Learjet Crashes Into Palm Beach Road After Pilot Reports Ice

Nine people died when a private business jet crashed into a residential area in South Florida on Sunday. The aircraft struck the ground near a busy roadway in Greenacres, a city with a population of 45,000 located about seven miles southwest of West Palm Beach. The impact created a large crater and a fireball that consumed the wreckage.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the death toll in a post on X. He identified the aircraft as a Learjet 60 and stated that the crash occurred at 12:50 p.m. Duffy described the event as a horrific tragedy and noted that the Federal Aviation Administration is assisting the National Transportation Safety Board with the investigation.

The jet departed from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas. Its intended destination was the Bahamas. Authorities had not immediately released the names of the passengers or crew. Jim Reynolds, a spokesperson for the Austin airport, confirmed the aircraft was a private plane but could not provide further details on the occupants.

Air traffic control recordings show the pilot reporting issues while the plane was flying east at 35,000 feet. The pilot reported light, clear ice that was manageable and moderate turbulence. The aircraft requested to climb 2,000 feet to clear the weather. Rain was falling in the region, and a flood watch was in effect through Monday afternoon due to excessive rainfall.

The situation deteriorated quickly after the pilot requested the climb. The aircraft began descending at a rate of 10,000 feet per minute. The pilot declared an emergency and issued mayday calls. The descent rate accelerated to 20,000 feet per minute, and the plane entered an overspeed condition.

The pilot radioed, "We are in an overspeed condition descending 20,000 feet per minute." He followed that report with the statement, "We're going to crash into the ground." The plane banked sharply to the right before hitting the ground. Flight tracking data indicates the descent rate reached up to 30,000 feet per minute in the final moments.

Witnesses inside nearby cars recorded video of the plane plunging from the sky. The crash landed only feet from homes and inches from passing vehicles. Thick black smoke rose from the site, and flames flickered around chunks of pavement lining the crater. People milled about in shock at how close the debris came to the structures and traffic.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis visited the scene and told reporters, "It was a cataclysmic plane crash. It looked like a missile going down and left a big crater on the side of the road." DeSantis said there were no immediate reports of injuries or deaths among people on the ground.

Palm Beach County authorities evacuated approximately 600 residents from a nearby mobile home community. Officials closed the road where the jet landed and said it would remain shut until further notice. The Federal Aviation Administration sent a team to support the ongoing investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.