Nine Dead As Learjet Plunges Into Palm Beach County Road

Nine people lost their lives Sunday when a business jet crashed into a residential area in Palm Beach County, Florida. The impact killed everyone on board and left a large crater near a busy roadway. The Federal Aviation Administration reported the crash occurred at approximately 12:50 p.m. Eastern time. The aircraft was bound for the Bahamas from Austin, Texas.

The jet had been flying east at an altitude of roughly 35,000 feet when the pilots reported encountering turbulence and precipitation. They requested clearance to climb 2,000 feet. After that, the situation changed fast. The pilot radioed, "We're descending 8,000, mayday, mayday, we're descending 10,000 feet per minute." The descent rate then reached 20,000 feet per minute.

The pilot communicated that the aircraft was in an overspeed condition. The pilot then said, "We're going to crash into the ground." CBS News reported that the pilot also said, "We're out of time." Flight tracking data from ADS-B Exchange showed the jet dropped 27,000 feet in about one minute before the signal was lost. The FAA said the plane fell from 35,250 feet to 8,750 feet in that single minute. The aircraft banked sharply to the right before striking the ground at a steep angle.

Air traffic control recordings captured the pilot reporting light, clear ice that was manageable and moderate turbulence. The outside air temperature was recorded at minus 47 degrees Celsius. The turbulence was bouncing the jet by as much as 700 feet. The jet passed through a stronger storm cell a few minutes before the rapid descent began. The FAA had issued a convective SIGMET for the area, warning of thunderstorms that threaten aircraft. Whether the weather was a factor in the crash has not been determined.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy described the event as a horrific tragedy in a post on X. He said the FAA is sending a team to the scene to support the National Transportation Safety Board. The NTSB is leading the investigation and launched a go-team on Sunday. Investigators were expected to arrive Sunday and Monday morning. The NTSB planned a media briefing in West Palm Beach on Monday. No cause for the crash has been determined yet.

The crash site is located near Military Trail between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North. The location is in Greenacres, a city of about 45,000 people. It is roughly seven miles southwest of West Palm Beach and about four miles south of the local airport. The airport was renamed President Donald J. Trump International Airport earlier this year. CNN reported that 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 the crash looked like a missile going down. He noted that it left a big crater on the side of the road. DeSantis said there were no reports of people on the ground being killed or injured at the time of his news conference. He praised local first responders for their quick response. DeSantis said the debris field stretched a long distance.

Video from nearby cars showed the jet plunging from the sky and exploding near the roadway. Flames flickered around chunks of pavement lining the crater. The crater was only feet from homes and inches from passing vehicles. Thick black smoke covered the site. Video from WPBF showed the road buckled where the jet hit.

Anthony Blackmon, a nearby resident, said he was about 500 feet from the crash. He described debris hitting his house and everything catching fire. He said the road was on fire. Roger Forcelle said he felt the aircraft pass over his home. He stated it shook the whole house and crashed probably less than half a mile from where he lives. Andrew Mannino told CNN he heard and felt the boom. The power immediately went out in the area. He smelled smoke and saw a large black cloud rise into the air.

Another witness said the aftermath looked like a meteor hit the ground. A woman working nearby reported that the electricity had been out for about two hours. Palm Beach County officials said about 600 people in a nearby mobile home community had to leave their homes Sunday night. The crash scene blocks the entrance to the mobile home park. The area is being treated as a crime scene while federal investigators work. No official has alleged that a crime took place.

Palm Beach County Commissioner Joel Flores said residents are being sent to two county shelters. He stated that officials must ensure the about 600 people have shelter for the night. The Red Cross is standing by. Palm Tran buses are ready to carry residents once law enforcement allows the evacuation. The county closed Military Trail between 10th Avenue North and Purdy Lane/Alameda Drive until further notice. The road is open only to emergency vehicles.

Drivers are advised to use 10th Avenue North and Purdy Lane/Alameda Drive for east-west travel. Haverhill Road and Kirk Road are recommended for north-south travel. A county commissioner warned that parts of the road could stay closed for an extended time. The timeline for reopening depends on the federal investigation and the state of the crater. The jet was registered as N722BD. The FAA registry lists it as a Learjet 60 owned by LR60271 LLC of Wilmington, Delaware.

Jim Reynolds, a spokesperson for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, said the jet was a private aircraft. He could not say who was on the flight. The jet is listed online as available for charter flights. FAA rules require multi-engine jets to carry a cockpit voice recorder only when flown for hire. It is not known whether the jet carried one. The crash is the deadliest ever involving a Learjet 60, according to Flight Safety Foundation data. It is the second deadliest crash in the United States this year, after a skydiving plane crash in Butler, Missouri, in June that killed 12 people.