Florida plane crash: How the fatal disaster unfolded

Florida plane crash: How the fatal disaster unfolded The Learjet 60 quickly went from a descent of 10,000ft per minute to 30,000ft per minute before it hit the ground, killing all nine on board The private jet that nosedived on to a Florida highway on Sunday, killing all nine people on board, had been travelling at an altitude of 41,000 feet just minutes before the fatal crash. The plane, a Learjet 60, had departed Austin, Texas, and was en route to the Bahamas when it crashed on Military Trail, a six-lane road in Palm Beach, on Sunday. A tech entrepreneur and his young family, as well as a 20-year-old pilot, died on impact, with federal investigators now probing whether poor weather conditions played a part in the disaster. The plane had entered a steep dive, quickly going from a descent of 10,000ft per minute to 30,000ft per minute before it hit the ground, according to air traffic control data. Dashcam footage caught the moment the plane nosedived into a highway and exploded. Here, the Mirror takes a look at how the disaster unfolded: 10.37am CST (3.37pm GMT) The plane, designated Flight N722BD takes off from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, banking hard to the north before climbing into the skies above Texas. 10.39am CST (3.39pm GMT) The flight, which has now been airborne for two minutes, swings to the east en route to Florida, and climbs to a low altitude of around 3,800 feet. 11.28am CST (4.28pm GMT) The plane reached cruising altitude, hitting 41,000 feet and travelling southeast as it approached the Gulf of Mexico, which it needed to cross before arriving back on land at Florida. 12.31pm CST (5.31pm GMT) The plane arrives over Florida, entering the state via the east coast. 12.40pm CST (5.40pm GMT) Nathalia Filgueiras, the plane's 20-year-old co-pilot who made headlines when she earned her aviation licence aged just 17, texts her fellow aviator and boyfriend - who is on the ground - telling him: "I've got turbulence, I've got ice." She was not responsible for driving the plane at the time. 12.47pm CST (5.47pm GMT) Now moments away from disaster, the jet starts experiencing trouble in the air. It descends to around 35,000 feet as it nears the city of Naples while fighting turbulence. According to measurements, at this point the plane is embarking on a steep dive towards West Palm Beach. Air traffic controllers tracking the flight at this point give the pilots permission to "deviate left and right" due to what is described as "pretty nasty" precipitation. 12.49pm CST (5.49pm GMT) The plane's altitude has only continued to deteriorate at this point, with the on-board pilot, Jeff Gregory, declaring mayday. With the altitude dropping at a rate of 20,000 feet per minute, the pilot then solemnly warns air traffic control: "We’re gonna crash into the ground." 12.49pm CST (5.49pm GMT) Within a minute, transponder readings cease, with the last placing the plane at 8,750 feet. Just seconds later readings for the aircraft completely disappear, and the craft is a fireball on the Florida road. The last words heard before the shock moment, per a recording obtained by the New York Post, come from Ms Filgueiras, who can be heard saying: “We are going to crash into the ground.” She then says: “Look outside, Jeff! Look outside. Holy f***. We’re out of time."