NTSB looks at weather and a possible in-flight breakup after a Part 135 Learjet 60 crash in Florida

A Learjet 60 flying a Part 135 charter from Austin, Texas, to North Eleuthera in the Bahamas crashed in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday 1 November, killing both pilots and all seven passengers. The NTSB has opened a major investigation (ERA27MA026) and names the operator as Aurora Aviation, doing business as Upper Jet. A person on the ground was injured.

At a briefing on 2 November, NTSB Board Member Tom Chapman said there is "some evidence that there was some breakup of the aircraft before impact", without confirming which parts may have separated. According to the NTSB's account of the radio calls, the crew reported light clear ice and moderate turbulence at 35,000 feet, with altitude deviations of about 700 feet and an outside air temperature of minus 47°C. They then reported precipitation and asked to climb to 37,000 feet. Less than 30 seconds after the climb was approved, the crew reported a descent and declared a mayday, with descent rates reported at up to 20,000 feet per minute.

The NTSB says weather is a major focus, alongside crew actions and the aircraft's mechanical and maintenance history, and that it will look at whether similar accidents have involved other Learjet 60s. The aircraft hit the ground almost vertically, water in the crater is slowing recovery, and the cockpit voice recorder had not been recovered at the time of the briefing. The cause has not been determined.

The CDC's attestation rule starts tonight. From flights departing at or after 23:59 EST on 3 November, every person on any aircraft flying from a foreign country to the United States, crew and deadheading crew included, must sign a paper or digital attestation that they have not been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the previous 21 days. It covers business aviation and cargo as well as airlines. Operators must confirm the attestations before boarding, refuse anyone without one, and keep copies for at least 42 days. The amended order runs until 23:59 EST on 18 December 2026 unless changed earlier.

Simply Jet buys FlyTyrol. Lausanne-based charter broker Simply Jet has bought 100% of Innsbruck operator FlyTyrol (formerly ABC Bedarfsflug), giving the group an Austro Control AOC. FlyTyrol keeps its name and its 14 staff. Its four aircraft are based in Innsbruck and Salzburg: a Citation M2 and a Citation CJ3+ are available for charter, and a CJ2+ and an XLS are privately managed. The deal closed in early September and was announced on 30 October; terms were not disclosed, and the group is targeting 10 managed aircraft by 2030.

• Expect questions from clients. Travellers will have seen the Florida coverage. Have your vetting process ready to explain: operator certificate, safety audits, crew experience and insurance. Avoid speculating on the cause before the NTSB publishes its findings.
• Check every inbound international trip departing tonight or later. Collect a signed attestation from every passenger and crew member before departure to the US, including on positioning legs carrying crew, and keep the file for 42 days.
• Broker-operator lines keep blurring in Europe. With its own AOC, Simply Jet can now fly some trips on in-house aircraft. Brokers sourcing light jets in the Alps may see FlyTyrol's M2 and CJ3+ quoted through a competitor.

This brief is an original rewrite of the reports listed below. It is not a verbatim reproduction of those publications.

• NTSB: Investigation ERA27MA026
• AeroTime: Florida Learjet crash, NTSB finds in-flight breakup evidence
• NBC News: Jet may have experienced 'some breakup' before it crashed in Florida
• AP News: Investigators say parts of plane likely broke off before it crashed in Florida
• CDC: Order requiring attestation by all persons traveling by air to the United States
• Federal Register: Notice of amended attestation order (30 October 2026)
• NBAA: CDC updates Ebola attestation requirement for all flights to the US
• Charter Broker: Simply Jet acquires FlyTyrol to gain Austrian AOC
• Corporate Jet Investor: Simply Jet acquires Austrian operator
• NBAA Insider Daily, 2 November 2026, and Avi-Go AviNews Weekly, 26 October to 1 November 2026 (story selection)