Nine Die in Palm Beach County Learjet Crash

A Learjet 60 business jet crashed into a residential neighborhood in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday, November 1, 2026, killing all nine people on board. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the fatalities in a post on X, describing the event as a horrific tragedy. The Federal Aviation Administration stated the aircraft struck the ground at approximately 12:50 p.m. Eastern time. The jet had departed from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was heading to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas.

The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into the crash. A go-team was being launched, with investigators expected to arrive at the scene on Sunday and Monday morning. The NTSB planned a media briefing for Monday in West Palm Beach. No cause for the crash has been determined as of Sunday evening. The FAA is sending a team to the scene to support the NTSB's investigation.

Officials have not yet released the names of the nine victims or specified the number of passengers versus crew members. Jim Reynolds, a spokesperson for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, confirmed the aircraft was a private jet. He said he could not say who was on the flight. Reynolds called the incident a definite tragedy.

Palm Beach County Sheriff's officials located the wreckage near Military Trail, between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North. The crash site is in Greenacres, a city with a population of about 45,000 residents. The location is roughly seven miles southwest of West Palm Beach. It is also approximately four miles south of the West Palm Beach airport, which was renamed President Donald J. Trump International Airport earlier this year.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis visited the scene and spoke to reporters. He described the crash as cataclysmic, noting that the jet looked like a missile descending. DeSantis said the impact left a large crater on the side of the road. He said there were no reports at the time of the news conference of anyone on the ground being killed or injured. He praised local first responders for their rapid response and noted the debris field stretched a considerable distance.

Witnesses in nearby vehicles recorded the jet plunging from the sky. The aircraft struck near the roadway and exploded, sending flames and thick black smoke into the air. Video footage showed the road buckling where the jet hit. Chunks of pavement surrounded the crater, which was located feet from homes and inches from passing vehicles.

Anthony Blackmon, a resident living about 500 feet from the crash, described the aftermath. He reported that debris hit his house and that both the road and the area were on fire. Blackmon said he had never expected the crash to happen so close to his home. Roger Forcelle felt the aircraft pass over his property and said it shook the entire house. He estimated the crash occurred less than half a mile from his home.

Andrew Mannino heard and felt the boom of the impact. He noted that the power went out immediately and was still out. Mannino smelled smoke and saw a large black cloud rise. Another witness described the scene as looking like a meteor had struck the ground.

About 600 residents in a nearby mobile home community had to leave their homes on Sunday night. The crash scene blocks the entrance to the park and is being treated as a crime scene while federal investigators work, county officials said. No official has alleged that a crime took place. Palm Beach County Commissioner Joel Flores stated that residents were being sent to two county shelters. The Red Cross was on standby, and Palm Tran buses were ready to transport residents once law enforcement allowed the evacuation.

Military Trail was closed between 10th Avenue North and Purdy Lane/Alameda Drive. The road remained open only to emergency vehicles. County officials advised drivers to use 10th Avenue North and Purdy Lane/Alameda Drive for east-west travel. They recommended Haverhill Road and Kirk Road for north-south travel. A county commissioner warned that parts of the road could stay closed for an extended time because of the crater, and officials said the timeline also depends on the federal investigation.

Air traffic control recordings indicated the jet was flying east at about 35,000 feet. The pilots reported turbulence, icing, and precipitation and requested to climb 2,000 feet. Minutes before the crash, the pilot told the Miami Air Route Traffic Control Center "We have light, clear ice that is manageable and moderate turbulence.". The pilot reported an outside air temperature of minus 47 degrees Celsius and turbulence causing the jet to bounce by up to 700 feet.

The situation deteriorated rapidly after the pilots reported precipitation. The pilot radioed, "We're descending 8,000, mayday, mayday, we're descending 10,000 feet per minute." The pilot then said, "We are in an overspeed condition descending 20,000 feet per minute." The pilot then said, "We're going to crash into the ground." CBS News reported the pilot also said, "We're out of time."

Flight tracking data from ADS-B Exchange showed a drop of 27,000 feet in about a minute before the signal cut off. The FAA stated the jet fell from 35,250 feet to 8,750 feet in one minute. The plane banked sharply to the right before hitting the ground at a steep angle. The descent rate pushed the jet beyond its design limits.

Scattered storms were in the area when the crash occurred. The jet passed through a stronger storm cell shortly before descending. The FAA had issued a convective SIGMET, a warning of thunderstorms that threaten aircraft. Whether the weather played a role in the crash has not been determined. The National Weather Service had a flood watch in effect through Monday afternoon.

Mary Schiavo, a CNN aviation analyst, said dashcam video would be important for investigators. She noted that the descent was not controlled, indicating the pilots had lost control of the plane. She suggested the steep dive could have torn parts off the aircraft. It is unknown if the jet carried a cockpit voice recorder. FAA rules require multi-engine jets to carry one only when flown for hire. Records show the jet was offered for charter.

The aircraft was registered as N722BD. FAA registry data lists it as a Learjet 60 owned by LR60271 LLC of Wilmington, Delaware. The jet is listed online as available for charter. Officials have not identified who operated the Sunday flight. This crash is the deadliest ever involving a Learjet 60, according to Flight Safety Foundation data.

It is the second deadliest crash in the United States this year. A skydiving plane crash in Butler, Missouri, in June killed 12 people. Learjet, the brand made famous by Bill Lear in the 1960s, was last built by Canadian manufacturer Bombardier. Bombardier stopped making new Learjets in 2021 but still supports the planes in service.