Palm Beach Jet Crash Kills Nine, Displaces 600 Residents
A LearJet 60 descended at 20,000 feet per minute before impact, leaving a burning crater on Military Trail in Greenacres.
By Javier Sanders ·
Nine people died and approximately 600 residents were displaced from a mobile home community when a private jet crashed into a roadway in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday. The FAA confirmed there were no survivors. The impact created a large crater on Military Trail, forcing the closure of the road between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North.
The aircraft, identified by GlobalAir.com as a 58-foot LearJet 60, was traveling from Austin, Texas, to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas. The jet had a maximum capacity of two crew members and eight passengers. It crashed around 12:50 p.m. ET, roughly seven miles southwest of West Palm Beach. Federal investigators were expected to provide an initial update on the cause on Monday.
Flight data and radio transmissions captured by LiveATC.net reveal a rapid deterioration in flight conditions. The aircraft was heading east at 35,000 feet when the pilot reported encountering turbulence and clear ice. The pilot described the ice as light and manageable, but the situation changed quickly. The pilot requested permission to climb an additional 2,000 feet before declaring an emergency.
The pilot’s final radio calls indicated a steep and uncontrollable descent. The aircraft was descending at 10,000 feet per minute, which accelerated to 20,000 feet per minute. The pilot stated the plane was in an overspeed condition before saying, "We're going to hit the ground." The jet tipped sharply to the right before striking the road and exploding.
Witnesses in the surrounding neighborhood described the sound and force of the impact. Abelino Temaj, a resident of the nearby mobile home park, said the noise sounded like a missile and that he felt the ground shake. Another resident told Telemundo 51 that the scene resembled a meteorite impact, with water spraying from the crater and a large fire. Anthony Blackmon, who lived about 500 feet from the site, reported that debris struck his house and that the road was engulfed in flames.
Roger Forcelle, another nearby resident, said he felt the aircraft pass over his home moments before the crash. He described a strong vibration that shook the house, prompting neighbors to evacuate. He later saw a plume of smoke rising from the area and was unable to return home after going to run errands. The crash left a burning hole in the pavement, and videos of the scene showed intense fire activity at the impact site.
District 3 Commissioner Joel Flores stated that authorities were working to secure safe overnight accommodation for the roughly 600 people affected by the evacuation. The identities of the nine individuals aboard the jet have not yet been released. While the exact cause of the crash was not immediately clear, the pilot’s reports of ice accumulation and turbulence prior to the emergency declaration remain central to the federal investigation.
