Multiple news reports are circulating about an incident involving a Gulfstream G550 that apparently struck an unidentified “metallic” object at 27,000 feet off the Florida coast on Dec. 11, 2024. The business jet, registered to what appears to be a financial trust at a Utah bank, departed from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (KFXE) en route to Westchester County Airport (KHPN) near New York City.
Ryan Graves, self-identified as a former U.S. Navy F/A-18 pilot and cofounder and executive director of Americans for Safe Aerospace, said a “whistleblower” reported that the object penetrated fan blades and damaged internal engine components, leading to engine failure. Graves said, “The report is being classified as an ‘incident and not an ‘accident,’ which would require a public announcement, investigation by NTSB, and an explanation.” One report cited a large circular indentation on the leading edge of the engine nacelle.
The aircraft, registered N553RB, made a safe emergency landing with two pilots and one passenger on board at Palm Beach International Airport (KPBI). Graves’ organization is self-described as a “nonprofit organization dedicated to aerospace safety and national security with a focus on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP).”
