All nine people on board a Learjet 60 were killed Sunday afternoon when the private jet nose-dived into a residential area in Palm Beach County, Florida. The aircraft, which departed from Austin, Texas, crashed near a busy roadway at approximately 12:50 p.m., triggering a massive fireball and leaving a large crater.
Fatal Crash near Military Trail and Cresthaven
The Learjet 60, identified by federal officials as a private aircraft, crashed into an unincorporated area between Greenacres and Palm Springs. The impact occurred near the intersection of Military Trail and 10th Avenue North, close to a mobile home community. According to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, the incident resulted in the deaths of all nine individuals on board. Governor Ron DeSantis, who arrived at the scene, described the event as a cataclysmic plane crash
and noted that the wreckage looked like a missile going down and left a big crater on the side of the road.
Palm Beach County Commissioner Joel Flores confirmed that the crash site, situated at the entrance to a mobile home park, necessitated the evacuation of approximately 600 residents. These individuals have been relocated to temporary shelters. Palm Beach County Fire Rescue personnel were on the scene to manage the aircraft-related incident, and emergency crews shut down Military Trail between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North, warning the public to avoid the area for the foreseeable future.
Pilot Distress Calls and Final Moments
Audio recordings captured by LiveATC.net reveal the rapid deterioration of the flight in the moments preceding the crash. The pilot initially reported light, clear ice that is manageable and moderate turbulence
while flying at 35,000 feet. Shortly thereafter, the crew reported they were picking up precipitation and requested to climb 2,000 feet. However, the situation rapidly deteriorated as the aircraft began a steep, uncontrollable descent. The pilot declared an emergency, radioing, We're descending 8,000 – mayday, mayday – we're descending 10,000 feet per minute.
As the descent rate accelerated to 20,000 feet per minute and eventually exceeded 32,000 feet per minute according to flight tracking data, the crew struggled to maintain control. The aircraft banked sharply to the right before it crashed steeply into the ground. About 35 seconds after the initial distress call, the final transmission from the cockpit was a rapidly spoken, We're out of time.
We are in an overspeed condition descending 20,000 feet per minute. We’re going to crash into the ground.
Unidentified pilot, via air traffic control recordings captured by LiveATC.net
Federal Investigation and Regional Context
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have initiated an investigation into the cause of the disaster. The aircraft had departed from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and was en route to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas. Bombardier, the manufacturer of the Learjet 60, stated that it is deeply saddened by this tragic event
and is cooperating with investigating authorities. Jim Reynolds, a spokesperson for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, confirmed the nature of the flight as a private aircraft.
The crash site is located approximately eight miles from President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. Records indicate that Trump had been at the resort earlier that day but departed via Air Force One from the newly renamed President Donald J. Trump International Airport at 11:55 a.m., roughly one hour before the Learjet went down. The National Weather Service had issued a flood watch for southern Florida due to excessive rainfall, with storms reported in the region throughout the day. While the investigation remains in its early stages, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office is coordinating with federal officials and has requested that anyone with information regarding the incident contact them at 561-688-3375.