West Palm Beach residents witnessed a tragic Learjet crash on Sunday afternoon when the aircraft struck a roadway, creating a huge crater and killing the nine people on board. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has been working the scene, and a new video released by local station WPBF shows investigators carefully retrieving pieces of the plane from the crater after water was pumped out.
Wreckage found on nearby homes
In the days following the crash, debris was discovered on the roofs of homes and buildings near the impact zone. One resident, Anthony Blackmon, described how a twisted, foot‑long metal piece with screws landed on his triplex roof, puncturing the shingles and later causing part of a neighbor’s kitchen ceiling to collapse. Blackmon said he heard a deafening explosion and saw flames shooting 100 to 150 feet into the air.
Blackmon climbed onto the roof to investigate and reported that sheriff’s deputies later recovered the metal fragment. While the NTSB has not publicly confirmed that the piece came from the Learjet, the discovery underscores the widespread damage caused by the crash.
Investigation details
The NTSB confirmed that a portion of one engine was recovered from the crater. Earlier, the board reported that significant sections of the aircraft’s left elevator – a control surface on the tail – had separated before impact and were found as far as 3.8 miles from the crash site. Investigators are still determining whether those parts broke away because the jet was already out of control or if their loss contributed to the accident.
Officials are urging anyone who finds debris to contact the NTSB at [email protected] with photos, rather than moving or altering the pieces, as even small fragments can hold crucial evidence.
Road closures and community impact
Military Trail remains closed between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue, with access limited to residents. Neighbors report shattered windows and scattered debris, describing the event as a “really tragic moment for everybody.”
The community continues to process the shock of the crash, while the NTSB works to piece together what caused the Learjet to plunge into the roadway.
Original reporting: 40/29 / KHBS (NW Arkansas) — read the source article.
