WELLINGTON, Fla. — Radar analysis shows a Learjet 60 with tail number N722BD entered a thunderstorm core near Wellington at about 12:48 p.m. ET, shortly before it crashed in Palm Beach County. All 9 people on board were killed. The NTSB is investigating, and the cause has not been determined. The analysis is based on NEXRAD radar from Miami, flight tracking data, and air traffic control audio.
Jet Entered a Storm Core at 35,000 Feet
At about 35,000 feet, radar echoes around the jet jumped to 34 dBZ at 12:48:06 p.m. Directly below the jet’s path, radar showed a 52 dBZ core, a sign of very heavy rain. The storm tops reached about 47,000 feet, roughly 12,000 feet above the jet.
Tracking data shows the jet began climbing as it entered the storm core around 12:47:56 p.m. It rose about 450 feet, reaching roughly 35,450 feet. The jet then went into a spiraling dive and crashed about 76 seconds later.
Crew Reported Turbulence and Ice
Minutes before the crash, the crew told Miami Center they were in moderate turbulence, with altitude changes of about 700 feet. At 12:47:33 p.m., they reported they were “managing the ice” at a temperature of about -53°F. The crew asked to climb out of the precipitation.
Ice can build on aircraft when they fly through clouds full of supercooled water. Even at very high altitudes, strong storms can carry moisture far above normal cloud levels. The exact role of the ice and turbulence will be part of the investigation.
Mayday Declared Before the Dive
At 12:48:28 p.m., the crew declared a Mayday, reporting a descent of about 10,000 feet per minute. By 12:48:37 p.m., they reported an overspeed, with the jet falling about 20,000 feet per minute. At 12:49:02 p.m., the crew said they were banking 60 degrees…