Nine Dead After Private Jet Plunges Into Florida Neighborhood

Nine people died on Sunday, November 1, when a private Learjet 60 business jet crashed into a residential neighborhood in Palm Beach County, Florida. The impact killed all nine people on board. The crash site is located near a busy roadway in Greenacres, roughly seven miles southwest of West Palm Beach.

The descent was rapid. Air traffic control recordings show the pilot reported light, clear ice that was manageable and moderate turbulence before the descent, which reached as high as 30,000 feet per minute. The FAA said the jet fell from 35,250 feet to 8,750 feet in one minute just before the crash.

Here are the key facts from the scene and the investigation:

The crash created a large crater near Military Trail, between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North. Debris scattered across the area, igniting fires on the roadway. DeSantis said there were no reports at the time of the news conference of anyone on the ground being killed or injured. The debris field extended a significant distance from the point of impact.

About 600 residents living in a nearby mobile home community had to leave their homes Sunday night. County officials said the site is being treated as a crime scene while federal investigators work, and no official has alleged that a crime took place. Residents were being sent to two county shelters, and Palm Tran buses were ready to carry them once law enforcement allowed the evacuation. The crash scene blocks the entrance to the mobile home park.

The pilot communicated with Miami Air Route Traffic Control Center in the minutes before the crash. The crew reported light, clear ice that was manageable, along with moderate turbulence. They also cited an outside air temperature of minus 47 degrees Celsius. Shortly after, the situation deteriorated. The pilot declared a mayday, stating the jet was descending at 10,000 feet per minute, then 20,000 feet per minute. The pilot said, 'We're going to crash into the ground.' The pilot also said, 'We're out of time.'

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy described the event as a 'horrific tragedy' in a post on X. He confirmed the FAA is sending a team to support the National Transportation Safety Board, which is leading the investigation. The NTSB launched a go-team, with investigators expected to arrive on Sunday and Monday. A media briefing is scheduled for Monday in West Palm Beach. No cause has been determined yet.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis visited the crash site and spoke to reporters. He described the scene as looking like a missile going down, leaving a big crater on the side of the road. He praised the quick response of Palm Beach County first responders. DeSantis noted that the debris field stretched a long distance. He said he believed people would recognize this as a major tragedy.

Witnesses captured video of the jet plunging from the sky. Anthony Blackmon, a nearby resident who was about 500 feet from the crash, said debris hit his house and everything was on fire. Roger Forcelle, who said the jet crashed probably less than half a mile from where he lives, felt the aircraft pass over his home, shaking the whole house. Andrew Mannino, another witness, heard and felt the boom and said the power immediately went out and is still out. He saw a large black cloud rise into the air.

The jet was flying east at about 35,000 feet when the pilots reported turbulence, icing and precipitation and asked to climb 2,000 feet. The aircraft had departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Austin, Texas, and was bound for North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas. Flight tracking data from ADS-B Exchange showed a drop of 27,000 feet in about a minute before the data cut off. The FAA confirmed the jet crashed at about 12:50 p.m. Eastern time.

Scattered storms were present in the area, and the jet passed through a stronger storm cell a few minutes before the descent. The FAA had issued a convective SIGMET, warning of thunderstorms that threaten aircraft. The National Weather Service had a flood watch in effect through Monday afternoon due to heavy rain across the region. Whether the weather contributed to the crash has not been determined.

The aircraft is registered as N722BD. FAA registry data lists it as a Learjet 60 owned by LR60271 LLC of Wilmington, Delaware. The jet is listed online as available for charter flights. Jim Reynolds, a spokesperson for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, said the jet was a private aircraft and could not confirm who was on the flight. He called the event definitely a tragedy. Officials have not released the names of the nine people killed.

This is the deadliest crash 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, following a skydiving plane crash in Butler, Missouri, in June that killed 12 people. Learjet was most recently built by Bombardier, which stopped making new Learjets in 2021 but still supports the planes in service.

Palm Beach County closed Military Trail between 10th Avenue North and Purdy Lane/Alameda Drive until further notice. Only emergency vehicles are permitted on the road. Drivers were advised 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 parts of the road could remain closed for an extended time due to the crater and the ongoing federal investigation.