NTSB finds no evidence Mar-a-Lago link to Florida jet crash that killed nine

Federal investigators said Tuesday they found no evidence connecting the crash of a private Learjet near President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home to Secret Service operations, calling the proximity a coincidence. The crash in Palm Beach County killed all nine people aboard, and investigators are now working to determine its cause.

National Transportation Safety Board member Tom Chapman made the remarks when asked about the crash occurring less than 10 miles from Mar-a-Lago. "There is no evidence of connection, purely coincidence," he said during the agency's final on-site briefing. Chapman said most of the jet's left elevator, a movable surface on the tail that helps control whether the nose points up or down, was recovered between 1.3 and 3.8 miles from the crash site. The discovery adds to evidence that the aircraft began breaking apart before impact.

Chapman said he did not believe the elevator would have allowed the aircraft to recover even if it had remained attached, given the speed of the descent. The Learjet 60 was carrying seven passengers and two crew members from Austin, Texas, to North Eleuthera in the Bahamas when it crashed Sunday. Everyone aboard was killed. Among the victims were Austin technology entrepreneur Adam Robinson, 45, his wife, Helen Sharp, 40, and their children, Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2.

Investigators plan to remove water from the impact crater, where Chapman said they expect to recover additional aircraft components. Because of the force of the crash, those pieces are likely to be small. Severe weather has hampered some recovery efforts, and weather remains a key focus of the investigation. Recovered wreckage is being retained for analysis, and officials urged anyone who finds debris to leave it untouched and notify authorities.

Investigators also obtained dashcam footage to help reconstruct the aircraft's final moments. According to the NTSB's account of air traffic communications, the crew reported light clear ice and moderate turbulence while flying at about 35,000 feet before requesting permission to climb to 37,000 feet. Less than 30 seconds after controllers approved the request, the crew reported they were descending and issued a mayday call.

A separate report from the New York Post, citing officials, said important pieces from the tail had already separated from the aircraft before it hit the ground. The crash debris and evidence of an early breakup are central to the inquiry, though the cause of the crash has not been determined.

The crash also disrupted the surrounding community. Roughly 600 residents near Military Trail and Cresthaven Boulevard were evacuated, according to the Palm Beach Post. Between 40 and 50 people stayed at the Greenacres Community Center, Palm Beach County spokesperson John Jamason told the outlet. County officials sought state funding to help displaced residents with housing and transportation. Officials said Military Trail remained closed in both directions between 10th Avenue North and Purdy Lane, and they did not give a timeline for reopening the road or allowing residents to return home.

Robinson was chief executive and co-founder of. In his final LinkedIn post on the day of the crash, he announced that RB2B had reached $10 million in annual recurring revenue. He had also been preparing for a live business debate scheduled for Tuesday.

In a statement provided to Fox News Digital, the families said, "Adam and Helen were devoted parents, and Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2, were the light of their lives. Helen and Adam were the love affair that will last forever." The statement continued: "Their warmth, generosity and gift for making people feel welcome touched so many lives. Their loss will be felt deeply by all those who loved them and who they loved in return."

Chapman said investigators expect to determine what happened and thanked Florida and Palm Beach County authorities and first responders for their assistance. Further investigative updates will be posted on the NTSB's website.

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Caroline Mercer

World News Correspondent

Caroline Mercer covers public affairs, politics, business, culture and daily news for Core Memo. The role focuses on verification, context, and clear explanations for readers.

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