Learjet plummets into Palm Beach County street, killing all nine aboard

All nine people aboard a Learjet 60 business jet died on Sunday, November 1, when the aircraft slammed into a residential area in Palm Beach County, Florida. 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 stated the crash occurred at approximately 12:50 p.m. Eastern time. The jet had departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was heading to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas. The FAA said nine people were on board and called its information preliminary.

The aircraft was traveling east at an altitude of roughly 35,000 feet when the pilots reported turbulence. Air traffic control recordings indicate the pilots reported encountering turbulence, icing, and precipitation. They asked to climb 2,000 feet. Minutes before impact, the pilot communicated with the Miami Air Route Traffic Control Center that the ice was light and clear but manageable, while the turbulence was moderate. The pilot also reported an outside air temperature of minus 47 degrees Celsius. The pilot said turbulence was bouncing the jet by as much as 700 feet.

The situation escalated rapidly after the request to climb. The pilot radioed "mayday, mayday" and said the jet was descending 10,000 feet per minute. The pilot then reported an overspeed condition with a descent rate of 20,000 feet per minute. According to CBS News, the pilot also stated, "We're out of time." The jet dropped from 35,250 feet to 8,750 feet in just one minute. Flight tracking data from ADS-B Exchange showed a drop of 27,000 feet before the signal was lost. The plane banked sharply to the right before hitting the ground at a steep angle.

The jet struck near Military Trail between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North in the city of Greenacres. Sheriff's officials placed the crash in Greenacres, a city roughly seven miles southwest of West Palm Beach. The site is about four miles south of the airport in West Palm Beach. The impact created a crater on the side of the road. Flames flickered around chunks of pavement lining the crater, and thick black smoke covered the site. The road surface buckled where the aircraft hit. DeSantis said the debris field stretched a long distance.

Anthony Blackmon, a nearby resident who said he was about 500 feet from the crash, said 6 that debris hit his house. He said everything was on fire, including the road. Roger Forcelle reported feeling the aircraft pass over his home, which shook the entire structure. He estimated the crash occurred less than half a mile from his residence. Andrew Mannino said he heard and felt the boom. The power immediately went out and was still out. He smelled smoke and observed a large black cloud rising into the sky. Another witness described the aftermath as looking like a meteor had struck the ground.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis visited the scene and addressed reporters. He described the crash as cataclysmic, noting that the jet looked like a missile coming down. He said it left a big crater on the side of the road. DeSantis said there were no reports of ground fatalities or injuries at the time of his news conference. He praised Palm Beach County first responders for their quick action. He also noted that the debris field stretched a long distance from the impact point.

The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation. The agency said Sunday it was launching a go-team. Investigators were expected to arrive on Sunday and the following morning. The NTSB scheduled a media briefing for Monday in West Palm Beach. No cause for the crash has been determined yet. The FAA is sending a team to support the NTSB's efforts. Jim Reynolds, a spokesperson for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, said the jet was a private aircraft. He said he could not say who was on the flight. He called the event a definite tragedy.

About 600 residents in a nearby mobile home community were forced to evacuate Sunday night. County officials said residents had to leave because the crash scene blocks the entrance to the park. The area is being treated as a crime scene while federal investigators work the site. No official has alleged that a crime occurred. Palm Beach County Commissioner Joel Flores, who was the first county official at the scene, said residents were being directed to two county shelters. He emphasized the need to ensure shelter for the 600 displaced residents. The Red Cross was on standby, and Palm Tran buses were ready to transport residents once law enforcement gave the signal.

Palm Beach County closed Military Trail between 10th Avenue North and Purdy Lane/Alameda Drive. The road remains open only to emergency vehicles. The county advised drivers to use 10th Avenue North and Purdy Lane/Alameda Drive for east-west travel. For north-south travel, officials recommended Haverhill Road and Kirk Road. A county commissioner warned that parts of the road could remain closed for an extended period due to the crater. The timeline for reopening depends on the progress of the federal investigation.

Scattered storms were present in the area, and the jet passed through a stronger storm cell shortly before the descent. The FAA had issued a convective SIGMET for the region, warning of thunderstorms that threaten aircraft. Whether the weather played a part has not been determined. Heavy rain fell across the region on Sunday. The National Weather Service had a flood watch in effect through Monday afternoon. In January 2024, the NTSB issued a safety alert on in-flight icing. The alert warned that ice can make managing the flightpath and airspeed more difficult and can prevent level flight.

Mary Schiavo, a CNN aviation analyst and former inspector general of the U.S. Transportation Department, commented on the crash. She said dashcam video will be important for investigators. She noted that the descent was not controlled. At that point, it was clear the pilots had lost control of the plane. She suggested the steep dive could have torn parts off the aircraft. A flight recorder could have been destroyed in the explosion. It is not known whether the jet carried a cockpit voice recorder. FAA rules require multi-engine jets to carry one only when flown for hire. Records show this specific jet was offered for charter flights.

Flight tracking and FAA registry data identify the jet by its registration number, N722BD. The FAA registry lists the aircraft as a Learjet 60 owned by LR60271 LLC of Wilmington, Delaware. CNN reported the jet 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 Flight Safety Foundation data. In 2008, four people died when a Learjet 60 crashed on takeoff in Columbia, South Carolina. NTSB records show this is the second deadliest crash in the United States this year. A skydiving plane crash in Butler, Missouri, in June killed 12 people. Learjet, the brand famous for wealthy travelers in the 1960s, was most recently built by Canadian manufacturer Bombardier. The company stopped making new Learjets in 2021 but still supports the planes in service.