Learjet Crashes Into Palm Beach County Street, Killing Nine

A private jet crashed in Florida on Sunday, killing everyone aboard.

All nine people on board a Learjet 60 died when the aircraft crashed into a residential area in Palm Beach County. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the fatalities in a post on X. The Federal Aviation Administration placed the time of the crash at about 12:50 p.m. Eastern time. The jet had taken off from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas. It was bound for North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas.

The FAA stated that nine individuals were on board and labeled its data preliminary. The NTSB is leading the investigation and said Sunday it was launching a go-team. Investigators were expected to arrive Sunday and Monday morning. The NTSB planned a media briefing in West Palm Beach on Monday. No cause has been identified yet.

Officials have not released the names of the victims or specified how many were crew versus passengers. Jim Reynolds, a spokesperson for Austin-Bergstrom, said the jet was private. He said he could not say who was on the flight. Reynolds described the event as a tragedy.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office located the crash near Military Trail between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North. The site is in Greenacres, a city with a population of roughly 45,000. Greenacres sits about seven miles southwest of West Palm Beach. 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. CNN reported President Trump left the airport on Air Force One more than an hour before the crash.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis visited the scene. He told reporters, "It looked like a missile going down." He noted a large crater formed on the side of the road. DeSantis said there were no reports of ground casualties at the time of his news conference. He praised local first responders for their rapid arrival.

Video recorded by people in nearby cars captured the jet falling from the sky and exploding near the roadway, the AP reported. Flames flickered around chunks of pavement lining the crater. The crater was only feet from homes and inches from passing vehicles. Thick black smoke obscured the area. WPBF video showed the road surface buckling under the impact.

Anthony Blackmon, a nearby resident about 500 feet from the crash, said debris hit his house. He reported that everything was on fire. He said he had seen crashes on the news but never imagined one happening so close. Roger Forcelle felt the aircraft pass overhead. He said it shook the whole house. He estimated the crash occurred probably less than half a mile from his home. Andrew Mannino said he heard and felt a boom. The power went out immediately. He smelled smoke and saw a black cloud rise. A woman working nearby reported the electricity had been out for about two hours.

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 park. The area is treated as a crime scene while federal investigators work. No official has alleged a crime occurred. Palm Beach County Commissioner Joel Flores, who represents District 3, was the first county official on scene. He said residents were being moved to two county shelters. He noted the Red Cross was standing by. Palm Tran buses were ready to transport residents once law enforcement approved the move.

The county closed Military Trail between 10th Avenue North and Purdy Lane/Alameda Drive. Only emergency vehicles had access. Drivers were directed to use 10th Avenue North and Purdy Lane/Alameda Drive for east-west travel. Haverhill Road and Kirk Road served as alternatives for north-south traffic. A commissioner warned the closure could last an extended period due to the crater. Officials said the timeline depends on the federal investigation.

Air traffic control recordings show the jet was flying east at about 35,000 feet when pilots reported turbulence, icing, and precipitation. They requested a climb of 2,000 feet. Minutes before the crash, the pilot told the Miami Air Route Traffic Control Center about light, clear ice and moderate turbulence. The pilot reported an outside air temperature of minus 47 degrees Celsius. The turbulence bounced the jet by up to 700 feet, according to LiveATC.net.

The situation deteriorated quickly after the precipitation report. The pilot radioed, "We're descending 8,000." He declared a mayday and reported a descent of 10,000 feet per minute. He then said the plane was in an overspeed condition descending 20,000 feet per minute. The pilot stated they were going to crash into the ground. CBS News reported he also said they were out of time. The descent rate reached 30,000 feet per minute, exceeding design limits. The plane banked sharply right before hitting the ground at a steep angle.

The FAA said the jet fell from 35,250 feet to 8,750 feet in one minute. ADS-B Exchange data showed a drop of 27,000 feet in about a minute before the signal cut off. CNN reported the jet passed through a stronger storm cell a few minutes before it began to descend. The FAA had issued a convective SIGMET warning of thunderstorms in the area. Heavy rain fell across the region Sunday. The National Weather Service maintained a flood watch through Monday afternoon. In January 2024, the NTSB issued a safety alert on in-flight icing, noting it can prevent an airplane from maintaining level flight.

Mary Schiavo, a CNN aviation analyst and former U.S. Transportation Department inspector general, said dashcam video would be important to investigators. She noted the descent was not controlled. She stated it was clear the pilots had lost control of the plane. She said the steep dive could have torn parts off the aircraft. A flight recorder might have been destroyed in the explosion. It is unknown 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 jet was offered for charter.

Flight tracking and FAA registry data identify the jet as N722BD. The FAA lists it as a Learjet 60 owned by LR60271 LLC of Wilmington, Delaware. CNN reported the jet is listed online for charter. Officials have not named the operator of Sunday's flight. This is the deadliest crash involving a Learjet 60, according to Flight Safety Foundation data. In 2008, a Learjet 60 crashed in Columbia, South Carolina, killing four. NTSB records show this is the second deadliest U.S. Crash this year, after a skydiving plane crash in Butler, Missouri, in June that killed 12. Bombardier, the Canadian manufacturer that most recently built the Learjet, stopped making new models in 2021 but still supports those in service.