FLORIDA, United States – Nine people have died after a private Learjet 60 plunged into a residential neighbourhood in South Florida and exploded in a massive fireball, narrowly missing nearby homes and crashing close to a busy roadway.
The aircraft went down at approximately 12:50pm on Sunday, November 1, near Cresthaven in Palm Beach County, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed that everyone aboard the aircraft was killed, describing the incident as a horrific tragedy.
The jet had departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was heading to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas when it crashed.
Dashcam footage captured the aircraft descending almost vertically before striking the ground beside Military Trail, triggering a huge explosion and sending thick black smoke into the air.
The impact left a large crater, scattered debris across the area and sparked fires near a mobile-home community.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis described the crash as cataclysmic, saying the aircraft appeared to be falling like a missile before hitting the ground.
There were no immediate reports of fatalities or injuries among people on the ground.
Pilot Reported Ice and Turbulence Before Crash
Air-traffic-control recordings have revealed the frightening sequence of events in the minutes before the crash.
The pilot had reported accumulating ice, precipitation and moderate turbulence while the aircraft was cruising at approximately 35,000 feet.
The turbulence was reportedly causing altitude fluctuations of up to 700 feet, prompting the crew to seek smoother conditions.
At one point, the pilot told air traffic controllers: “We have light, clear ice that is manageable and moderate turbulence.”
The crew subsequently requested permission to climb to 37,000 feet as conditions deteriorated.
Shortly afterwards, the aircraft began losing altitude rapidly, with the pilot declaring an emergency and reporting an increasingly steep descent.
“We’re descending 8,000 – mayday, mayday – we’re descending 10,000 feet per minute,” the pilot radioed.
The descent reportedly accelerated further, with the crew reporting an overspeed condition and a rate of descent reaching 20,000 feet per minute.
The pilot then delivered a chilling warning: “We’re going to crash into the ground.”
Flight-tracking data indicated that the aircraft’s descent rate briefly exceeded 30,000 feet per minute before the tracking signal was lost.
600 Residents Evacuated After Impact
The crash occurred near a residential community, raising fears that people on the ground could also have been caught in the explosion.
Palm Beach County authorities moved approximately 600 residents from a nearby mobile-home community as emergency teams secured the area and assessed the damage.
Two shelters were arranged for displaced residents.
Military Trail was closed in both directions between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North, with motorists advised to avoid the area while emergency operations continued.
The crash also left debris and fires across the affected site, prompting a large emergency response.
NTSB Leads Investigation Into Deadly Crash
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation, with the FAA sending a team to support the inquiry.
Investigators are expected to examine the aircraft’s flight data, maintenance history, weather conditions, communications with air traffic controllers and the crew’s response to the reported icing and turbulence.
Heavy rain and thunderstorms were affecting parts of South Florida at the time of the accident, with a flood watch in effect across the region.
However, authorities have not established whether weather conditions contributed to the crash.
Aviation safety experts have identified icing and turbulence as possible factors, but investigators are expected to examine all potential explanations before determining the cause.
The NTSB scheduled a media briefing in West Palm Beach for Monday, November 2, as investigators began examining the wreckage and reconstructing the aircraft’s final moments.
