Nine people have died after a private jet crashed into a neighbourhood in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday, November 1.
The business aircraft, which was travelling to the Bahamas, plunged from the sky before hitting the ground and erupting into a massive fireball. The crash narrowly missed nearby homes and a busy roadway.
Videos recorded by motorists captured the aircraft’s final moments before the impact, showing the jet descending rapidly and bursting into flames.
US Authorities Begin Investigation Into Fatal Crash
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the incident in a post on X on Sunday. He said the Learjet 60 crashed in Palm Beach County at approximately 12:50 p.m., describing it as a “horrific tragedy”.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is sending a team to support the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation into the cause of the crash.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said there were no immediate reports of injuries or deaths among people on the ground.
“It was a cataclysmic plane crash,” DeSantis said. “It looked like a missile going down and left a big crater on the side of the road.”
The aircraft had departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was headed to the Bahamas, according to the FAA.
Airport spokesperson Jim Reynolds confirmed that the aircraft was privately operated but did not disclose the identities of those on board.
FAA records identify the owner of the Bombardier-made Learjet 60 as a Delaware corporation.
Pilot Reported Turbulence and Ice Before Crash
Air traffic control recordings and flight-tracking data indicate that the aircraft was flying east at approximately 35,000 feet when the pilots reported turbulence, icing and precipitation.
The crew requested permission to climb another 2,000 feet. However, the aircraft soon entered a steep descent, with its vertical speed reportedly increasing from 10,000 feet per minute to 20,000 feet and eventually 30,000 feet per minute.
The pilot had earlier reported ice accumulating on the aircraft and turbulence that was causing it to move up and down by as much as 700 feet.
“We have light, clear ice that is manageable and moderate turbulence,” the pilot told air traffic controllers.
The situation reportedly worsened after the aircraft encountered precipitation and requested to climb.
As the jet began losing altitude rapidly, the pilot declared an emergency.
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“We’re descending 8,000 – mayday, mayday, we’re descending 10,000 feet per minute,” the pilot radioed.
The pilot later reported that the aircraft was in an overspeed condition while descending at 20,000 feet per minute.
“We’re going to crash into the ground,” the pilot said in the final radio communication quoted in the report.
Flight-tracking website Flightradar24 said its data showed the aircraft’s vertical descent rate exceeded 32,000 feet per minute at one point.
Heavy Rain Recorded in Florida
The crash occurred as heavy rainfall affected the region on Sunday.
The National Weather Service had issued a flood watch due to excessive rainfall, which was expected to remain in effect until Monday afternoon.
Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash. The cause has not yet been established.
All nine people on board were killed, while officials reported no immediate casualties on the ground.
