A jet that took off from Austin sent a distress signal to air traffic control, reporting ice and moderate turbulence. “We are picking up precipitation, requesting to climb to 37,000 feet if able,” the crew communicated.
NTSB member Tom Chapman noted that less than 30 seconds later, the plane began to descend, and a mayday call was issued. The transmission then became “unintelligible,” leading him to lament, “Sadly, all aboard were lost.”
The NTSB has indicated that ice and turbulence contributed to the crash, but determining the exact cause will take time. Thunderstorms were reported in the area at that moment.
Investigators are also trying to ascertain whether a cockpit voice recorder was on board and can be retrieved. The NTSB is collaborating with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Learjet representatives, meteorologists, and air traffic control experts for the investigation. Recovering the wreckage from the roadway crater is expected to be a “daunting challenge,” according to Timothy Monville, an air safety investigator with the NTSB.
