Florida Learjet Broke Apart

What happened

Updated Nov 4, 3:41pm ET

The Learjet that crashed in Palm Beach County, Florida, killing all nine aboard, broke apart before hitting the ground, investigators confirmed.
Former NTSB investigator Greg Feith suggested that a pilot’s attempt to level the jet may have put enough stress on it to tear off a key tail part.
NTSB member Tom Chapman said investigators do not yet know whether losing that part caused the loss of control or resulted from forces on the aircraft.
Resident Ana Escobar said suspected aircraft debris tore through her roof and landed in her kitchen before authorities collected it as evidence.
Investigators are examining debris and searching for the cockpit voice recorder, with determining the crash’s cause likely to take more than a year.

How the left told it

Left-leaning outlets emphasized evidence of the midair breakup and the investigation into its cause. The Guardian paired the tail discovery with the pilots’ “harrowing communications,” while The Boston Globe focused on evidence collection, the search for the cockpit voice recorder and why answers could take more than a year.

How the right told it

Right-leaning outlets largely focused on breakup evidence and efforts to explain it. Fox News highlighted a former investigator’s theory that a leveling maneuver tore off the tail part; Just the News stressed uncertainty about cause and effect. The New York Post emphasized “shocking photos” of debris inside a resident’s kitchen.