Nine killed in Learjet crash after crew reports icing

A Learjet 60 crashed in a Palm Beach County neighborhood on November 1, killing all nine people aboard, after its crew reported icing and turbulence and issued a mayday during a rapid descent, investigators said Monday. National Transportation Safety Board member Tom Chapman said the crew reported light icing and moderate turbulence at 12:47 p.m. while flying at 35,000 feet. The pilots then reported precipitation and requested permission to climb to 37,000 feet. Less than 30 seconds later, they declared an emergency and said the aircraft was descending, Chapman said. The jet crashed shortly before 1 p.m. The plane had departed Austin, Texas, at 10:40 a.m. and was bound for Eleuthera in the Bahamas. Air traffic control recordings described by investigators include a crew report of an overspeed condition during the descent. The cause of the crash has not been determined, and officials have not established whether weather contributed. Chapman said investigators had preliminary indications the aircraft began breaking apart before impact and that pieces might be found away from the crash site. NTSB investigator Timothy Monville said the inquiry would involve recovering aircraft...