Learjet crash in Palm Beach County kills nine, strands 600 residents
A private jet descending from severe turbulence hit the ground near West Palm Beach, creating a debris field that forced nearby families to leave their homes.
By Alessia Diallo ·
Palm Beach County, Florida, experienced a major aviation incident on Sunday afternoon when a Learjet 60 crashed into a residential area. Officials confirmed that nine people died in the accident, which marked the second deadliest plane crash in the United States this year.
The aircraft was traveling from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport to the Bahamas. FAA records show the jet is registered to a Delaware limited liability company and listed for charter. The plane descended 27,000 feet in a single minute before flight tracking data disappeared, according to ADS-B Exchange.
Pilot radio calls captured by LiveATC.net revealed the crew reported light, clear ice and moderate turbulence minutes before the crash. The pilot stated the aircraft was in an overspeed condition, descending at 20,000 feet per minute, and declared an emergency. The pilot warned, “We’re going to crash into the ground.”
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis described the scene, saying the jet “looked like a missile going down.” The impact created a crater in the road and scattered debris across the neighborhood. No one on the ground was killed, but the damage displaced approximately 600 people who are currently seeking shelter in two county locations.
Joel Flores, the county commissioner for District 3, arrived at the scene as one of the first officials. He noted that the site remains under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA. NTSB investigators are expected to arrive on Sunday and Monday, with a news conference planned for Monday.
The crash site is located near Military Trail, between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North. All lanes of Military Trail are closed to traffic. Andrew Mannino, a nearby resident, told CNN he heard a boom, felt the power go out, and saw a large black cloud rise into the air.
The crash occurred near the West Palm Beach airport, which was renamed for President Donald Trump earlier this year. The airport had issued a convective SIGMET warning of thunderstorms in the area. Mary Schiavo, a former Transportation Department inspector general, noted that the steep descent suggests the pilots lost control, potentially destroying the flight recorder.
Source: WISH-TV
