Learjet 60 Crashes in Florida, Killing All Nine on Board

A Learjet 60 crashed in a residential area of Palm Beach County, Florida, on 1 November 2026, killing all nine people on board. The aircraft, registration N722BD, had departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas for North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas.

Pilots reported light clear ice, moderate turbulence and precipitation while at altitude. They requested a climb. Shortly after, the crew declared a mayday, stating the aircraft was in an overspeed condition and descending at rates of 10,000 then 20,000 feet per minute. The final transmission included the words “we’re out of time.”

Flight data showed a rapid loss of altitude. The jet descended from around 35,000 feet to 8,750 feet in about one minute before impact near Military Trail and 10th Avenue North in the Greenacres-Cresthaven area. Dashcam video captured a near-vertical dive ending in a large fireball and crater. No injuries on the ground were reported.

The National Transportation Safety Board launched an investigation and sent a go-team. The Federal Aviation Administration is supporting. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy described the event as a horrific tragedy. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis called it a cataclysmic plane crash that left a big crater.

The 2004 Learjet 60 is registered to LR60271 LLC, a Delaware entity. Bombardier stated it would support the investigation. The aircraft had climbed to 41,000 feet earlier in the flight. ADS-B data indicated a maximum descent rate exceeding 32,000 feet per minute at one point.

The crash site is roughly six miles from Mar-a-Lago. First responders from Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and Fire Rescue secured the area. About 600 people were temporarily evacuated. Military Trail was closed between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North.

Icing and turbulence are under scrutiny, though investigators have not confirmed a cause. The NTSB will examine wreckage, flight data, air traffic control recordings and maintenance records. The aircraft type has a history of incidents involving systems issues, but each case is distinct.

Families of those on board have not been publicly identified in initial reports. The flight was private. Officials continue to recover remains and document the scene. The investigation is expected to take months.

This is the second-deadliest aviation accident in the United States this year according to National Transportation Safety Board records. Business jet operations routinely encounter icing in certain altitudes and seasons; crews are trained to manage it through altitude changes and anti-ice systems. The rapid transition from manageable conditions to uncontrolled descent remains the central unanswered question.

Local residents described the impact as sounding like a missile. Debris was scattered across the road and nearby properties. Power and utility crews assessed secondary damage. The area has seen previous weather-related disruptions, but this event was sudden and localized.

Further details on the occupants and precise sequence will emerge as the NTSB completes its factual phase. Until then, the confirmed facts remain the departure point, the reported conditions, the descent rates, the impact location and the total loss of life aboard.