South Florida Aviation: Learjet 60 Crashes, Killing All Nine
Federal investigators will hold a press conference Monday after the aircraft, bound for the Bahamas, struck a residential area near West Palm Beach.
By Jonathan Ramirez ·
A private Learjet 60 descended rapidly from 35,000 feet and struck a neighborhood in South Florida on Sunday afternoon. All nine people aboard the aircraft died. The crash created a large crater and ignited surrounding pavement and vegetation. The plane was en route to the Bahamas when it impacted the ground in Green Acres, approximately 7 miles southwest of West Palm Beach.
The sequence of events began as the jet flew east near Austin, Texas, before heading toward its destination. Air traffic control recordings indicate the pilot reported accumulating ice and moderate turbulence. The pilot described the weather as having "light, clear ice that is manageable" while noting turbulence that jolted the aircraft by up to 700 feet. Rain was falling heavily in the region at the time of the incident.
The pilot requested permission to climb an additional 2,000 feet before declaring an emergency. The aircraft then lost altitude at a rate of 8,000 to 10,000 feet per minute. Radio transmissions captured by LiveATC.net show the pilot stating the jet was in an overspeed condition, descending 20,000 feet per minute. The pilot concluded the radio exchange by stating, "We’re going to crash into the ground." Witnesses reported the plane banked sharply to the right immediately before impact.
Anthony Blackmon, a resident living near the crash site, described the immediate aftermath to WTVJ. He said debris hit his house and that fire consumed the road and surrounding areas. Blackmon noted that while he had seen similar events on television, he never expected one to occur so close to his home. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis visited the scene and described the event as a "cataclysmic plane crash." He stated the plane looked like a missile descending and left a large crater beside the road.
Palm Beach County authorities evacuated approximately 600 residents from a mobile home community near the site. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are leading the investigation. DeSantis said there were no immediate reports of injuries or deaths among people on the ground. Authorities have not released the names of the nine victims.
Jim Reynolds, a spokesperson for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, confirmed the aircraft departed from Texas as a private flight. He could not immediately provide details regarding the passengers. The NTSB is scheduled to hold a news conference in West Palm Beach on Monday to provide updates on the investigation.
