Learjet 60 Plunges 27,000 Feet, Killing All Nine in Palm Beach County

A private Learjet 60 crashed into a residential area in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday afternoon, killing all nine people on board. The aircraft, which had departed Austin, Texas, bound for the Bahamas, fell from 35,250 feet to 8,750 feet in one minute just before the crash, according to the FAA. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the fatalities in a social media post, describing the incident as a horrific tragedy. The Federal Aviation Administration said the jet crashed at about 12:50 p.m. Eastern Time. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said there were no reports at the time of a news conference of anyone on the ground being killed or injured, though the crash left a big crater and the debris field stretched a long distance.

The flight originated at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Jim Reynolds, a spokesperson for the airport, identified the aircraft as a private jet but could not say who was on the flight. Officials had not released the names of the nine people killed or said how many were passengers and how many were crew. The destination was North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas. The crash site is located in Greenacres, a city with a population of about 45,000, situated roughly seven miles southwest of West Palm Beach. The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said the jet came down near Military Trail between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North.

Air traffic control recordings reveal a rapid deterioration in flight conditions just before the crash. The pilots reported encountering light clear ice, moderate turbulence, and precipitation. They requested an increase in altitude of 2,000 feet. Minutes later, the pilot contacted the Miami Air Route Traffic Control Center to report an outside air temperature of minus 47 degrees Celsius. The aircraft was experiencing vertical movements of up to 700 feet due to turbulence. The pilot declared a mayday, stating the jet was descending at 10,000 feet per minute. The descent rate accelerated to 20,000 feet per minute, and the pilot reported an overspeed condition.

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 data from ADS-B Exchange shows the jet dropped 27,000 feet in about a minute before the signal was lost. The FAA confirmed a drop from 35,250 feet to 8,750 feet in one minute. The plane banked sharply to the right before impact. The descent exceeded the aircraft's design limits. Scattered storms were present in the area, and the jet passed through a stronger storm cell shortly before the descent began. The National Weather Service had a flood watch in effect through Monday afternoon.

Witnesses captured video of the jet hitting the road and exploding. Flames surrounded chunks of pavement near the crater, which was located feet from nearby homes and inches from passing vehicles. Thick black smoke covered the site. The road surface buckled where the jet struck. Anthony Blackmon, a resident living about 500 feet from the crash, stated that debris hit his house and that everything was on fire. Roger Forcelle reported that the aircraft shook his home as it passed overhead. He estimated the crash occurred less than half a mile from his residence. Andrew Mannino heard a boom and experienced an immediate power outage. He smelled smoke and saw a large black cloud rise into the air.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis visited the crash site and addressed reporters. He described the crash as cataclysmic, noting that the jet looked like a missile coming down. He pointed out the large crater formed on the side of the road. DeSantis praised the quick response of Palm Beach County first responders. He stated there were no reports of ground fatalities or injuries at the time of his briefing. County officials said the site was being treated as a crime scene while federal investigators work. No official has alleged that a crime took place.

Approximately 600 residents of a nearby mobile home community had to leave their homes Sunday night. The crash scene blocks the entrance to the mobile home park, and residents were being sent to two county shelters. Palm Beach County Commissioner Joel Flores, who represents District 3, was the first county official at the scene. He stated that the Red Cross was on standby and that Palm Tran buses were ready to transport residents once law enforcement gave clearance. A woman working nearby said the electricity had been out for about two hours.

Palm Beach County closed Military Trail between 10th Avenue North and Purdy Lane/Alameda Drive to all traffic except emergency vehicles. Drivers were directed to use 10th Avenue North and Purdy Lane/Alameda Drive for east-west travel. Haverhill Road and Kirk Road were recommended for north-south travel. A county commissioner warned that the road closure could last an extended period due to the size of the crater. The timeline for reopening also depends on the progress of the federal investigation. The NTSB is leading the probe and said Sunday it was launching a go-team. Investigators were expected to arrive Sunday and Monday morning. A media briefing was scheduled for Monday in West Palm Beach.

The National Transportation Safety Board has not determined a cause for the crash. Mary Schiavo, a CNN aviation analyst and former inspector general of the U.S. Transportation Department, noted that the descent was not controlled. She said that whatever happened, it was clear they had lost control of the plane. She said the steep dive could have torn parts off the plane and that a flight recorder could have been destroyed in the explosion. It is not known if the jet carried a cockpit voice recorder. FAA rules require multi-engine jets to carry such a device only when flown for hire. Records show this specific aircraft was offered for charter flights.

The jet is registered as N722BD. FAA registry data lists the owner as LR60271 LLC of Wilmington, Delaware. The aircraft is listed online as available for charter. Officials have not identified the operator of the Sunday flight. The crash is the deadliest ever involving a Learjet 60, according to data from the Flight Safety Foundation. The previous deadliest Learjet 60 accident occurred in 2008, when four people died during a takeoff crash in Columbia, South Carolina. This incident is the second deadliest crash in the United States in 2026. A skydiving plane crash in Butler, Missouri, in June killed 12 people. The Learjet brand was made famous in the 1960s. Canadian manufacturer Bombardier built the most recent models. The company stopped producing new Learjets in 2021 but still supports aircraft in service.

In January 2024, the NTSB issued a safety alert regarding in-flight icing. The alert warned that ice can make managing flightpath and airspeed more difficult. It can also prevent an airplane from maintaining level flight. Whether weather conditions played a role in the Palm Beach crash has not been determined. The jet was flying east when it entered the turbulence and icing. The pilot described the ice as light, clear and manageable and the turbulence as moderate before the situation changed fast. The descent pushed the jet beyond its design limits, the AP reported. The jet nose-dived near Military Trail and exploded, killing all nine people aboard.

CNN reported that President Donald Trump was in West Palm Beach earlier Sunday. He departed the airport on Air Force One more than an hour before the crash. The airport had been renamed President Donald J. Trump International Airport earlier in the year. The crash site is about four miles south of this airport. The FAA is supporting the investigation by sending a team to the scene.