Learjet crash in Palm Beach County kills 9

Nine people died in a Learjet crash on Sunday afternoon in Palm Beach County, Florida. The aircraft erupted into flames after hitting the ground near Military Trail, between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.

The jet, a Learjet 60 registered to a Delaware limited liability company, was traveling from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport to the Bahamas. FAA records show the plane is available for charter. The crash is the second deadliest in the United States this year, following a skydiving plane crash in Butler, Missouri in June that killed 12 people.

Air traffic control recordings captured by LiveATC.net show the pilot reporting accumulating ice, moderate turbulence, and an outside air temperature of minus 47 degrees Celsius. The pilot described the turbulence as bouncing the plane by up to 700 feet. Minutes later, the pilot declared an emergency, stating the aircraft was descending 10,000 feet per minute and was in an overspeed condition.

Flight tracking data from ADS-B Exchange indicates the jet lost 27,000 feet in altitude over the course of one minute before its signal disappeared. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called the incident a “horrific tragedy.” The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are leading the investigation.

The crash site is located about four miles south of the airport in West Palm Beach, which was renamed for President Donald Trump earlier this year. Trump departed the airport on Air Force One more than one hour before the crash occurred. Officials said the road is buckled where the plane landed, creating a crater, as seen in video footage from WPBF.

Weather played a role in the sequence of events, with scattered storms present in the area at the time. The plane passed through a stronger storm cell shortly before its rapid descent, though it is unclear if the weather directly caused the crash. All northbound and southbound lanes of Military Trail remain closed until further notice, with officials advising motorists to seek alternate routes.