A private jet carrying nine people crashed and burst into flames in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday afternoon, killing everyone on board in a devastating accident that left a massive crater and burning wreckage along a busy road.
The crash occurred just a few miles from President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate and the Palm Beach airport recently renamed in his honour.
The aircraft, identified as a Learjet 60, was travelling from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas when it plunged nose-first onto Military Trail, a major thoroughfare in Palm Beach County, shortly before 1 p.m.
Dashcam footage from a passing vehicle captured the aircraft slamming into the ground before a massive fireball erupted, sending thick black smoke into the sky.
The impact shattered sections of the roadway, leaving a deep crater surrounded by scattered debris and burning wreckage. Despite the intensity of the explosion and the proximity of nearby homes and businesses, authorities reported no immediate casualties among people on the ground.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis described the incident as a catastrophic accident, saying the aircraft appeared like a missile as it descended towards the ground.
“It was a cataclysmic plane crash. It looked like a missile going down,” DeSantis said.
Preliminary details from air traffic control recordings suggest the pilot encountered serious difficulties shortly before the crash.
According to audio recordings captured by LiveATC.net, the pilot had earlier informed air traffic controllers about ice accumulating on the aircraft, an outside air temperature of minus 47 degrees Celsius and moderate turbulence.
The pilot reportedly described the aircraft as bouncing by as much as 700 feet amid the turbulent conditions.
However, the situation deteriorated dramatically moments later, with the pilot issuing a distress call to the Miami Air Route Traffic Control Center.
“Mayday, mayday,” the pilot said, reporting that the aircraft was descending at approximately 10,000 feet per minute.
In a subsequent transmission, the pilot reportedly warned that the jet was in an overspeed condition and descending at an alarming rate of 20,000 feet per minute.
“We’re going to crash into the ground!” the pilot shouted.
Flight-tracking data from ADS-B Exchange indicated that the aircraft lost approximately 27,000 feet in altitude within one minute before tracking information abruptly stopped.
Authorities have yet to establish what caused the aircraft to lose control. Investigators are examining the possibility of severe weather, icing conditions or other mechanical and operational factors.
Although scattered thunderstorms were reported across the area at the time, the aircraft had reportedly passed through a stronger storm cell shortly before its rapid descent. It remains unclear whether the weather conditions contributed to the disaster.
The nine people aboard have not yet been publicly identified, and officials have not disclosed how many were passengers or members of the crew.
Residents evacuated as investigation begins
The crash also disrupted life in the surrounding residential community, with debris and damage blocking access to a nearby mobile home park.
Palm Beach County Commissioner Joel Flores said approximately 600 residents were in need of temporary shelter because the destruction had obstructed the entrance to the residential community.
Authorities arranged for affected residents to be accommodated at two shelters within the county while emergency personnel secured the crash site and investigators began their work.
Residents described hearing an enormous explosion that shook the neighbourhood.
Andrew Mannino, who witnessed the incident, told CNN that he heard and felt the impact, adding that electricity in the area went out immediately and had not been restored at the time of his account.
He also described seeing a huge black cloud of smoke rising into the sky.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy described the incident as a horrific tragedy.
Investigators examine possible causes
Aviation investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are expected to examine the wreckage, flight records, weather conditions and available video footage to determine what happened.
Mary Schiavo, CNN aviation analyst and former Inspector General of the US Department of Transportation, said the dramatic descent indicated that the aircraft was no longer under the pilots’ control.
She described the dashcam footage as potentially crucial evidence in reconstructing the final moments of the flight.
Investigators will also examine whether ice accumulation affected the aircraft’s ability to maintain a stable flight path.
In January 2024, the NTSB issued a safety alert warning that ice accumulating on aircraft wings and other surfaces could make it difficult for pilots to control airspeed and maintain level flight, potentially resulting in loss of control.
It is not yet clear whether the Learjet had a cockpit voice recorder or whether its recording equipment survived the explosion.
FAA regulations require multi-engine jet aircraft operated for hire to carry cockpit voice recorders.
Records from the FAA reportedly show that the aircraft was registered to a limited liability company in Delaware and had been advertised online as available for charter.
The disaster is the second-deadliest aircraft crash recorded in the United States this year, according to NTSB records. Twelve people died in June when a skydiving aircraft crashed in Butler, Missouri.
It is also reportedly the deadliest accident involving a Learjet 60. In 2008, four people were killed when another Learjet 60 crashed during take-off in Columbia, South Carolina, while preparing to fly to Los Angeles.
Authorities are expected to provide further details as the investigation progresses.