One Minute, 27,000 Feet: Learjet's Fatal Plunge Kills Nine in Palm Beach County

A private Learjet 60 descended about 27,000 feet in about one minute, CNN reported before crashing into a residential area in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday, November 1, 2026. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed that all nine individuals aboard the aircraft were killed in the impact near a busy roadway.

The Federal Aviation Administration stated that the jet crashed at approximately 12:50 p.m. Eastern time. The aircraft had departed from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was scheduled to land at North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas. The FAA characterized its initial information as preliminary while the investigation began.

Secretary Duffy described the incident as a "horrific tragedy" in a social media post. He announced that the FAA would dispatch a team to support the National Transportation Safety Board, which is leading the investigation. The NTSB launched a go-team on Sunday with investigators expected to arrive Sunday and Monday morning. A media briefing is scheduled for Monday in West Palm Beach. No cause for the crash has been determined at this time.

Palm Beach County Sheriff's officials located the crash site near Military Trail, between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North in Greenacres. The city has a population of approximately 45,000 and is situated roughly seven miles southwest of West Palm Beach. The impact zone is about four miles south of the local airport, which was renamed President Donald J. Trump International Airport earlier in the year.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis visited the scene and described the event to reporters. He stated that the aircraft appeared to fall like a missile, leaving a large crater on the side of the road. DeSantis said there were no reports at the time of anyone on the ground being killed or injured and praised the rapid response of local first responders. He noted that the debris field extended a significant distance from the impact point.

Witnesses in nearby vehicles captured video of the jet striking the ground and exploding. Flames surrounded chunks of pavement lining the crater, which was located feet from nearby homes and inches from passing vehicles. Thick black smoke obscured the site, and video from WPBF showed the roadway buckled at the point of impact.

Anthony Blackmon, a resident approximately 500 feet from the crash, reported that debris hit his house and that the road was on fire. Roger Forcelle stated that the aircraft passed over his home, shaking the structure, before crashing less than half a mile away. Andrew Mannino described hearing a loud boom and feeling the power go out, noting a large black cloud rising into the air. One observer described the aftermath as resembling a meteor strike.

About 600 people in a nearby mobile home community had to leave their homes Sunday night, county officials said. The crash scene blocks the park's entrance and is being treated as a crime scene while federal investigators work. No official has alleged that a crime took place. Commissioner Joel Flores, who represents District 3 and was the first county official at the scene, said residents were being sent to two county shelters. The Red Cross was on standby, and Palm Tran buses were prepared to transport residents once law enforcement allowed the evacuation.

Palm Beach County closed Military Trail between 10th Avenue North and Purdy Lane/Alameda Drive to all traffic except emergency vehicles. The county directed drivers to use alternative routes for east-west and north-south travel. A county commissioner warned that parts of the road could stay closed for an extended time because of the crater, and officials said the timeline also depends on the federal investigation.

Air traffic control recordings indicate the jet was flying east at 35,000 feet when the pilots reported turbulence, icing, and precipitation. They requested a climb of 2,000 feet. Minutes before the crash, the pilot reported light, clear ice that is manageable and moderate turbulence to the Miami Air Route Traffic Control Center. The pilot also cited an outside air temperature of minus 47 degrees Celsius and turbulence that was bouncing the jet by as much as 700 feet.

The situation deteriorated rapidly after the precipitation report. The pilot radioed "mayday, mayday" and said the aircraft was descending 10,000 feet per minute. The descent rate increased to 20,000 feet per minute as the jet entered an overspeed condition. The pilot stated, "We're going to crash into the ground," and reportedly said, "We're out of time," according to CBS News. The aircraft banked sharply right before hitting the ground at a steep angle.

The FAA said the jet fell from 35,250 feet to 8,750 feet in one minute just before the crash. CNN reported the plane passed through a stronger storm cell a few minutes before it began to descend, in an area where the FAA had issued a convective SIGMET warning for thunderstorms. Heavy rain affected the region, and a flood watch remained in effect through Monday afternoon. The NTSB issued a safety alert in January 2024 regarding in-flight icing, noting it can prevent aircraft from maintaining level flight.

Mary Schiavo, a former Transportation Department inspector general and aviation analyst, stated that dashcam video would be critical for investigators. She noted that the descent was not controlled, indicating a loss of control. She suggested the steep dive could have torn parts from the plane and that the flight recorder may have been destroyed. The jet, registered as N722BD, is owned by LR60271 LLC of Wilmington, Delaware. It is listed online for charter flights, though officials have not identified the operator for the fatal flight. This incident is the deadliest ever involving a Learjet 60, surpassing a 2008 crash that killed four people. It is the second deadliest crash in the United States this year, following a skydiving plane accident in Missouri in June that killed 12 people.