Federal investigators have confirmed that a Learjet 60 flying from Austin to the Bahamas came apart before it hit the ground Sunday afternoon in Greenacres, Florida. Most of the plane’s left elevator was found in three pieces between 1.3 and 3.8 miles from the crash site. NTSB board member Tom Chapman said that without the elevator, the pilot could not have pulled out of the nosedive, though aviation experts note the part may have separated during the dive rather than causing it.

All nine people aboard died. They include Austin tech entrepreneur Adam Robinson, his wife and two children, their nanny Ana María Ramírez Cetina, captain Jeff Gregory, and copilot Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras. The copilot’s final transmissions reported ice and turbulence and ended with “We’re out of time,” and a man’s voice reciting the Lord’s Prayer was heard in the background. About 600 nearby residents remain displaced, and one person on the ground was injured.

A preliminary NTSB report is expected in about a month, with a probable cause finding likely more than a year away. For Ellis County families who routinely fly out of DFW or Austin, this story carries a particular weight. Have you been following the investigation, and what questions do you hope the NTSB answers first?