Nine Dead in Learjet Crash in Palm Beach County
In a tragic incident, a Learjet crashed into a residential area in Palm Beach County on Sunday, resulting in the loss of all nine lives on board, according to officials.
Prior to the crash, the private jet had departed from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was en route to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas.
Footage shared on social media platforms depicted the jet’s catastrophic impact with the ground adjacent to a road, followed by a massive explosion.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis described the incident as “a big-time tragedy that happened” during a press conference held near the crash site in Lake Worth Beach. He added, “When you see that video, it’s a jarring thing. It was like a missile coming down and a massive explosion, debris going everywhere.”
The National Transportation Safety Board has initiated an investigation into the crash, which Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy characterized as a “horrific tragedy.”
According to Palm Beach County Commissioner Joel Flores, the crash created a “massive crater” near the entrance to a mobile home park, adjacent to a road. Approximately 600 individuals were evacuated from the area and relocated to two county shelters.
At the time of the crash, the area was experiencing heavy rainfall and thunderstorms, as reported by AccuWeather.
An audio recording obtained from a Miami air traffic control center provided a detailed account of the plane’s final moments before the crash.
Initially, the cockpit crew reported to air traffic control that they were “managing the ice” and encountering “moderate” turbulence, while seeking “better rides.”
Less than a minute later, a mayday call was made, with the crew reporting a sudden descent rate of 10,000 feet per minute.
Seconds later, the crew declared an emergency, with the descent rate accelerating to 20,000 feet per minute.
Within 20 seconds, the crew stated, “We’re going to crash into the ground,” and reported a descent rate of 22,000 feet per minute as the plane began banking.
About 35 seconds after the initial mayday call, the last transmission from the cockpit was a rapid “We’re out of time.”
According to data from Flightradar24, the plane’s vertical descent rate exceeded 32,000 feet per minute at one point.
FAA records indicate that the Bombardier-made Learjet 60 is owned by a Delaware corporation. Bombardier, the Canada-based manufacturer, has pledged to fully support the investigation and cooperate as needed.
