A neuroscientist has offered an explanation for why a private jet that crashed in Florida appeared to leave behind so little recognisable wreckage, while addressing a disturbing theory that emerged following the deaths of nine people.
The Learjet 60 was travelling from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas when it lost control and plunged towards the ground near Greenacres, Florida, on Sunday, November 1.
All nine people aboard the aircraft were killed, including two young children, their parents and the jet's two pilots.
Images of the crash site showed extensive destruction, a large crater and debris scattered across the surrounding area.
However, the apparent absence of large, recognisable aircraft sections prompted questions on social media about how the jet could have been destroyed so completely.
Now, Derek Van Schaik, a commentator with postgraduate qualifications in psychology and forensic psychology, has examined the footage and explained why the scene may have looked so unusual.
Why was there so little recognisable wreckage after the Learjet crash?
In a video discussing the tragedy, Van Schaik addressed speculation that the aircraft's destruction appeared inconsistent with an ordinary plane crash.
He explained that the extreme forces involved in a high-speed impact can cause an aircraft to break apart into numerous fragments, leaving little that resembles the original structure.
Van Schaik pointed out that aircraft are manufactured using lightweight materials designed to meet the demands of flight rather than withstand a catastrophic collision with the ground.
He said that when an aircraft strikes the ground at an extremely high speed, its structure can be crushed almost instantaneously.
He also suggested that the presence of jet fuel could contribute to the destruction if a post-impact fire or explosion occurs.
According to Van Schaik, these combined forces can leave behind fragments that are difficult to recognise as parts of an aircraft.
His explanation was intended to address why photographs of the crash site appeared to show relatively few intact components.
However, the exact impact speed, sequence of structural failures and contribution of any post-impact fire remain matters for investigators to establish.
What conspiracy theory emerged after the Florida plane crash?
Van Schaik also addressed claims circulating online that the Learjet might have been struck by a missile.
Some social media users pointed to the aircraft's steep descent, apparent speed and the lack of recognisable wreckage as reasons for questioning the official investigation.
However, there is no verified evidence that a missile struck the aircraft, and authorities have not identified an attack as the cause of the crash.
Van Schaik argued that the physical destruction visible at the scene did not, by itself, support the missile theory.
He suggested that people may find it difficult to imagine how quickly a large aircraft can disintegrate because the forces involved are far beyond those encountered in everyday life.
In his view, that difficulty can make dramatic alternative explanations appear more convincing than they actually are.
His comments were an interpretation of the available footage rather than findings from an official accident investigation.
What did the neuroscientist say about the co-pilot's final moments?
Van Schaik also examined the final radio communications involving 20-year-old co-pilot Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras.
Audio from the aircraft's final descent captured urgent exchanges as the crew struggled to maintain control.
At one point, Filgueiras could reportedly be heard shouting: "Look outside."
Van Schaik highlighted an unusual aspect of the recording: exchanges that appeared to be taking place between the pilots inside the cockpit were also being transmitted to air traffic control.
He suggested this could have happened because Filgueiras continued holding down the aircraft's push-to-talk button during the emergency.
Ordinarily, conversations between pilots inside the cockpit are not broadcast to air traffic controllers unless a radio transmission is activated.
Van Schaik proposed two possible explanations for why the co-pilot may have continued transmitting.
The first involved the psychological effects of extreme stress.
He explained that when someone is confronted with an immediate threat, their attention can narrow considerably, potentially making them less aware of smaller physical actions.
In such circumstances, Filgueiras may not have realised that she was continuing to press the radio button.
Alternatively, Van Schaik suggested she might have deliberately kept transmitting in the hope that air traffic control could provide assistance or understand the seriousness of the situation.
Neither possibility has been confirmed, and the recording alone cannot establish what the co-pilot was thinking.
What did the pilots say before the Learjet crashed?
The aircraft's final communications have become a central focus of public attention following the tragedy.
During the flight, the crew reported turbulence and icing conditions before the aircraft entered a rapid descent.
Filgueiras subsequently declared an emergency as the jet began losing altitude at an alarming rate.
In one transmission, she reported a descent of approximately 10,000 feet per minute.
The crew also warned air traffic control that the aircraft was experiencing an overspeed condition.
As the emergency intensified, the co-pilot reported an even more extreme descent rate and a steep banking angle.
The final communications indicated that the crew had very little time to recover the aircraft.
Although the recordings provide important evidence of the emergency, they do not establish precisely what caused the jet to lose control.
Investigators discover crucial wreckage nearly four miles away
While the main crash site appeared to contain relatively little recognisable wreckage, federal investigators have recovered important aircraft components several miles away.
During a news conference on Tuesday, November 3, National Transportation Safety Board member Tom Chapman confirmed that pieces of the Learjet's left elevator had been discovered at locations between approximately 1.3 and 3.8 miles from the impact site.
The elevator is a movable control surface on the aircraft's tail that helps control its pitch, allowing pilots to raise or lower the nose.
Investigators recovered much of the left elevator in three separate pieces.
The discovery is significant because it raises the possibility that part of the aircraft separated before the jet struck the ground.
However, investigators have not determined whether the separation caused the loss of control or occurred after the aircraft had already entered its uncontrolled descent.
Chapman explained that losing the elevator could have severely limited the crew's ability to recover from the dive.
He also cautioned that the aircraft's extreme speed might have made recovery difficult even if the component had remained attached.
The NTSB is examining the recovered pieces to understand when and why they separated from the aircraft.
Who were the nine victims of the Florida Learjet crash?
The crash killed everyone aboard the aircraft, including Captain Jeff Gregory, 55, and co-pilot Nathalia Filgueiras, 20.
Among the passengers were technology entrepreneur Adam Robinson, his wife Helen Sharp and their two children, four-year-old Emma and two-year-old Charlie.
The family was travelling with their nanny, Anita Maria Apellido Cetina, and two close friends, Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr.
The group had reportedly been travelling to the Bahamas to celebrate Robinson's birthday.
Following the disaster, tributes were paid to the family and the aircraft's crew.
Filgueiras' former flight instructor, Chris Kirk, also shared an emotional message about her talent and passion for aviation.
Kirk, who has approximately 40 years of teaching experience, described her as an exceptionally gifted pilot who had impressed examiners throughout her training.
His tribute highlighted the promising aviation career that was cut short by the tragedy.
What caused the Learjet to crash?
The official cause of the accident remains under investigation.
Federal investigators are examining several potential contributing factors, including weather conditions, possible ice accumulation, aircraft performance and the separation of components during flight.
The discovery of elevator wreckage miles from the impact site is expected to form an important part of that investigation.
However, the NTSB has not established the sequence of events that led to the aircraft's loss of control.
It is also important to distinguish between the physical destruction caused by the crash and the events that caused the aircraft to descend in the first place.
Van Schaik's analysis offers a possible explanation for why the impact left so little recognisable wreckage, but it does not determine what caused the accident.
For now, investigators are continuing to examine the evidence as the families of the nine victims await answers about what happened during the aircraft's final moments.
