- Business jet crashed in Florida, killing all nine aboard.
- Pilots reported icing, turbulence before rapid uncontrolled descent.
- Pilot declared emergency, reported overspeed, then imminent crash.
- Authorities evacuated 600 residents; investigation into crash underway.
A business jet carrying nine people crashed into a neighbourhood in Greenacres, Florida, on Sunday, erupting into a massive fireball just feet away from homes and a busy roadway. All nine people on board were killed, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said.
Duffy said the aircraft crashed in Palm Beach County at 12:50 pm, describing the incident as a “horrific tragedy”. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is sending a team to assist the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) with the investigation, the Associated Press reported.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said there were no immediate reports of casualties or injuries among people on the ground.
“It was a cataclysmic plane crash,” DeSantis told reporters at the scene. “It looked like a missile going down and left a big crater on the side of the road.”
Dramatic footage captured by people inside passing vehicles showed the Bahamas-bound Learjet 60 plunging from the sky before slamming into the ground and exploding. The impact left a crater near the road, with flames engulfing the wreckage and thick black smoke billowing over the area.
BREAKING: New footage captures the aircraft crash in Greenacres, Florida. Preliminary information suggests the aircraft that crashed is a business jet. https://t.co/pMEsJerhgZ
— AZ Intel (@AZ_Intel_) November 1, 2026
What Happened Before The Learjet Crashed?
The aircraft had taken off from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was heading to the Bahamas, according to the FAA. Authorities had not immediately identified those on board or established what caused the crash, AP reported.
Air traffic control recordings and flight-tracking data indicate that the jet was flying east at 35,000 feet when the pilots reported turbulence, icing and precipitation. They requested permission to climb another 2,000 feet.
According to the AP report, the aircraft then entered a steep descent, with its rate of descent reportedly increasing from 10,000 feet per minute to 20,000 feet and eventually 30,000 feet per minute. The rapid descent pushed the aircraft beyond its design limits.
Minutes before the crash, the pilot reported ice accumulating on the jet and turbulence that was jolting it by as much as 700 feet, according to recordings captured by LiveATC.net.
“We have light, clear ice that is manageable and moderate turbulence,” the pilot told air traffic controllers.
However, conditions deteriorated rapidly. As the aircraft began losing altitude, the pilot declared an emergency and issued distress calls.
“We’re descending 8,000 – mayday, mayday – we’re descending 10,000 feet per minute,” the pilot radioed.
“We are in an overspeed condition descending 20,000 feet per minute,” the pilot said in another transmission, before adding: “We’re going to crash into the ground.”
The jet then banked sharply to the right before hitting the ground.
600 Residents Evacuated From Nearby Mobile Home Community
The crash occurred in Greenacres, a city of around 45,000 people located about seven miles southwest of West Palm Beach.
Palm Beach County authorities began evacuating around 600 people from a nearby mobile home community as federal agencies prepared to investigate the incident. The road near the crash site was also closed until further notice, AP reported.
The region was experiencing heavy rainfall on Sunday, with the National Weather Service issuing a flood watch due to excessive rain through Monday afternoon.
Jim Reynolds, a spokesperson for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, confirmed that the aircraft was a private jet but could not immediately provide details about its passengers.
Investigators are yet to establish the cause of the crash or identify those who were on board.
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