Learjet crashes into South Florida neighborhood, killing all nine on board

All nine people aboard a private Learjet 60 died when the aircraft crashed into the Greenacres neighborhood in South Florida on Sunday afternoon. The jet hit the ground near a busy roadway at 12:50 p.m., creating a large fireball that consumed the plane and left a deep crater in the asphalt.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the fatalities in a post on X, describing the event as a horrible tragedy. He stated that the Federal Aviation Administration would support the National Transportation Safety Board in its investigation into the cause of the crash. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis visited the scene and told reporters that the incident appeared as a missile descending from the sky.

The aircraft had departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was en route to the Bahamas. It was flying east at an altitude of 35,000 feet when the pilots reported encountering turbulence, ice formation, and precipitation. They requested to climb 2,000 feet to improve conditions. According to air traffic control recordings and flight tracking data, the plane quickly entered a steep descent.

The rate of descent accelerated dramatically, reaching 10,000 feet per minute, then 20,000 feet per minute, and finally 30,000 feet per minute. These speeds pushed the aircraft beyond its design limits. A pilot declared an emergency and transmitted mayday calls. In one transmission, the pilot noted clear, light ice and moderate turbulence. Later, as the plane dropped rapidly, the pilot reported descending at 8,000 feet per minute before the rate increased to 10,000 feet per minute.

The pilot further stated that the aircraft was in an overspeed condition while descending at 20,000 feet per minute. The final transmission from the cockpit was a stark acknowledgment of the impending impact. The pilot said the crew was going to crash into the ground. The plane tilted sharply to the right before striking the surface.

Witnesses inside nearby vehicles recorded the moment the jet fell from the sky. Video footage shows the aircraft exploding in a ball of flames just meters from residential homes and passing vehicles. Thick black smoke engulfed the crash site. Residents gathered around the perimeter, expressing shock that the debris landed so close to their neighborhoods. The National Weather Service had issued a flood warning for excessive rain in the region, which remained in effect through Monday afternoon.

Palm Beach County officials evacuated approximately 600 people from a nearby mobile home community while federal investigators examined the site. The local roadway remains closed until further notice. Greenacres, a city of 45,000 residents, is located about seven miles southwest of West Palm Beach. Jim Reynolds, a spokesperson for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, identified the jet as a private aircraft but did not immediately release the names of those aboard.