Nine killed as business jet crashes beside roadway in Palm Beach County

All nine people aboard a business jet died Sunday, Nov. 1, when the aircraft plunged into a neighborhood beside a busy roadway in Palm Beach County, Florida, and exploded. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the deaths and said the Learjet 60 went down at 12:50 p.m.

Palm Beach County sheriff’s officials identified the crash location as Greenacres, a city of 45,000 residents about 7 miles southwest of West Palm Beach. Recordings made by people in cars showed the aircraft diving toward the ground before a fireball erupted close to homes and passing vehicles. Black smoke covered the area, and flames burned around broken pavement surrounding a crater.

Gov. Ron DeSantis said there were no immediate reports of injuries or deaths among people on the ground. Speaking to reporters at the scene, he described the aircraft’s descent as resembling a missile and said the impact had created a large crater beside the road. County authorities were evacuating about 600 residents of a nearby mobile home community while federal officials investigated. The road was closed until further notice.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the jet had taken off from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was traveling to the Bahamas. Airport spokesperson Jim Reynolds described it as a private aircraft but could not immediately provide information about its occupants. Authorities had not immediately identified those aboard or determined the cause of the crash.

Air traffic control recordings and flight tracking data showed the aircraft traveling east at 35,000 feet when its pilots reported turbulence, icing and precipitation and sought permission to climb another 2,000 feet. In recordings captured by LiveATC.net, a pilot described ice buildup and turbulence that was moving the jet vertically by as much as 700 feet.

The flight’s condition deteriorated rapidly. The aircraft began a steep descent, with its rate increasing from 10,000 feet per minute to 20,000 and then as much as 30,000. The recordings and tracking data indicated that its speed exceeded its design limits. A pilot declared an emergency and transmitted distress calls before the jet banked sharply right and struck the ground.

Heavy rain affected the region Sunday, and the National Weather Service said a flood watch for excessive rainfall would remain in effect through Monday afternoon. Aviation safety expert Steve Arroyo said icing and turbulence were possible factors and might have caused the aircraft to stall.

Arroyo said investigators would examine numerous possibilities, including the pilot’s response to the reported weather conditions. He cautioned that nothing would be ruled out at this early point in the investigation.

Duffy said the FAA was dispatching a team to assist the National Transportation Safety Board. The NTSB expected investigators to reach the scene Sunday and Monday, with a media briefing scheduled for Monday in West Palm Beach.