Learjet 60 Falls 27,000 Feet to Kill Nine in Palm Beach County

The jet lost about 27,000 feet in about a minute, according to flight tracking data. The FAA said the aircraft fell from 35,250 feet to 8,750 feet in one minute just before the crash. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed that all nine people on board the Learjet 60 were killed in the crash on Sunday, November 1.

The Federal Aviation Administration placed the time of the impact at approximately 12:50 p.m. Eastern time. The plane was traveling from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas. The FAA characterized the count of nine occupants as preliminary. Officials had not said how many were passengers and how many were crew.

The wreckage came down in Greenacres, a community of roughly 45,000 residents located about 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. It sits approximately four miles south of the West Palm Beach airport, which was renamed President Donald J. Trump International Airport earlier this year.

Jim Reynolds, a spokesperson for the Austin airport, identified the aircraft as a private jet. He said he could not say who was on the flight. He described the event as "definitely a tragedy." The NTSB is leading the investigation and said it was launching a go-team. Investigators were expected to arrive on Sunday and the following morning. The agency scheduled a media briefing for Monday in West Palm Beach. No cause has been determined.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis visited the scene and addressed reporters. He described the crash as "cataclysmic" and said the aircraft looked like a missile descending. He noted that the impact created a large crater on the side of the road. DeSantis stated that there were no reports of ground fatalities or injuries at the time of his news conference. He praised local first responders for their quick action.

Air traffic control recordings show the pilots reported turbulence, icing, and precipitation before the sudden descent. The pilot told the Miami Air Route Traffic Control Center that the ice was light, clear, and manageable. The outside air temperature was recorded at minus 47 degrees Celsius. The jet was bouncing by as much as 700 feet in the turbulence.

Minutes later, the situation deteriorated. The pilot radioed that they were descending 10,000 feet per minute. The rate quickly increased to 20,000 feet per minute in an overspeed condition. The pilot stated, "We're going to crash into the ground." CBS News reported that the pilot also said, "We're out of time." The plane banked sharply to the right before striking the ground at a steep angle.

Video captured by nearby drivers shows the jet plunging from the sky and exploding near the roadway. Flames flickered around chunks of pavement lining the crater. The crash site was feet from homes and inches from passing vehicles. Thick black smoke covered the area. WPBF video showed the road buckled at the point of impact.

Anthony Blackmon, a resident living about 500 feet from the crash, said 6 that debris hit his house. He said, "Everything was on fire. The road was on fire." He noted that he had seen similar events on the news but never expected it to happen so close. Roger Forcelle said the aircraft passed over his home and shook the entire structure. He estimated the crash occurred less than half a mile from his residence.

Andrew Mannino said that he heard and felt the boom. The power immediately went out and was still out. He smelled smoke and saw a large black cloud rise. Another witness described the aftermath as looking like a meteor had hit the ground. A woman working nearby said the electricity had been out for about two hours.

About 600 people in a nearby mobile home community had to leave their homes Sunday night. The crash scene blocks the entrance to the mobile home park. County officials said the site is being treated as a crime scene while federal investigators work. No official has alleged that a crime took place. County Commissioner Joel Flores, who represents District 3, said residents were being sent to two county shelters. The Red Cross was standing by, and Palm Tran buses were ready to transport residents once law enforcement allowed the evacuation.

Palm Beach County closed Military Trail between 10th Avenue North and Purdy Lane/Alameda Drive until further notice. The road was 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 directed traffic to Haverhill Road and Kirk Road. A commissioner warned that parts of the road could stay closed for an extended time due to the crater.

Scattered storms were present in the area when the jet passed through a stronger storm cell. The FAA had issued a convective SIGMET, a warning of thunderstorms that threaten aircraft. Heavy rain fell across the region on Sunday, and the National Weather Service maintained a flood watch through Monday afternoon. The NTSB issued a safety alert in January 2024 regarding in-flight icing, noting that ice can prevent an airplane from maintaining level flight.

Mary Schiavo, a CNN aviation analyst, stated that the descent was not controlled. She said it was clear the pilots had lost control of the plane. She noted that the steep dive could have torn parts off the aircraft and that 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, though records show the jet was offered for charter flights.

The aircraft is registered as N722BD. The FAA registry lists it as owned by LR60271 LLC of Wilmington, Delaware. CNN reported the jet is listed online as available for charter. Officials have not stated who operated the flight. Flight Safety Foundation data identifies this as the deadliest crash ever involving a Learjet 60. The brand was most recently built by Bombardier, which stopped making new Learjets in 2021 but still supports planes in service.