Nine killed in private jet crash in Palm Beach neighborhood

A private jet traveling from Texas to the Bahamas crashed in Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday, killing all nine people on board.

The Learjet 60 departed from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and was en route to the Bahamas when it crashed at 12:50 p.m., according to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and the Federal Aviation Administration. Air traffic control recordings indicated the pilot reported icing, precipitation, and severe turbulence before the aircraft entered a steep dive. Data showed the plane's descent reaching 30,000 feet per minute, a speed that France 24 reported exceeded the aircraft's design limits.

Witnesses described the impact as explosive, with one person telling CBS News it sounded like a bomb going off. The jet erupted into a fireball near a busy road and residential homes, leaving a large crater in its wake. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who arrived at the scene, said the falling aircraft looked like a missile and described the event as a "cataclysmic plane crash."

Although everyone on board was killed, Governor DeSantis told reporters there appeared to be no casualties or injuries among people on the ground. Video footage captured by commuters showed the plane plunging from the sky amid heavy rain. The National Weather Service noted that a flood watch was in effect for the region due to excessive rainfall during the time of the accident.

The Federal Aviation Administration is assisting the National Transportation Safety Board with an investigation into the cause of the crash. Authorities have not yet identified those on board or confirmed the specific cause of the dive. Secretary Duffy referred to the incident as a "horrific tragedy" in a post on X.

Background

The aircraft was flying at 35,000 feet when the pilots requested to climb 2,000 feet to avoid weather conditions before a pilot eventually declared an emergency.