Black box found in Florida crash that killed 9

US aviation investigators have recovered the cockpit voice recorder from the executive jet that crashed in severe weather near Greenacres, Florida, on November 1, killing all nine people aboard.

The device, known as the cockpit voice recorder or "black box," was found at the initial impact site. On Monday, November 9, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced it had been transferred to the agency's vehicle recorder laboratory in Washington, D.C., where technicians are working to determine whether the recording survived the force of the crash and can be retrieved.

Massive fireball from the crash (Photo: Social media)

If the recording is intact, it could prove to be one of the most critical pieces of evidence in the investigation. The device captures conversations between the pilots, their reactions to unfolding events, cockpit warnings, and background sounds that may help reconstruct the sequence of events leading to the crash. Investigators will be able to cross-reference the audio with air traffic control recordings and other evidence.

The crash occurred on November 1 when a Learjet 60, operated by Aurora Aviation under the commercial name Upper Jet, was en route from Austin, Texas, to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas. The aircraft went down near Greenacres in Palm Beach County, and all nine people on board were killed.

According to information gathered so far, the jet encountered severe weather conditions. The crew reported turbulence and ice accumulation to air traffic controllers and requested a more favorable flight path. At one point, the co-pilot reported that the aircraft was being violently tossed up and down by more than 700 feet and asked controllers to find them a safer, smoother route.

An entire family wiped out: the millionaire, his wife and their two children killed in the crash (Photo: Social media)

Investigators are examining how the crew handled the weather conditions and why the aircraft, which had attempted to circumvent a large storm system, later found itself facing a smaller but rapidly developing storm cell.

Another detail raising questions in the investigation is the discovery of parts from the aircraft's tail section—specifically the rear control surface known as the elevator—more than a kilometer from the main impact zone. The finding strengthens the possibility that the jet began breaking apart in mid-air before hitting the ground.

In recent days, investigators have collected debris from both wings, both engines, the cockpit, and other aircraft systems. Some of the wreckage has been sent to laboratories in Washington for analysis. The NTSB has announced that excavation work at the primary impact site has been completed after days of operations to recover aircraft remains.

Among the nine victims were tech entrepreneur and businessman Adam Robinson, 44, his wife Helen Sharp, their two young children aged two and four, their nanny, and two family friends. The two flight crew members were also killed.

Investigators are now awaiting the results of the voice recorder examination. If the recording survived, it could provide a rare glimpse into the dramatic final moments inside the cockpit and help explain how a relatively routine flight turned into a deadly aviation disaster.