Learjet Crash Kills Nine in Greenacres

A Learjet 60 carrying nine people crashed into a residential area in Greenacres, Florida, on Sunday at 12:50 p.m., killing everyone on board. The aircraft had departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was en route to the Bahamas when it struck the ground near a busy roadway in Palm Beach County. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the fatalities and described the incident as a horrific tragedy. The Federal Aviation Administration is dispatching a team to assist the National Transportation Safety Board with its investigation.

Air traffic control recordings indicate the jet was flying east at 35,000 feet when the pilots reported encountering turbulence, icing, and precipitation. The crew requested to climb an additional 2,000 feet. Shortly after, the aircraft entered a steep dive, losing altitude at a rate that increased from 10,000 feet per minute to 20,000 feet per minute, and eventually reached 30,000 feet per minute. This rapid descent pushed the plane beyond its design speed limits. The pilot declared an emergency and banked sharply to the right before the jet impacted the ground.

Radio communications captured by LiveATC.net show the pilot reporting light, clear ice and moderate turbulence minutes before the crash. The pilot stated the ice was manageable. As the situation worsened, the pilot radioed that the aircraft was descending at 10,000 feet per minute and then declared a mayday. The pilot later reported an overspeed condition while descending at 20,000 feet per minute and acknowledged that the plane was going to crash into the ground.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis visited the scene and said there were no immediate reports of injuries or fatalities on the ground. He described the event as a cataclysmic plane crash that looked like a missile going down and left a large crater on the side of the road. Video recorded by drivers showed the jet plunging from the sky and erupting into a fireball. The impact created a crater near a roadway, with flames flickering around chunks of pavement. Thick black smoke engulfed the site as residents expressed shock that the plane landed feet from homes and inches from passing vehicles.

Jim Reynolds, a spokesperson for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, identified the jet as a private aircraft but did not provide details on the occupants. Steve Arroyo, an aviation safety expert, noted that icing and turbulence could have caused the plane to stall while cruising at 34,000 feet. He said investigators would consider how the pilot responded to the weather conditions but would not rule out any factors at this early stage. The National Weather Service had a flood watch in effect due to excessive rainfall, which pounded the region on Sunday.

Palm Beach County authorities evacuated approximately 600 people from a mobile home community near the crash site. The roadway remains closed until further notice. The crash occurred in Greenacres, a city of 45,000 located about 7 miles southwest of West Palm Beach. NTSB investigators arrived at the scene on Sunday and Monday. A media briefing is scheduled for Monday in West Palm Beach.