GREENACRES, FL — Federal investigators are expected to provide a Monday update after a Learjet 60 plunged and crashed into a Palm Beach County neighborhood on Sunday afternoon.
The fiery crash in Greenacres killed all nine people aboard and forced hundreds of nearby residents from their homes.
One of the crew members aboard the flight, 20-year-old co-pilot Nathalia Gadelha, has been identified by her mother and stepfather, who confirmed to the New York Post that she was aboard the plane.
Gadelha reportedly grew up in Palm Beach County, and got her private pilot's license at 17, while she was still a student at West Boca Raton High School. She received support from the School District of Palm Beach County's Aviation Academy in obtaining her license.
Authorities have yet to release the victims' identities.
The National Transportation Safety Board, which is launching "a go-team" to investigate the crash, posted to X that it will hold a media briefing at 1 p.m. on Monday at the Emergency Operations Center at 20 S. Military Trail in West Palm Beach.
NTSB member Tom Chapman will provide an update covering the investigative process and planned on-scene activities in the coming days, the agency said in its post.
While some NTSB investigators arrived at the crash site on Sunday, others are expected through Monday morning, according to a previous post by the agency.
The Learjet's pilot reported icing and moderate turbulence before the aircraft began a rapid descent on Sunday afternoon, according to air traffic control recordings.
"We have light, clear ice that is manageable and moderate turbulence," the pilot told controllers.
But the situation rapidly deteriorated. After encountering precipitation and requesting to climb, the pilot declared an emergency as the aircraft began losing altitude at an alarming rate.
"We're descending 8,000 – mayday, mayday - we're descending 10,000 feet per minute," the pilot radioed.
"We are in an overspeed condition descending 20,000 feet per minute," the pilot radioed, before delivering a devastating acknowledgment of what was about to happen. "We're going to crash into the ground."
The aircraft, which departed Austin, Texas, and was headed to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas, crashed around 12:50 p.m. Sunday near Military Trail and 10th Avenue North in the Greenacres area, officials said.
"Debris was everywhere. Debris hit my house. Everything was on fire. The road was on fire," nearby resident Anthony Blackmon told NBC Miami, adding. "I've always seen it on the news, never thought it would happen so close to somebody like how it happened [Sunday]."
Another resident, Roger Forcelle, told the outlet, "It shook the whole house. It went right over us and crashed probably less than half a mile from where I live. Everybody came out of their houses because you could feel it shaking."
Palm Beach County District 3 Commissioner Joel Flores said during a Sunday news conference that what he described as "a massive crater on Military" could keep the road's southbound lanes closed for weeks. A portion of Military Trail remained closed Monday, reports said.
Meanwhile, about 600 residents of a nearby mobile home community were affected by evacuations as authorities continued investigating the crash.
The evacuation was complicated by the fact that the crash site was also the community's entrance, reports said.
Initially, two shelters were on standby following the crash, and Palm Tran buses transported residents away from the area once evacuations were allowed to begin, reports said.
Evacuees were later moved to Greenacres Community Center at 501 Swain Blvd., CBS 12 reported.
Many evacuees remain uncertain about when they'll be allowed to return home, even to collect their belongings. Some residents experienced power outages caused by the crash, reports said.
"We're waiting for someone to give us answers about what we're going to do, because they're not even letting us into the community to get our clothes," evacuee Jesus Solorzano told WPTV.
Others were allowed to return home Sunday evening, WSVN reported.
Donna Massa told the outlet that after waiting hours for updates, she was allowed back into her home.
"Oh, relief, relief, yes," she said.
The nearby John I. Leonard High School is also closed Monday, and will remain closed Tuesday for Election Day, as emergency crews continued working near the scene, WPTV reported.
All other district schools remain open on Monday, but will also close for Election Day.
This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.
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