9 people dead in Learjet crash in south Florida, officials say - Honolulu Star-Advertiser

A Bombardier-made Learjet 60 carrying nine people crashed into a residential area in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday afternoon, leaving all onboard dead and sparking a massive emergency response.

Flight Path and Final Moments

The private jet took off from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was bound for North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas, according to a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration. Flight tracking website Flightradar24 noted that the aircraft’s vertical descent rate exceeded 32,000 feet per minute during its final moments.

More information on the Learjet 60 crash in Florida. https://t.co/P3o2P0O8pQ

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Audio recordings from a Miami air traffic control center broadcast on LiveATC captured the cockpit crew grappling with extreme weather. Initially, someone in the cockpit reported managing ice while encountering moderate turbulence and requesting better altitudes. Less than a minute later, the crew transmitted a distress call.

The transmission escalated rapidly. After declaring an emergency, the crew reported a descent rate of 10,000 feet per minute, which quickly accelerated to 20,000 feet, then 22,000 feet while the plane began banking. “We’re going to crash into the ground,” a voice stated before the final recorded transmission about 35 seconds after the initial mayday: a rapidly spoken “We’re out of time.”

Ground Impact and Evacuations

Videos shared on social media showed the aircraft plunging near a road and exploding. Palm Beach County Commissioner Joel Flores stated at a press conference that the impact left a massive crater near the entrance to a mobile home park in Lake Worth Beach. Approximately 600 people were evacuated from the surrounding area and relocated to two county shelters.

Weather data from AccuWeather indicated that heavy rainfall and thunderstorms were active in the region at the time of the crash. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis described the incident as a jarring tragedy, comparing the video footage to a missile strike followed by a massive explosion and scattered debris.

Official Responses and Investigation

The National Transportation Safety Board launched a full investigation into the disaster. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called the incident a horrific tragedy. FAA records show the Learjet 60 is owned by a Delaware corporation, while Canada-based manufacturer Bombardier announced it would fully support and cooperate with investigators.