Learjet Plunges Into Palm Beach County Street, Killing All Nine Aboard

A private Learjet 60 crashed near a busy road in Palm Beach County on Sunday afternoon, killing all nine people on board. The aircraft had been flying from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas when it nose-dived. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said all nine were killed and called the crash a horrific tragedy in a post on X. The Federal Aviation Administration logged the crash at approximately 12:50 p.m. Eastern time.

Air traffic control recordings show the pilots reporting turbulence, icing and precipitation minutes before the crash. The jet was flying east at about 35,000 feet when the pilot reported light, clear ice that was manageable and moderate turbulence. They requested a climb of 2,000 feet and noted an outside air temperature of minus 47 degrees Celsius. The pilot also reported vertical movements of up to 700 feet due to the turbulence.

The situation deteriorated rapidly after the request to climb. The pilot radioed a mayday and said the aircraft was descending at 10,000 feet per minute. Moments later, the rate increased to 20,000 feet per minute in an overspeed condition. The pilot stated the plane was going to crash into the ground. Flight tracking data from ADS-B Exchange recorded a drop of 27,000 feet in about one minute before the signal disappeared.

The FAA stated 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 impacting the ground at a steep angle. The crash site is located near Military Trail, between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North in Greenacres. This area is roughly seven miles southwest of West Palm Beach and four miles south of the local airport.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis visited the scene and described the impact to reporters. He said the jet looked like a missile descending and left a large crater on the side of the road. DeSantis noted that no one on the ground was reported killed or injured at the time of his address. He praised the quick response of Palm Beach County first responders. The debris field stretched a significant distance from the point of impact.

Witnesses in nearby vehicles captured video of the jet falling from the sky. The footage shows the aircraft striking near the roadway and exploding. Flames surrounded chunks of pavement lining the crater, which sat only feet from residential homes. Thick black smoke rose from the site. Video from local news station WPBF showed the road surface buckling where the jet hit. One witness described the aftermath as resembling a meteor strike.

Anthony Blackmon, a resident about 500 feet from the crash, told NBC 6 that debris hit his house. He said everything was on fire, including the road. Blackmon expressed shock that such an event occurred so close to his home. Roger Forcelle reported feeling the aircraft pass over his house, which shook. He estimated the crash occurred less than half a mile from his residence. Andrew Mannino told CNN that the power went out immediately after the boom and was still out. He smelled smoke and saw a large black cloud.

Palm Beach County officials said a nearby mobile home community had to be evacuated. Approximately 600 residents had to leave their homes on Sunday night because the crash scene blocks the park's entrance. The area is being treated as a crime scene while federal investigators work, though no official has alleged that a crime took place. County Commissioner Joel Flores, who was the first county official on site, said residents were being sent to two county shelters. The Red Cross was on standby, and Palm Tran buses were ready to transport residents once law enforcement gave the clearance.

The county closed Military Trail between 10th Avenue North and Purdy Lane/Alameda Drive until further notice. Only emergency vehicles were permitted through. Drivers were directed to use 10th Avenue North and Purdy Lane/Alameda Drive for east-west travel and Haverhill Road and Kirk Road for north-south travel. A county commissioner warned that the road could remain closed for an extended period due to the crater. The timeline for reopening depends on the federal investigation.

The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation. The agency announced it was launching a go-team on Sunday, with investigators expected to arrive Sunday and Monday morning. A media briefing is scheduled for Monday in West Palm Beach. No cause has been determined. The NTSB issued a safety alert in January 2024 regarding in-flight icing, warning that ice can prevent an airplane from maintaining level flight.

The jet was flying in an area where the FAA had issued a convective SIGMET, a warning for thunderstorms that threaten aircraft. CNN reported the jet passed through a stronger storm cell a few minutes before the descent. Scattered storms were present in the region, and the National Weather Service had a flood watch in effect through Monday afternoon. Whether the weather played a role in the crash has not yet been determined.

Mary Schiavo, a CNN aviation analyst and former inspector general of the U.S. Transportation Department, said dashcam video will be important to investigators. She stated that the descent was not controlled, indicating the crew had lost control of the plane. The steep dive could have torn parts off the aircraft, and a flight recorder could have been destroyed in the explosion. It is unknown if the jet carried a cockpit voice recorder, which is only required for multi-engine jets flown for hire.

Registry data identifies the aircraft as N722BD, a Learjet 60 owned by LR60271 LLC of Wilmington, Delaware. The jet is listed online as available for charter. Jim Reynolds, a spokesperson for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, said the jet was a private aircraft and could not confirm the identities of the occupants. The names of the nine people killed have not been released. This crash is the deadliest ever involving a Learjet 60 and the second deadliest crash in the United States this year.