Pilot's final radio calls released after private jet crash in Florida
A private Learjet 60 crashed in Florida, USA, killing all nine people aboard. Sky News and CNN obtained the pilot's radio transmissions, in which she reports a rapid descent.
A private Learjet 60 aircraft crashed in the US state of Florida on Sunday, killing all nine people on board. The crash set off a large fire in a residential area. The plane came down roughly 14.5 km from US President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort. The media outlets Sky News and CNN obtained the pilot's radio transmissions, which reveal what happened in the final seconds before the crash.
The pilot's transmissions
According to the recordings, the pilot reported over the radio that the jet was descending from 8,000 feet, repeating the distress call twice. She warned that the aircraft was dropping at 10,000 feet per minute.
Her later messages became more tense. The pilot said the plane was moving at an excessive speed and descending at 20,000 feet per minute, adding that it was going to hit the ground. About 35 seconds after the first distress call she spoke her last words: "We have little time left."
Flight route
The US Federal Aviation Administration said the aircraft had taken off from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was heading to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas. The source does not state the cause of the crash.
