Learjet crashes in Palm Beach

A Learjet 60 crashed and exploded in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday afternoon, killing nine people. The aircraft was heading to the Bahamas from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport when it went down near Military Trail.

The crash is the second deadliest in the United States this year. The National Transportation Safety Board records show the June skydiving plane crash in Butler, Missouri, killed 12 people. Officials have not yet identified the nine victims or specified the number of passengers and crew.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis described the scene, stating it looked like a missile going down. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the deaths and called the incident a horrific tragedy. No one on the ground was reported killed, but the impact created a large debris field.

Palm Beach County Commissioner Joel Flores, who arrived first at the scene, said about 600 people need shelter due to the ground damage. Residents are being moved to two county shelters while investigators work the site. The road buckled where the plane slammed down, forming a crater.

Andrew Mannino, a nearby resident, said he heard and felt the boom. He reported that the power immediately went out and remained off. He smelled smoke and saw a large black cloud rise into the air.

Air traffic control recordings captured the final moments of the flight. Minutes before the crash, the pilot reported accumulating ice and an outside air temperature of -47 degrees Celsius. The pilot also noted moderate turbulence that bounced the plane up to 700 feet.

The pilot told the Miami Air Route Traffic Control Center that the ice was light and clear and manageable. Moments later, as precipitation began to fall, the pilot requested a climb and declared an emergency. The pilot reported descending 8,000 feet per minute and then 20,000 feet per minute in an overspeed condition.

The pilot stated, We are going to crash into the ground. Flight tracking data from ADS-B Exchange shows the jet descended 27,000 feet in one minute before the signal cut off. The aircraft is registered to a Delaware LLC and is listed online for charter.

The FAA and NTSB will investigate the crash. NTSB investigators arrived at the site on Sunday and Monday. A news conference is scheduled for Monday. The crash occurred in an area with a convective SIGMET, an FAA warning of thunderstorms and threats to aircraft.

The airport near the crash site was renamed for President Donald Trump earlier this year. Trump was in West Palm Beach on Sunday but departed on Air Force One more than an hour before the crash. All lanes of Military Trail are closed until further notice, and motorists are advised to seek alternate routes.