Nine Killed When Learjet Plunges Into Palm Beach County Neighborhood

A Learjet 60 business jet crashed into a residential neighborhood in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday, November 1, killing all nine people on board. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the fatalities and called the crash a horrific tragedy in a post on X. The Federal Aviation Administration reported that the jet struck the ground at approximately 12:50 p.m. Eastern time. The aircraft had departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was to land at North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas.

The crash site is located near Military Trail between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North in Greenacres, a city of roughly 45,000 residents. The impact zone sits about seven miles southwest of West Palm Beach and four miles south of the local airport. The jet exploded near a busy road, leaving a large crater and a debris field that stretched a long distance. The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation and said Sunday it was launching a go-team. Investigators were expected to arrive Sunday and Monday morning, and the NTSB planned a media briefing in West Palm Beach on Monday. No cause has been determined yet.

Air traffic control recordings captured the final moments of the flight. The pilots reported light, clear ice and moderate turbulence while flying east at about 35,000 feet. They requested a climb of 2,000 feet. Minutes later, the situation deteriorated rapidly. The pilot radioed a mayday call, stating the jet was descending at 10,000 feet per minute. The descent rate quickly increased to 20,000 feet per minute. The pilot reported an outside air temperature of minus 47 degrees Celsius and turbulence that bounced the aircraft by up to 700 feet.

The pilot then stated, "We're going to crash into the ground." CBS News reported that 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 one minute before the signal was lost. The FAA stated the plane fell from 35,250 feet to 8,750 feet in that timeframe. The jet banked sharply to the right before hitting the ground at a steep angle. The descent pushed the aircraft beyond its design limits, according to the AP.

Weather conditions in the area included scattered storms. The jet passed through a stronger storm cell shortly before the descent began. The FAA had issued a convective SIGMET warning for thunderstorms in the region. Whether the weather contributed to the crash has not been determined. Heavy rain fell across the area on Sunday, and the National Weather Service maintained a flood watch through Monday afternoon. In January 2024, the NTSB issued a safety alert regarding in-flight icing, warning that ice can "make managing the airplane's flightpath and airspeed more difficult and can prevent the airplane from maintaining level flight."

Residents in Greenacres described the crash as sudden and violent. Anthony Blackmon told NBC 6 he was about 500 feet from the crash and that debris hit his house and the road caught fire. Roger Forcelle said the aircraft passed over his home and shook the entire structure. Andrew Mannino told CNN that he heard and felt the boom, and the power went out immediately. A woman working nearby reported that the electricity had been out for about two hours. Another witness described the aftermath as looking like a meteor had hit the ground.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis visited the scene and addressed reporters. He described the crash as cataclysmic, saying it looked like a missile coming down. DeSantis noted that there were no initial reports of people on the ground being killed or injured. He praised the quick response of Palm Beach County first responders. The debris field stretched a long distance from the point of impact. Flames flickered around chunks of pavement lining the crater, which was located feet from homes and inches from passing vehicles.

County officials said about 600 residents of a nearby mobile home community had to leave their homes on Sunday night. The crash scene blocks the entrance to the mobile home park, and the area is being treated as a crime scene for federal investigators. County Commissioner Joel Flores, who represents District 3, said residents were being sent to two county shelters. The Red Cross stood by to assist, and Palm Tran buses were ready to transport residents once law enforcement permitted the evacuation. No official alleged that a crime had occurred.

Military Trail remained closed between 10th Avenue North and Purdy Lane/Alameda Drive until further notice. Only emergency vehicles had access to the road. County officials advised drivers 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 the road could stay closed for an extended period due to the crater and the ongoing federal investigation.

The jet is registered as N722BD. FAA registry data lists it as a Learjet 60 owned by LR60271 LLC of Wilmington, Delaware. The aircraft 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 identify the individuals on board. He called the event a definite tragedy. Officials have not yet released the names of the nine victims or specified how many were passengers versus crew.

This is the deadliest crash 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 indicate this is the second deadliest crash in the United States this year. The first was a skydiving plane crash in Butler, Missouri, in June that killed 12 people. The Learjet brand was popularized by Bill Lear in the 1960s. Bombardier, a Canadian manufacturer, built the most recent Learjets and stopped producing new models in 2021 but continues to support planes in service.

Aviation analyst Mary Schiavo, a former inspector general of the U.S. Transportation Department, said dashcam video would be important for investigators. She stated that the descent was not controlled, indicating 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 may 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 one only when flown for hire. Records show the jet was offered for charter flights.