The accident began while the plane was cruising, which is unusual.

"You said that plane could cruise forever."

The plane was cruising at about 35,000ft at the time.

Much of the upper half of the fuselage tore off Thursday afternoon while the plane was cruising at 24,000 feet.

The plane was cruising at an altitude of 8,000 feet when it encountered icing conditions.

Investigators have been puzzled, because the crash occurred as the 10-month-old plane was cruising at 35,000 feet.

The sophisticated system handled the constant adjustments in pressure and temperature as the plane cruised through the lower stratosphere at 540 knots.

The plane can cruise at 600 miles and hour, with a range of 5,290 miles.

The plane will be cruising at 57,000 feet and will reach twice the speed of sound (1,340 miles an hour).

Small private planes would cruise over the beautiful Charles Banks golf course and land on the green sod runways.