'Trim issue' suspected cause of turbulence that killed Maryland jet passenger, NTSB says

BALTIMORE —  A business jet was buffeted by severe turbulence over New England, causing the death of a Maryland passenger, and forcing the aircraft to divert to Bradley International Airport in Connecticut, officials said Saturday. 

The passenger who died was identified as 55-year-old Dana Hyde of Cabin John, Maryland. 

On Monday, the NTSB said the business jet may have experienced problems with its stability before the severe buffeting that caused Hyde's death. 

The NTSB said in a news release that it is looking at a "reported trim issue," a reference to adjustments that are made to an airplane's control surfaces to ensure it is stable and level in flight. The agency initially reported that the plane experienced severe turbulence late Friday.

The Bombardier executive jet was traveling from Keene, New Hampshire, to Leesburg, Virginia, before diverting to Bradley International Airport in Connecticut.

Investigators will have more information after they've analyzed the flight data recorder, cockpit voice recorder and other information, such as weather at the time, the NTSB said.

The woman who died has been identified as 55-year-old Dana Hyde of Cabin John, Maryland. The jet's owner, Conexon, a company based in Kansas City, Missouri, said she was not an employee.

Turbulence is unstable air in the atmosphere, which continues to be a cause for injury for airline passengers despite safety improvements. But deaths from turbulence are extremely rare.

Trim problems can also be responsible for buffeting or altitude changes.