Learjet Plunges Into Palm Beach County Street, Killing Nine Aboard

A private business jet nose-dived into a neighborhood in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday afternoon and exploded near a busy road. The impact killed all nine people on board and left a crater in the asphalt, making it the deadliest crash ever involving a Learjet 60, according to Flight Safety Foundation data cited by CNN.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the death toll in a post on social media, describing the event as a horrific tragedy. The Federal Aviation Administration stated that the crash occurred at approximately 12:50 p.m. Eastern time. The aircraft had departed from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was en route to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas.

Air traffic control recordings reveal the final moments of the flight. Minutes before the impact, the pilot reported encountering light, clear ice that was manageable, along with moderate turbulence. The pilot reported an outside air temperature of minus 47 degrees Celsius. The pilot also reported turbulence that was bouncing the jet by as much as 700 feet.

The situation changed fast after the pilots reported precipitation and asked to climb. The pilot radioed, "We're descending 8,000, mayday, mayday, we're descending 10,000 feet per minute." The pilot then said, "We are in an overspeed condition descending 20,000 feet per minute." The descent rate went from 10,000 feet per minute to 20,000 and then as high as 30,000 feet per minute, pushing the jet beyond its design limits, the AP reported.

The pilot then said, "We're going to crash into the ground." CBS News reported the pilot also said, "We're out of time." Flight tracking site ADS-B Exchange showed a drop of 27,000 feet in about a minute before the data cut off, CNN reported. The FAA said the jet fell from 35,250 feet to 8,750 feet in one minute just before the crash. The aircraft banked sharply to the right before striking the ground at a steep angle, the AP reported.

The crash site is located near Military Trail, between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North in Greenacres, a city of roughly 45,000 people. The site is about four miles south of the airport in West Palm Beach, which was renamed President Donald J. Trump International Airport earlier this year. Debris scattered across a wide area, and flames flickered around chunks of pavement lining the crater. Thick black smoke covered the site, and the crater was only feet from homes and inches from passing vehicles.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis visited the scene and told reporters the crash looked like a missile coming down. He described a big crater on the side of the road and called the event a major tragedy. DeSantis said there were no immediate reports of injuries or deaths among people on the ground. He praised the quick response of county first responders and noted the debris field stretched a long distance from the impact point.

Residents in the surrounding neighborhood described the moments of the crash in vivid detail. Anthony Blackmon, who told NBC 6 he was about 500 feet from the crash, said debris hit his house and the road caught fire. Roger Forcelle reported feeling the aircraft pass over his home, shaking the entire structure. He said everybody came out of their houses because they could feel it shaking. Andrew Mannino told CNN he heard a loud boom and felt the power go out immediately. He smelled smoke and saw a large black cloud rise into the air.

One witness said the aftermath looked like a meteor had struck the ground. A woman working nearby stated that electricity had been out for approximately two hours. The National Weather Service had a flood watch in effect through Monday afternoon, and heavy rain fell across the region on Sunday. Scattered storms were present in the area, and the jet passed through a stronger storm cell shortly before it began its descent. The FAA had issued a convective SIGMET, a warning of thunderstorms that threaten aircraft, for the region.

About 600 people in a nearby mobile home community had to leave their homes Sunday night, county officials said. The crash scene blocks the entrance to the mobile home park and is being treated as a crime scene while federal investigators work. No official has alleged that a crime took place. Commissioner Joel Flores, who represents District 3, said residents are being moved to two county shelters. He said the Red Cross was standing by, and county officials said Palm Tran buses were ready to carry residents once law enforcement allowed the evacuation.

The county closed Military Trail between 10th Avenue North and Purdy Lane or Alameda Drive until further notice. Only emergency vehicles have access to the road. Officials directed drivers to use 10th Avenue North and Purdy Lane or Alameda Drive for east-west travel, and Haverhill Road and Kirk Road for north-south travel. A county commissioner warned that parts of the road could stay closed for an extended time because of the crater, and officials said the timeline also depends on the federal investigation.

The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation and launched a go-team on Sunday. Investigators were expected to arrive on Sunday and Monday morning. The NTSB planned a media briefing in West Palm Beach for Monday. No cause for the crash has been determined. Mary Schiavo, an aviation analyst and former inspector general of the U.S. Transportation Department, said dashcam video will be crucial for investigators. She noted that the steep dive was not a controlled descent, indicating the crew had lost control of the plane.

Schiavo added that the steep angle of the dive could have torn parts off the aircraft, and a flight recorder may have been destroyed in the explosion. It is not yet known if the jet carried a cockpit voice recorder. FAA rules require multi-engine jets to carry one only when flown for hire. Records show the specific jet was offered for charter flights. The jet is registered as N722BD and is a Learjet 60 owned by LR60271 LLC of Wilmington, Delaware.

The crash is the second deadliest in the United States this year, following a skydiving plane crash in Butler, Missouri, in June that killed 12 people. The Learjet brand, originally made famous by Bill Lear in the 1960s, was last built by Canadian manufacturer Bombardier, which stopped producing new models in 2021 but still supports the aircraft currently in service.