Crucial part of Florida Learjet found miles from crash site

A key part of the Florida Learjet 60 that slammed into the ground on Sunday has been found miles from the crash site.​Nine people were killed when the plane crashed at around 12.50 p.m. in Cresthaven, including the pilot and co-pilot as well as a young family.​An investigation was launched into the crash shortly after it took place, with National Transportation Safety Board member Tom Chapman confirming to reporters on Tuesday that the “majority” of the plane’s left elevator had been found, which controls the tail.​“The majority of the aircraft’s left elevator was located in three pieces within a range about 1.3 to 3.8 miles away from the accident site,” Chapman said. “Those items are being retained for analysis.​“For those not as familiar with aircraft components, the elevator is a control surface located on the tail which controls the up and down pitch of the aircraft.”A key component of a crashed Florida jet has been recovered by authorities. This image shows the crash as it happened on Sunday (Aki Kuusisto)​Footage of the crash was recorded by witnesses, who caught the moment that the plane struck the ground and exploded into a fireball.The aircraft’s co-pilot was heard in audio reviewed by CNN and Sky News sending out a mayday call before stating that the plane was descending at 20,000 feet per minute. ​The co-pilot had previously reported that ice had begun to accumulate on the aircraft and noted that they had experienced turbulence that bounced them 700 feet, according to LiveATC.com records reviewed by CNN.Speaking about the left elevator, Chapman said that he was unsure if the pilot could have stopped the plane from nosediving even if the component had been attached.​“At those speeds I don’t know that it would’ve been effective even if it had still been attached to the aircraft, but knowing that it was lost is a very important piece of evidence in terms of pointing us toward other things to investigate,” he said.​Chapman also confirmed to reporters that the cause of the crash remains unknown.The component was recovered in three parts located around 1.3 to 3.8 miles from the crash site (pictured) (AP)​“What that means exactly, in terms of what caused the aircraft to lose control, or whether the loss of this piece was a result of the forces on the aircraft, we don’t know yet,” he said.​Jeff Guzzetti, an aviation safety expert, told The Associated Press that the component could have been lost during turbulence or as the plane fell to the ground.“That very well could explain the missile-like profile just before it hit the ground,” he said.​The plane had been bound for the Bahamas and had taken off from Austin, Texas, before crashing in Florida and killing all nine people on board.​A family of four, including Retention founder Adam Robinson; his wife, Helen Sharp; and their children, four-year-old Emma and two-year-old Charlie, were among the victims.​The family’s nanny, Anita Maria Apellido Cetina, and two family friends, Charmi Fehr and Rachael Reed, also died in the crash, along with 20-year-old co-pilot Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras and pilot Jeff Gregory, 55.