Tragic Learjet 'accidents' emerge after Florida crash
In the 1960s, owning a Learjet was the ultimate status symbol. Nothing said you had arrived like a sleek private jet whining across the sky.
TL;DR
- A Learjet 60 crashed in Greenacres, Florida, killing all nine on board.
- Experts offer conflicting views: one calls Learjets 'rocket ships' with improved safety, while another labels them 'widow makers' prone to stalling.
- The Learjet, created by Bill Lear, was a popular status symbol for the rich and famous, used by figures like Frank Sinatra and James Brown.
- Past accidents include the 1999 Payne Stewart crash due to loss of cabin pressure and incapacitation, and a 2017 crash attributed to human error and stalling.
- Bombardier, the manufacturer, is cooperating with the investigation into the latest crash and expressed sadness over the event.
- Bombardier stopped building new Learjets in March 2022, with the final aircraft being a Learjet 75.
- Preliminary findings in the Florida crash suggest issues with icing and turbulence, with indications of the aircraft breaking up before impact.