A private Learjet 60 carrying nine passengers crashed in Greenacres, Florida, on Sunday, just off a busy roadway in Palm Beach County. The aircraft, which had departed Austin‑Bergstrom International Airport in Texas en route to the Bahamas, nose‑dived and exploded, leaving a large crater in the pavement. All nine people on board were killed, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said.
Crash details
Air traffic control recordings captured the pilot reporting light, clear ice and moderate turbulence while cruising at about 35,000 feet. The crew requested a climb of 2,000 feet, but moments later the jet entered a steep descent, first at 10,000 feet per minute, then accelerating to 20,000 and finally 30,000 feet per minute, exceeding the aircraft’s design limits. The pilot declared an emergency, radioing, “We’re descending 8,000 – mayday, mayday – we’re descending 10,000 feet per minute,” followed by an overspeed warning and the grim acknowledgment, “We’re going to crash into the ground.”
Local response
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis described the scene as “cataclysmic,” likening the crash to a missile striking the road. No injuries were reported on the ground, but Palm Beach County officials began evacuating roughly 600 residents from a nearby mobile‑home community as a precaution. The roadway remains closed while investigators secure the site.
Investigation underway
The Federal Aviation Administration is dispatching a team to assist the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation. Officials have not released the identities of the passengers or the exact cause of the crash. A flood watch was in effect for the area due to heavy rain, which may have contributed to the hazardous conditions.
Weather conditions
Rain pounded the region on Sunday, and the National Weather Service had issued a flood watch through Monday afternoon. The pilot’s reports of icing and turbulence suggest that adverse weather played a role in the aircraft’s loss of control.
Original reporting: NBC6 Miami — read the source article.
