A Learjet 60 carrying nine people crashed on Military Trail near Cresthaven, Florida on Sunday around 12:50 EST, killing all aboard. The aircraft, which departed Austin, Texas bound for the Bahamas, struck a six-lane road in a densely populated area nine miles from Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach County.
No one on the ground was injured, according to US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. The impact created a large crater and scattered debris and fire across the roadway. Dashcam footage posted to social media shows the jet nosediving nearly vertically before exploding into a fireball.
Air traffic control audio recorded moments before impact captured the crew reporting moderate turbulence and icing conditions. A crew member stated the plane was "picking up precipitation" and needed to climb. Within seconds, the same voice reported the jet was descending at 10,000 feet per minute. The crew declared an emergency, saying "we are in an overspeed condition descending 20,000ft per minute" and "we are going to crash into the ground." About 35 seconds later, the final transmission was "we're out of time."
Flight analysis indicates the jet was plummeting hundreds of feet per second before impact. Thunderstorms were reported in the area at the time.
The FAA said it was sending a team to assist the National Transportation Safety Board's investigation. Palm Beach County Fire Rescue declared a mass casualty incident. Local officials said 600 residents from a nearby trailer-park community were being evacuated, and the road would remain closed for at least 30 days due to damage to infrastructure including water lines.