Learjet airplane crash: Was the plane missing a key part of its tail? All about the horizontal stabilizers

A Learjet aircraft crashed in a residential area of Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday afternoon, killing all nine people on board. Videos circulating on social media showed the aircraft plunging towards the ground near a road before erupting into a massive fireball.

The private jet, manufactured in 2004 as per Flightradar, jet had taken off from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was headed to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas. It reportedly departed Austin at 15:37 UTC, approximately two hours and 12 minutes before the crash. Reuters, citing FAA records, said the jet belongs to Delaware corporation.

What happened in the Learjet's final moments?

An audio recording from a Miami air traffic control centre, published on LiveATC, captured the cockpit's final communications with air traffic controllers.


Initially, someone in the cockpit told air traffic control that the crew was "managing the ice" but experiencing "moderate" turbulence. They also requested "better rides", referring to smoother flying conditions.

Less than a minute later, the cockpit issued a "Mayday" call, reporting that the aircraft was descending at around 10,000 feet per minute.


Seconds later, the crew declared an emergency as the reported descent rate accelerated to 20,000 feet per minute.

"We're going to crash into the ground," the person in the cockpit said, according to the recording. The reported descent rate subsequently reached 22,000 feet per minute as the aircraft began banking.

Around 35 seconds after the initial Mayday call, the last words heard from the cockpit were: "We're out of time."

Flight-tracking website Flightradar24 said its data showed that the aircraft's vertical descent rate exceeded 32,000 feet per minute at one point.

Was the Learjet missing its horizontal stabilizers?

Following the crash, the social media is rife with various conspiracy theories. According to one such theory, they jet was missing a critical part just before hitting the ground.

However, since the images are blurry, it is not yet clear whether the aircraft had lost the component before the crash. Investigators will need to establish whether any structural damage occurred during flight or as a result of the impact.

So, what exactly are horizontal stabilizers, and why are they important?

What are horizontal stabilizers?

According to NASA, a horizontal stabilizer is a fixed wing-like surface attached to the tail of an aircraft. Its primary function is to provide stability and help prevent unwanted up-and-down movement, known as pitching, of the aircraft's nose.

The horizontal stabilizer works alongside another component called the elevator, which is a movable section attached to the rear of the stabilizer.

While the stabilizer provides stability, the elevator helps pilots control the aircraft's pitch. When the elevator moves, it changes the aerodynamic force generated by the tail, causing the aircraft's nose to move up or down.

This movement affects the angle at which the aircraft's wings meet the airflow, changing the amount of lift generated. As a result, the aircraft can climb or descend.

For example, during take-off, pilots use the elevators to raise the aircraft's nose and initiate a climb. They also use them to control the aircraft's pitch during flight.

The horizontal stabilizer and elevator therefore play an important role in maintaining an aircraft's balance and controlling its movement.

However, the exact cause of the Learjet crash remains unknown. The NTSB investigation will examine the aircraft, its flight data, weather conditions and other available evidence before determining what led to the accident.