right, and the crew subsequently reported that they were “going left.” An American Airlines aircraft on the frequency was also deviating around the weather.

About eight minutes later, as the Learjet crossed Palm Beach County at 35,000 feet, the crew reported icing and moderate turbulence. After encountering precipitation, they requested to climb. The controller approved the request but restricted them from turning farther right because of other traffic.

Less than 30 seconds later, the crew reported a rapid descent, declared a mayday, and described an overspeed condition. The controller tried to reach them, but there was no further response. The jet struck a road near a mobile-home park.

Fact-check of Claims in a Viral Post

• The crew was warned about severe weather: Supported by the recordings.
• The crew was permitted to deviate: Supported; the controller approved deviations to the left or right.
• The crew acknowledged the warnings and said they were turning left: Supported.
• The crew ignored the weather or failed to change course: Not established by the recordings. The crew changed its routing and reported a left turn, but radar data is needed to determine the extent of the deviation.

Permission to deviate is not an order, and the pilot in command makes the decision about avoiding weather. The video cites Associated Press reporting that flight-tracking radar overlays appear to show the Learjet entering a rapidly expanding storm cell.

Investigation

The NTSB has identified weather as a major focus of its investigation, but the cause of the crash has not been determined. Investigators are expected to compare the radio calls with radar data and other evidence, including what the crew could see on its weather radar.

Presenters and Contributors

No presenter or contributor is named. The video includes recorded ATC communications and references the Learjet crew and an American Airlines crew.