Learjet Bound for the Bahamas Nose-Dives Into Florida Neighborhood, All 9 Aboard Killed
A private jet carrying nine people plunged out of the sky into a Palm Beach County, Fla., neighborhood Sunday afternoon and burst into a fireball, killing everyone on board.
The Learjet 60 crashed at about 12:50 p.m. near Military Trail and 10th Avenue North near Greenacres, the Federal Aviation Administration said. It had left Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was headed to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas, WPTV reported.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed all nine people aboard were killed, calling the crash a “horrific tragedy.”
“Please join me in praying for the families and loved ones of those we lost,” Duffy said.
Feet From Homes, Inches From Cars
Video shot from passing cars captured the jet nose-diving and exploding near the roadway, leaving flames flickering around chunks of pavement in a crater, the Associated Press reported. Onlookers expressed shock that it came down only feet from homes and inches from passing vehicles. A woman working nearby said the power had been out for about two hours.
As of 4 p.m., officials had not confirmed any deaths on the ground, USA Today reported. Weather at the time was overcast with rain and lightning in the area and east winds gusting to near 25 mph, according to the National Weather Service in Miami.
The crash site is about nine miles from Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s Palm Beach resort, the BBC reported. Palm Beach County Fire Rescue declared a mass casualty incident.
NTSB Takes the Lead
The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation, with an FAA team assisting. Authorities have not said what caused the crash or who was aboard. An airport spokesman said the tail number was N722BD, and registration records show the plane belongs to LR60271 LLC, a Wilmington, Del., company, CBS12 reported.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office closed Military Trail in both directions between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North and asked drivers to avoid the area.
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