A co-pilot on a Learjet 60 was heard reciting the Lord's Prayer in a frightened tone in the final moments before the aircraft crashed in West Palm Beach, Florida, killing all nine people aboard. Air traffic control audio released after the Sunday crash captured the co-pilot's recitation of "who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name" amidst the pilot's increasingly panicked transmissions.
The pilot reported the jet had banked 60 degrees, indicating a steep sideways tilt, before the plane impacted the ground in a fireball. The aircraft was en route from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas when the incident occurred.
Aviation experts are speculating that the $2 million jet may have encountered "coffin corner," a phenomenon where a high-altitude jet's minimum and maximum safe speeds converge to a narrow range, making flight extremely difficult. This condition can be exacerbated by flying through storm systems, which alter air temperature and affect lift. One former pilot suggested that the jet may have attempted to fly through two storm cells, a maneuver that could have led to the fatal error.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading an investigation into the crash, with the Federal Aviation Administration sending a team to assist. Authorities confirmed that no one on the ground was injured or killed, though the crash left a significant crater in the road and scattered debris.
Air traffic controllers had warned pilots of "moderate precipitation" and "moderate turbulence" in the area, giving them clearance to deviate. The pilot's transmissions indicated an "overspeed condition" and a rapid descent rate of up to 22,000 feet per minute before the final, devastating transmission, "We're out of time."
Weather conditions at the time of the crash included overcast skies, rain, lightning, and winds gusting up to 25 mph, with visibility at 7 miles.